Do you write reviews?

[charlatti]

I was thinking this morning about how I occasionally write reviews for books but I almost never write reviews for products that I buy. So, a poll:

How often do you write book reviews (actual text, not just stars)? Where do you write them -- Goodreads, Amazon, blog, somewhere else? How often do you review other things?

[snshne322]

I rarely write reviews. I'm honestly in awe of people who can succinctly put their thoughts into words, but I don't have that talent so I prefer not to sully the pond with my poor verbiage. I think I make a better editor than writer.

If I have a particularly good experience with a product I might leave a review, but often it's after they've emailed me or incentivized it. I'm lazy.

[susiebw]

I write something for all my books on GR, but it's really as a reminder for myself and generally not meant as a review to help other people decide whether to read a book or not.

I almost never review products I buy. I can't think of a single time that I have, other than when someone on a forum like this asks for recommendations or info on a given product. In that case I have weighed in on lots of different things, but I don't think I've ever written an actual product review on an Amazon page or anything like that.

[travella]

I just started writing reviews for books, companies, products, etc.

I use Yelp, Angie's List, Amazon, and other review sites often since we move a lot. Since I rely on them I figured I better do my part and review. I especially like leaving good reviews since I find that most people only review when they have a complaint.

I started reviewing books solely so that I could remember the books I read and my thoughts on them. I have a poor memory so many times I have to look at my review before I can recall my thoughts on a book and discuss them with other people.

[willyh19]

I never feel like I can succinctly put into words how I'm feeling about a book. Especially since I frequently go back and change my rating after I've had time to let a book fully soak in.

[revjen]

I rarely do. I will rate them but not write them. I stopped after Amazon bought goodreads.

[aurora]

Rarely, and even more so for books. I really only write about the books I read here.

I sometimes write reviews for other products I buy online if I think there is something other customers will appreciate knowing that was unclear from the product description (e.g., the color of the shoes that are described as "black" but appear grey in the picture).

[suzannesugarbaker]

Jul 28, 2016 8:39:51 GMT -5 snshne322 said:

I rarely write reviews. I'm honestly in awe of people who can succinctly put their thoughts into words, but I don't have that talent so I prefer not to sully the pond with my poor verbiage. I think I make a better editor than writer.

If I have a particularly good experience with a product I might leave a review, but often it's after they've emailed me or incentivized it. I'm lazy.

Same here.

[dorothyinAus]

Sometimes I'll write a review at Goodreads, but mostly it's just a star rating there. I also make notes if I re-read or if there is something important about the book -- Like I made a note of the last book I read before Katrina hit.

I post about the books I read, with a rating system at my teddy bear's blog, sometimes they are actually reviews, sometimes it's just "his" thoughts about the book, not a review as such.

I'm hesitant to write actual reviews because I do not want to spoil too much for people who may not have read it, and also, I'm not really sure what a true review should entail -- should it go into style, tone, character development, etc.; should it just be a rehashing of the plot; or should it be a discussion of what I liked or didn't in the book.

It's easier for me to do it in the voice of my teddy bear, because I don't feel that he has to be so bogged down in the technicalities of the whole idea of reviewing a book. He's a teddy bear, after all.

[ufcasey]

Starting in January 2015 I started writing a review for every book I have read on Goodreads. I use it to help remind myself about my thoughts on a book if needed later, but I also do it because I like the reviews of others. They help me decide if a book is something I might be interested in reading or not because book blurbs don't really give you much info. Hopefully I don't annoy the heck out of my GR friends with all my reviews

[charlatti]

I never actually write more than a sentence or two on Goodreads, so those probably qualify more as notes than reviews. I hate the GR reviews that start out with loooong (and generally poorly written) plot summaries. Hey, y'all? Look up. Summary is right up there. Save it for your blog.

[GilliC]

A long time ago, I used to be a freelance book reviewer for a major newspaper.

These days, I write a short review on Goodreads for nearly ever book I read, but it's typically only 1-2 paragraphs and mostly just to record my opinion for myself and any friends who might have read the same thing.

I sometimes write product reviews for things that I'm extremely happy with.

And I almost always review hotels on TripAdvisor because I rely so heavily on other people's reviews and want to pay that back.

[Nonny]

I've started writing reviews for books on Goodreads in the last year and a half, but they are really more for me than they are for anyone else. Sometimes they include a quick summary, sometimes not, and they all include if I liked/didn't like the book.

I don't really do reviews for anything else, although I have done a couple of a reviews for some clothes I've bought on Amazon, and I think maybe a review or two for shoes on Zappos, because I find those helpful as a buyer.