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How to Write a Thoughtful Essay About a Book: Guide

Writing an essay about a book is a literary experience you should not take lightly. Whether you are a college student or not, you need to put in the work if you want your essay to be perfect. In this article, you will find a step-by-step guide on how to write a college essay about a book.

How to write an essay about a book?

Below are some tips to help you write the perfect essay about a book:

  1. Determine the essay type

If you are asked to write an essay about a book, you need to determine what type of essay to write. Do you want to write a book review? Is your goal to write a book report, or are you interested in an analytic essay?

If you opt for a book review, your job will be to provide unbiased criticism about the book's content. However, if you are writing a book report, you cannot sound critical. Simply report on what you've read without recommendation. An analytical book essay is like a combination of a book review and a book report. You will be reporting and analyzing simultaneously, so some criticism is allowed.

  1. Learn how to start an essay about a book

The introduction of your book essay is a critical part of the content because it determines whether the reader will keep going or stop reading. Irrespective of the type of essay you are writing, ensure the introduction is engaging. Look for a hook from the book and use it to ignite the reader's interest. Questions and statistics are great hooks for starting book essays.

  1. Structure the body logically

When you are talking about a book in an essay, you need to make sure there is a logical flow between paragraphs. For example, make your points chronologically as they appear in the book you are reviewing. Do not skip the first chapter and start making points from the fourth chapter.

The gold standard for essays is two to three sentences per paragraph. Each paragraph should only address a single point. If three sentences are not enough to make your point, you can increase it to five sentences. Three paragraphs should be enough to list and expand on your main points. However, you can add more paragraphs if you want.

  1. Choose critical areas of focus

Before writing, choose which areas you want to focus on in the book essay. When reading the book, pay close attention to the central theme, characters, and subplots. These variables serve as the basis for your book review or report.

Take note of critical points as you read the book. Do not wait until after reading to take notes if you want to get all the correct details. After reading the book, you can start building your essay with the notes you've collected.

  1. Wrap up in the conclusion

The transition from your last point in the body to the conclusion should be smooth. It is better not to make any new points in the conclusion. Instead, reference the main points from the body and wrap up the book essay. It is important that you do not leave unanswered questions or cliffhangers in your essay about a book.

  1. Check the content for grammar errors and plagiarism

After you have written your first draft and final draft, check your essay for grammatical or typographical errors. Ensure it is engaging, flows well, and is 100% original.

If you can afford to, use an advanced grammar-checking application and a plagiarism scanner for the last edits. It also helps to proofread your work out loud. It may help to read it in front of a friend and ask them what they think about it.

Conclusion

Since you now know how to mention a book in an essay, you can get started right away. Read a book and write an essay about it. Reading a book just once may not cut it. You may need to read it twice or thrice to provide the perfect report. Practice with different types of books, from fiction to school textbooks. With time, the quality of your writing will improve.

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