Reviewing
Contest entry42 total reviews
Comment from Sasha
I have read several entries for this contest and you are the first to comment on feeling uncomfortable when you began reviewing. I too felt uncomfortable, especially with poetry which I love but find extremely complicated with all its rules. I also agree with your comment about the writers from around the globe, and that words, phrases, sentence structures and meter do not always coincide with our preconceived American jargon. I did find what I think is a spag in this essay:
what they have done write..I think you meant 'right'...
YOu made some good points. I think this is a very good entry for this contest and I sincerely wish you all the best.
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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I have read several entries for this contest and you are the first to comment on feeling uncomfortable when you began reviewing. I too felt uncomfortable, especially with poetry which I love but find extremely complicated with all its rules. I also agree with your comment about the writers from around the globe, and that words, phrases, sentence structures and meter do not always coincide with our preconceived American jargon. I did find what I think is a spag in this essay:
what they have done write..I think you meant 'right'...
YOu made some good points. I think this is a very good entry for this contest and I sincerely wish you all the best.
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Yes, I fixed that. I wrote it in a hurry--ended 2 minutes before the deadline (that's my excuse anyway). Thank you, my friend~Debbie
Comment from seaglass
You have reviewed much of my work and I have always appreciated your editing and comments. This essay is good, in my opinion, because it doesn't preach or scold. you approach the subject as an peer to those whom you review and then, share what you have learned to work. it is well written.
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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You have reviewed much of my work and I have always appreciated your editing and comments. This essay is good, in my opinion, because it doesn't preach or scold. you approach the subject as an peer to those whom you review and then, share what you have learned to work. it is well written.
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Thank you. I think we are here to help each other. I don't get into the competitive part, although good reviews are always nice. Take care, my friend~Debbie
Comment from Dean Kuch
Good essay on how you conduct your reviews, Debbie, and the processes you mentally go through prior digging into an authors work. I review nearly anything and everything, regardless of how offensive it might seem to me. I feel something significant can be gleaned from most everything I read. I also prefer to put the spelling corrections at the end of my review, as it it embarrassing, for whatever reasons, to some. They simply don't like it jumping off the page at them, and I often use red fonts to do my corrections so they stand out better.
Reviewing is, indeed, an art, and a good reviewer will try to be helpful, yet tactful at the same time. Ending on a positive note is a must, I feel, as a writer's work is as personal to them as a lover's touch, most times. We're not here to crush creativity, but to encourage and help it, if we can,, to thrive.
Well done and best of luck to you in the contest.
"...try to end on an optimistic note, what they have donewrite right, or..." I believe you meant "right" here, Debbie.
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Good essay on how you conduct your reviews, Debbie, and the processes you mentally go through prior digging into an authors work. I review nearly anything and everything, regardless of how offensive it might seem to me. I feel something significant can be gleaned from most everything I read. I also prefer to put the spelling corrections at the end of my review, as it it embarrassing, for whatever reasons, to some. They simply don't like it jumping off the page at them, and I often use red fonts to do my corrections so they stand out better.
Reviewing is, indeed, an art, and a good reviewer will try to be helpful, yet tactful at the same time. Ending on a positive note is a must, I feel, as a writer's work is as personal to them as a lover's touch, most times. We're not here to crush creativity, but to encourage and help it, if we can,, to thrive.
Well done and best of luck to you in the contest.
"...try to end on an optimistic note, what they have done
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Yes, I fixed that. I wrote it in a hurry--ended 2 minutes before the deadline (that's my excuse anyway). Thank you, my friend~Debbie
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I know how that can be, Debbie. You're welcome just the same.
Comment from dennis0530
Good that you have shared your ideas about reviewing. First, I want to say that not all experienced writers here are spelling bees. All of us makes slips at times. Maybe that is why we want our work reviewed. Strange how others see mistakes in our work that we don't.
Like you, I abhor reviewers who have not read the writing. You can spot those. They write silly reviews and comments just to earn points and member dollars. Their technique of quoting lines from the writing and at the end say, "I love these," "amazing," "keep on writing" are just tasteless.
I hope more readers view your essay so that they can see some tips about good reviewing.
I might have noticed two spags:
2nd paragraph : "longer then I had." - make that THAN.
"...what they have done write." - I think you mean RIGHT?
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Good that you have shared your ideas about reviewing. First, I want to say that not all experienced writers here are spelling bees. All of us makes slips at times. Maybe that is why we want our work reviewed. Strange how others see mistakes in our work that we don't.
