Ponderance On Reviews
The wonderful world of reviews20 total reviews
Comment from Knighteagle
All of this is excellent advice. You present it well, a little humor included. As a lesser experienced writer you present some good lessons. Though beyond being our own worst enemy, who you go to for critique plays a part. Something more anonymous like fanstory allows the critique to be honest and not withholding. While there can be far less fear of judgment and damaged relationships on the writes part. A harsh critique can be hard enough to take without strings attached. Very good insight I'll be sure to look at again
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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All of this is excellent advice. You present it well, a little humor included. As a lesser experienced writer you present some good lessons. Though beyond being our own worst enemy, who you go to for critique plays a part. Something more anonymous like fanstory allows the critique to be honest and not withholding. While there can be far less fear of judgment and damaged relationships on the writes part. A harsh critique can be hard enough to take without strings attached. Very good insight I'll be sure to look at again
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Glad you enjoyed this article.
True, who critiques a piece can also play a part in the overall writing experience.
Comment from dejohnsrld (Debbie)
These are all very good points, my friend. I especially concur with the last. I could never write for a living as I love writing far too much. If I did it for a living, it would become work, and I would not risk losing the joy I find in doing it. Well written, my friend~Debbie
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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These are all very good points, my friend. I especially concur with the last. I could never write for a living as I love writing far too much. If I did it for a living, it would become work, and I would not risk losing the joy I find in doing it. Well written, my friend~Debbie
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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I write for a living because I could not think of anything else I would rather be doing.
Glad you enjoyed this article.
Comment from Mary Wakeford
What a great piece of advice this is, and I shall bookmark it for future reference. Dean is an extremely helpful guy on technical aspects of this site as well, always offering helpful links and such. I've only had the benefit of his review on my work but once, but have read many he has put out there to help become a better reviewer myself.
Excellent in format and in honesty, this writing. Well done.
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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What a great piece of advice this is, and I shall bookmark it for future reference. Dean is an extremely helpful guy on technical aspects of this site as well, always offering helpful links and such. I've only had the benefit of his review on my work but once, but have read many he has put out there to help become a better reviewer myself.
Excellent in format and in honesty, this writing. Well done.
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Glad you enjoyed this article.
Dean is indeed very helpful in a lot of ways.
Comment from Heather Knight
Thanks for the very interesting advice.
I found a couple of typos:
Where you wrote reviewing something a person has read, I think you meant written.
Does not met the Gold standard needs an extra e: meet
Thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Thanks for the very interesting advice.
I found a couple of typos:
Where you wrote reviewing something a person has read, I think you meant written.
Does not met the Gold standard needs an extra e: meet
Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Glad you enjoyed this article.
Appreciate the catches.
Comment from MizKat
Hi Brett,
This is very interesting and I agree with it. I have a lot of friends on here who will point out things to me that need fixing or changing and they will point them out to me very nicely. So of course I go in and change them so they will sound better. I appreciate friends like them and you.
Kat
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Hi Brett,
This is very interesting and I agree with it. I have a lot of friends on here who will point out things to me that need fixing or changing and they will point them out to me very nicely. So of course I go in and change them so they will sound better. I appreciate friends like them and you.
Kat
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Glad you enjoyed this article. It was food for thought between a friend of mine and me last night I decided to share here on FanStory.
Dean contributed a couple additional points of few that I also felt were spot on.
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I hope you will continue to share things. I like when people do that because it always helps me. Thanks!
Kat
Comment from Barb Hensongispsaca
wow you put it right out there on the line, bleached and ready to dry.
very nicely stated and I say that honestly.
fine points but it comes right down to the fact that some have to argue or they are not happy
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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wow you put it right out there on the line, bleached and ready to dry.
very nicely stated and I say that honestly.
fine points but it comes right down to the fact that some have to argue or they are not happy
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Glad you enjoyed this article Your comments and support appreciated.
Comment from janalma
Good article. It's what all writers need to understand, I think. What good is writing if you can't please at least some folks? And I'm not talking about an obviously badly written, unedited piece of work that is applauded by a reviewer, with many stars. My opinion on that is that the person didn't have the time or energy to give a real review. Useless, actually. I know that some people will say that you can't judge a work badly because everyone is different, but I still say hogwash. So then, what is this site for? How can they improve if told that it's all just fine?
Some small nits...
...told something they created does (has) not met the Gold Standard...
...but this is the >singlemost
Good, thoughtful essay.
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Good article. It's what all writers need to understand, I think. What good is writing if you can't please at least some folks? And I'm not talking about an obviously badly written, unedited piece of work that is applauded by a reviewer, with many stars. My opinion on that is that the person didn't have the time or energy to give a real review. Useless, actually. I know that some people will say that you can't judge a work badly because everyone is different, but I still say hogwash. So then, what is this site for? How can they improve if told that it's all just fine?
