From Book Crush to Book Review: A Literary Criticism How-To with Diana Arterian— May 17

If you have yet to pen a book review, it can feel undeniably daunting. How do I avoid writing the equivalent of a high school book report? What is important to include? How do I sound like myself?

In this seminar, we will consider the practice of literary criticism: its common moves, its value in the literary community, how to begin, and how to get that polished review published. Ultimately, the work of writing a book review is a vital way of connecting with the books of your shelf to the world beyond—and potentially shining a light on a title you admire. Through brief lectures, discussions, and writing exercises, we will consider how to write thoughtfully about a title both in its grander concerns (themes, forms, characters) and how it operates on a line level (voice, diction, texture).

By the end of the seminar, you will have an understanding of the variety of elements in literary criticism, from how to approach writing a thoughtful review to how to pitch publication venues. Each student should come with a book they hope to review (whether this is a recently published book or not, it doesn’t matter—only that you feel you have something you want to say about it). We will begin the process of locating the means to write the title together.

What you will learn

• Purpose: What, exactly, book reviews do in the literary world.

• Strong starts: Entry points on a review and how to make them stand out.

• Nuance and structure: What can give dimension to a book review, and what beats are important to hit.

• Making it personal: How to include yourself through voice and knowledge/expertise.

• Getting it out there: How to pitch that review!

Additional info

This workshop will be recorded for the convenience of those unable to attend live. The recorded session will be emailed to participants the following day.

About the Instructor

Diana Arterian is the author of the forthcoming poetry collection Agrippina the Younger (Northwestern University Press/Curbstone, 2025). Her first book, Playing Monster :: Seiche, received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was a Poetry Foundation Staff Pick. Also forthcoming is Smoke Drifts, her co-translation of Nadia Anjuman’s poetry done with Marina Omar (World Poetry Books, 2025). A Poetry Editor at Noemi Press and twice-finalist for the National Poetry Series, Diana’s creative work has been recognized with fellowships from the Banff Centre, Caldera, Millay Arts, Vermont Studio Center, and Yaddo. Her poetry, nonfiction, criticism, co-translations, and conversations have been featured in BOMB, Brooklyn Rail, Georgia Review, Los Angeles Review of Books, NPR, The New York Times Book Review, and The Poetry Foundation website, among others. She curates and writes “The Annotated Nightstand” column at LitHub. Diana holds a PhD in Literature & Creative Writing from the University of Southern California, an MFA in Poetry from CalArts. She lives in Los Angeles.