Like you, I abhor reviewers who have not read the writing. You can spot those. They write silly reviews and comments just to earn points and member dollars. Their technique of quoting lines from the writing and at the end say, "I love these," "amazing," "keep on writing" are just tasteless.
I hope more readers view your essay so that they can see some tips about good reviewing.
I might have noticed two spags:
2nd paragraph : "longer then I had." - make that THAN.
"...what they have done write." - I think you mean RIGHT?
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Yes, I fixed those. I wrote it in a hurry--ended 2 minutes before the deadline (that's my excuse anyway). Thank you, my friend~Debbie
Comment from acerisestory
I very much enjoyed your essay. Maybe we all feel like you do -- maybe not. I definitely feel that I am a newbie and must be quite careful about what I say. I very much enjoy the reviews of the "veterans" out there, and I sometimes read their reviews before I even attempt a try on a new piece of writing.
I do have one correction :) I believe in the third paragraph, you meant to say: "I'm not an expert, by far".
Best wishes with the contest.
Alana
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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I very much enjoyed your essay. Maybe we all feel like you do -- maybe not. I definitely feel that I am a newbie and must be quite careful about what I say. I very much enjoy the reviews of the "veterans" out there, and I sometimes read their reviews before I even attempt a try on a new piece of writing.
I do have one correction :) I believe in the third paragraph, you meant to say: "I'm not an expert, by far".
Best wishes with the contest.
Alana
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Yes, I fixed that. I wrote it in a hurry--ended 2 minutes before the deadline (that's my excuse anyway). Thank you, my friend~Debbie
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You are welcome! Alana
Comment from Judy Couch
Your essay is grammatically correct and easy to read. There is one spelling error that you might want to consider. "what they have done write, or at least encouragement" The word "write" should be spelled "right" as in right as opposed to wrong. Other than that, the essay is good.
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Your essay is grammatically correct and easy to read. There is one spelling error that you might want to consider. "what they have done write, or at least encouragement" The word "write" should be spelled "right" as in right as opposed to wrong. Other than that, the essay is good.
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Yes, I fixed that. I wrote it in a hurry--ended 2 minutes before the deadline (that's my excuse anyway). Thank you, my friend~Debbie
Comment from royowen
I agree wholeheartedly Debbie, I was terribly confronted when I first started, but feel more confident now! I'm sometimes nonplussed by poetry "types" but I judge on content and grammatical errors. I hate the abstract poetry or " streams of consciousness" and quite often pass them up, I wonder if they write a letter to someone like that? Thank you for this write, Debbie! "What they have done write? " one the concluding sentences in your essay! Well done, blessings, Roy.
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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I agree wholeheartedly Debbie, I was terribly confronted when I first started, but feel more confident now! I'm sometimes nonplussed by poetry "types" but I judge on content and grammatical errors. I hate the abstract poetry or " streams of consciousness" and quite often pass them up, I wonder if they write a letter to someone like that? Thank you for this write, Debbie! "What they have done write? " one the concluding sentences in your essay! Well done, blessings, Roy.
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Thank you so very much, my friend. Have a blessed day~Debbie
Comment from Jay Squires
Hi, Debbie:
It feels weird critting a post on reviewing. But, here goes:
I do feel much more capable of the task today, but by far an expert. [I believe you mean: "far from an expert" since you are saying you ARE an expert (and compared to the sentence I just wrote you ARE for more than I)]
I do thoroughly read what I review although many others don't. [Good, that!]
what they have done write [oops! What they have done right (or correctly) which would probably be better anyway since you use a derivative of "write" in that last clause.]
Hey, you can review my writing any day, Debbie!
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Hi, Debbie:
It feels weird critting a post on reviewing. But, here goes:
I do feel much more capable of the task today, but by far an expert. [I believe you mean: "far from an expert" since you are saying you ARE an expert (and compared to the sentence I just wrote you ARE for more than I)]
I do thoroughly read what I review although many others don't. [Good, that!]
what they have done write [oops! What they have done right (or correctly) which would probably be better anyway since you use a derivative of "write" in that last clause.]
Hey, you can review my writing any day, Debbie!
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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And you mine!
