Reviews are important. Most people read reviews to help influence their decision. Should I buy this type of iPad or stay in this hotel? How have others felt about this movie or restaurant? Is this product of entertainment worth spending my hard earn money on? Seeing others’ viewpoints towards the desired item can weigh in on a purchasing decision.
Think about how many times you have asked a friend or family member, if you looked good in a particular outfit you were trying on before buying it. Or when you look at printer features from 10 different printers, how do you decide which is best for you? From other people’s opinions, right? In fact, that’s what a review is: someone’s opinion.
Yet, how do we write a review? For some, it comes easy. I liked it or I didn’t like it and here are the reasons why. Simple, isn’t it? Some people still don’t feel confident in doing this. To help, below I have created a guide to make writing a review even simpler:
Firstly, the essential parts of a good review are that it should:
-have a short title;
-a introduction telling the readers what you are reviewing;
-a relaxed, friendly style;
-a new paragraph for each point you make;
-both positive and negative opinions;
-reasons or examples to help explain these opinions;
-and a recommendation in your conclusion.
Well, how do I express these points? Here are some sentence starters to help get you to start writing that review: (Use them or tweak them to suit your style of writing.)
1st Paragraph -INTRODUCTION:
I had been waiting ages to (see/read/visit…pick your verb) (Name of what you are reviewing) and when I got the opportunity it gave me a lot to consider for this review, both good and bad!
2nd Paragraph- SUMMARY
(What is it about? Who is in it? Or what does it do? Or what did you see there?)
The story was based on….
The film relates the story of…
The book is about…
The main theme….
There are many memorable characters including….
The place has…
The restaurant serves..
3rd Paragraph- YOUR OPINION
(WHAT I LIKED)
The thing I really enjoyed/preferred most was…
I was pleasantly surprised by…
What pleased me above all…..
(WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE)
What I disliked most was….
I was really disappointed by/with….
What I found hard to believe….
4th Paragraph- RECOMMENDATIONS
I would/would not recommend this…..to everyone/anyone, even…
Although I am not a fan of……, I suggest that you (pick a verb) it.
If I had to (pick a verb) this…(Name of thing you are reviewing)..again, I definitely say that it would be a waste of time/worth it.
And you’re done! You can use these sentence starters to help you get into the flow of writing a few reviews. The format will come like second nature. Soon you will be using your own words to type out your opinions of products and/or entertainment.
Don’t take your opinions for granted. People care about your perspective and if you style it right, they will listen to it.
For examples of reviews I have written, go check out my blogs: Black Love Review and Why Supporting Other Writers’ Novels Can Be Extremely Useful.
You can also look to any webpage that sells products. Get familiar with other people’s reviews, then write your own.
Happy writing.
Do you read other reviews how do they help you make a decision? Have you written reviews before? What do you like to review? Leave your answers in the comment section below.
Jasmine Lace 