For a while now, I’ve felt disconnected from one of my favorite activities: writing book reviews. Between the challenges brought by COVID and adopting a new note-taking system called Zettelkasten, I found myself with an overwhelming backlog of notes and no energy to turn them into reviews. The result? Many valuable insights from my reading sat dormant, never making it to my blog.
I knew I wanted to get back into writing reviews, but I needed a new, more manageable approach.
Finding a Solution With Evernote
Recently, I received a book I promised to review, which reignited my desire to review books again. I realized that for reviewing to become sustainable again, I needed a process that fit my current lifestyle. That’s where Evernote came in.
With Evernote’s audio recorder, I’ve made my reviewing process simpler and more effective. After finishing a chapter or two, I record my thoughts immediately, capturing insights while they’re still fresh. Evernote then transcribes these recordings, giving me detailed notes that are easy to organize and revisit. This adjustment has made a daunting task achievable—one step at a time.
Evernote audio and transcription
A New Process for Reviewing Books
Lately, I’ve been reading two books simultaneously, and this new approach has made managing information from both books easier and more enjoyable. After each reading session, I make an audio recording, transcribe it, and add more insights the next day. This way, I’m building a rich, evolving document that contains my thoughts and reflections in real-time.
Recording my thoughts in the moment has allowed me to better capture nuances and personal reactions that are often lost when relying on memory alone. Not only do I have the notes I need to write a thorough review, but I also feel more connected to the books I’m reading.
Creating the Final Review
With my notes organized in Evernote, I use ChatGPT to help shape them into a final book review. One of my graduate professors, Dr. Michael Day, shared a book review strategy that has helped me write several published reviews, and I’ve turned his guidance into a helpful prompt:
Based on the transcript provided, please write a comprehensive and objective book review. The review should cover the following elements in this order:
Introduction: Please include a short introductory paragraph
Author Background and Context: Begin by providing some context. Include information about the author (such as their position, background, and experience) and the time period in which the book was written. Explain how these factors might have influenced the content and perspective of the book.
Book Overview: Briefly describe how the book is organized, including the structure, the names of chapters, the amount of pages, etc. This will be useful if the review needs to serve as a future reference.
Author’s Purpose: Identify the author’s purpose for writing the book. Summarize what the author sets out to do, which is often stated or implied in the introduction.
Arguments and Evidence: Outline the main arguments presented by the author. Describe the evidence provided to support these arguments. Evaluate the evidence critically, noting whether it is sufficient, persuasive, or lacking.
Evaluation of Effectiveness: Assess how effectively the author supports their arguments. Stay objective and back up your conclusions with examples from the book.
Personal Reaction: End with your personal reaction to the book. Describe your impressions and feelings, but also acknowledge that your opinion may evolve over time.
Following this prompt and using ChatGPT, I can turn my Evernote transcripts into well-rounded reviews that maximize my reading experience.
Looking Forward
This new process has brought excitement back to book reviewing for me. It’s simple, manageable, and fits seamlessly into my reading routine. By capturing my thoughts in real time and organizing them effectively, I’ve been able to overcome the challenges that once held me back. This approach has not only made the process more efficient but also reignited my passion for sharing insights from the books I love. I can’t wait to share more reviews soon—stay tuned for what’s coming next!
Photo by Tahir Osman