Yes, I fixed that. I wrote it in a hurry--ended 2 minutes before the deadline (that's my excuse anyway). Thank you, my friend~Debbie
Comment from tfawcus
There is much wisdom in what you say, Debbie. I, too, avoid reviewing works which I find offensive and, in addition, I am reluctant to review works that I do not understand. Ending on a positive note is critical. Even in the most embryonic writing there is always something to praise, albeit just the bravery of exposing the writing to public scrutiny! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this critical function of FanStory. Your insights are most valuable.
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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There is much wisdom in what you say, Debbie. I, too, avoid reviewing works which I find offensive and, in addition, I am reluctant to review works that I do not understand. Ending on a positive note is critical. Even in the most embryonic writing there is always something to praise, albeit just the bravery of exposing the writing to public scrutiny! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this critical function of FanStory. Your insights are most valuable.
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Thank you, my friend~Debbie
Comment from JB Lynn
"If I am offended by a topic, I don't choose to review it." - How I wish others would take this advise to heart! There is no law anywhere that says we must review EVERYTHING.
While your first paragraph has a sincere and honest voice, it doesn't read much like an "intro" for the remainder of the essay. The overall essay seems to be talking more about how you developed your personal style of reviewing. That should be mentioned in an intro paragraph. Then what you currently have as your first paragraph, would work great as a second paragraph. I would also recommend that you combine your current first and second paragraph together into one paragraph, since they both feel like they're dealing with the same point (your feelings a the start of your "reviewing adventure").
"There are so many types of writing, [achieving] expertise in them all is an impossible feat." - Simple word exchange suggestion.
"...and who says ours is right anyway?" - Tagging this on at the end of your sentence makes the whole thing sound a bit like a run on. I think this crucial question you ask would stand out more if you split it off and treated it like its own sentence.
"The more I do read and review, the more skillful I think I become at it." - Consider moving this whole paragraph up to join the paragraph that talks about it being impossible to be an expert in all forms of writing. I think with a bit of tweaking, these would work well in one whole paragraph.
"If I am offended by a topic,..." - Starting with this paragraph, I would combine it with the next two "paragraphs" that follow. These are all addressing the same general concept, and belong together in one cohesive paragraph.
The final sentence of this piece feels a bit unfinished to be the conclusion to this essay. What have you learned so far? Could you expand a bit more? That would work well as a conclusion to an essay that is about your journey into the world of a FanStory reviewer.
Although the original contest rules are to write about "how" to review, I think your interpretation of writing about how YOU review is perfectly legitimate. A lot of readers, I bet, will enjoy reading about your own personal journey into this endeavor and will find something to relate to. Thank you for sharing and good luck with the contest.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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"If I am offended by a topic, I don't choose to review it." - How I wish others would take this advise to heart! There is no law anywhere that says we must review EVERYTHING.
While your first paragraph has a sincere and honest voice, it doesn't read much like an "intro" for the remainder of the essay. The overall essay seems to be talking more about how you developed your personal style of reviewing. That should be mentioned in an intro paragraph. Then what you currently have as your first paragraph, would work great as a second paragraph. I would also recommend that you combine your current first and second paragraph together into one paragraph, since they both feel like they're dealing with the same point (your feelings a the start of your "reviewing adventure").
"There are so many types of writing, [achieving] expertise in them all is an impossible feat." - Simple word exchange suggestion.
"...and who says ours is right anyway?" - Tagging this on at the end of your sentence makes the whole thing sound a bit like a run on. I think this crucial question you ask would stand out more if you split it off and treated it like its own sentence.
"The more I do read and review, the more skillful I think I become at it." - Consider moving this whole paragraph up to join the paragraph that talks about it being impossible to be an expert in all forms of writing. I think with a bit of tweaking, these would work well in one whole paragraph.
"If I am offended by a topic,..." - Starting with this paragraph, I would combine it with the next two "paragraphs" that follow. These are all addressing the same general concept, and belong together in one cohesive paragraph.
The final sentence of this piece feels a bit unfinished to be the conclusion to this essay. What have you learned so far? Could you expand a bit more? That would work well as a conclusion to an essay that is about your journey into the world of a FanStory reviewer.
Although the original contest rules are to write about "how" to review, I think your interpretation of writing about how YOU review is perfectly legitimate. A lot of readers, I bet, will enjoy reading about your own personal journey into this endeavor and will find something to relate to. Thank you for sharing and good luck with the contest.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 13-Jun-2014
reply by the author on 23-Jun-2014
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Thank you, my friend~Debbie
