Book blogging and reviewing

What is the course about?

If you've always wanted to read books professionally as a reviewer or book blogger, this course will introduce some of the best ways to launch yourself in this popular field. You'll learn why readers love certain bloggers and reviewers more than others, how the most popular personalities have made it work, and how to create an outstanding place for your reviews that readers and publishers will love to follow.

What will we cover?

- Why do you want to blog about books?
- Getting started as a reviewer/book blogger.
- Identifying your readers and building a fandom.
- Key skills for book bloggers and reviewers.
- Working with publishers.
- Sustaining your books blog and reviewer status.
- Most popular platforms for bloggers and reviewers.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

Understand why your reviews will stand out and the kind of content you'll need to create to keep them going. You'll also be able to decide which platform is going to work best for your ambitions and what sort of reviewer you aspire to be. Most importantly, you'll have a clear brief on what sort of readers and publishers you'd like to have engaging with your reviews.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

Suitable for aspiring reviewers of all ages and genres. However, this course is more suited to non-professional reviewers who are looking for the basics of how to get started as a book blogger and grow their following early on. Note: In this context the term 'book blogger' refers to anyone in the industry who delivers review content about books. It is not all about starting up your own blog.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

The course will be based around interactive discussion and exercises.

All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.

For classes longer than one day, regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.

City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Paper and pen.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

City Lit offer a range of writing courses for aspiring authors, poets and journalists. Browse the writing section of our website to find the perfect course for you.

All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.