Some small nits...
...told something they created does (has) not met the Gold Standard...
...but this is the >singlemost
Good, thoughtful essay.
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Glad you enjoyed this article. Constant improvement should be every writer's goal, and one of the best ways to improve is by listening to what readers tell them about what they wrote.
Comment from Dean Kuch
What matters in the moment is your current piece of creativity now being scrutinized. And the truth of this statement is that not every piece a writer pens is a Pulitzer Award-winning composition, a New York Times Bestseller, or an American Academy of Arts And Letters Gold Medal piece of poetry. ... True, Brett, it may not be "six-star worthy" nor a Pulitzer prize winner. But the reasons for it not being worthy should never, and I repeat--NEVER!!!-- be due to a lack of honest effort on the part of the individual doing the writing. If someone is not willing to listen to honest critique given with the best of intentions, then they may as well put away the pen and paper, shut down their laptop, and simply walk away without ever looking back.
Many reviewers here have ulterior motives for not awarding an exceptional piece of work--be it poetry or prose--the very highest rating they can possibly give.
Your proclivity learns towards prose, so you reserve your sixes for those who write prose.
As for me, I could give a rat's ass in a dry well if it is poetry OR prose, as I have demonstrated on at least two occasions today alone. The key is you have to keep an open mind.
Literature is literature, after all.
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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What matters in the moment is your current piece of creativity now being scrutinized. And the truth of this statement is that not every piece a writer pens is a Pulitzer Award-winning composition, a New York Times Bestseller, or an American Academy of Arts And Letters Gold Medal piece of poetry. ... True, Brett, it may not be "six-star worthy" nor a Pulitzer prize winner. But the reasons for it not being worthy should never, and I repeat--NEVER!!!-- be due to a lack of honest effort on the part of the individual doing the writing. If someone is not willing to listen to honest critique given with the best of intentions, then they may as well put away the pen and paper, shut down their laptop, and simply walk away without ever looking back.
Many reviewers here have ulterior motives for not awarding an exceptional piece of work--be it poetry or prose--the very highest rating they can possibly give.
Your proclivity learns towards prose, so you reserve your sixes for those who write prose.
As for me, I could give a rat's ass in a dry well if it is poetry OR prose, as I have demonstrated on at least two occasions today alone. The key is you have to keep an open mind.
Literature is literature, after all.
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Can't always say I only give sixes to those who write prose.
Believe I have provided you more than one six for your outstanding poetry my friend.
I still find it the best crafted on this site. As they say, you, Dean, are often copied but you are never duplicated.
I have also provided sixes to other poets as well. And I will continue to.
True, on this site I am now well known for my Cody Schroder stories. Which I have had one live stage production to date, and am currently in the works for other projects with as well. Perhaps even a movie. So yes, I currently tend towards prose writing at the moment.
However, in real life, I am more a Country Music songwriter and always will be. That is still my first love in writing as it always has been.
I certainly agree if a writer is not putting their best efforts out there for all the world to see then how they are reviewed is their own doing.
Certainly appreciate your thought-provoking comments.
Hope you don't mind, but I am going to include part of your comment into my article. (Crediting you, of course, my friend.)
I will PM you this before I actually do it.
Until next time.
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I don't mind a bit, Brett. I'd be honored, and thanks for thinking to include me.
Good luck on all of your projects.
God knows we need all of it we can get these days.
~Dean
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
A very well-written piece with solid advice. I am not the best writer on earth planet, or on planet FanStory, but I enjoy each poem I write, with mistakes and all, and when someone critiques my work, I try to improve my tactics with the next one, and still having fun, while I am learning. If we were all perfect and on the highest level of everything, we would not need to learn anything from another.
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reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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A very well-written piece with solid advice. I am not the best writer on earth planet, or on planet FanStory, but I enjoy each poem I write, with mistakes and all, and when someone critiques my work, I try to improve my tactics with the next one, and still having fun, while I am learning. If we were all perfect and on the highest level of everything, we would not need to learn anything from another.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Appreciate your comments and support.
Doing our best as a writer is all we can do.
Comment from c_lucas
It is best that a writer be able to write in more than on genre. The ideas presented are solid. A writer should be willing to listen to other's input.
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reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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It is best that a writer be able to write in more than on genre. The ideas presented are solid. A writer should be willing to listen to other's input.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 09-Oct-2016
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2016
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Listening to the input of others is how writers get better at their craft.
Appreciate your comments and support.