How This Critter Crits
Viewing comments for Prologue "How This Critter Crits"GROWTH? ADULATION? HURRY -- CHOOSE!
170 total reviews
Comment from rama devi
Thanks for this witty, entertaining and enlightening read, my friend. No wonder you've won the ROM!
I enjoyed this, for obvious reasons (we're of a similar breed)!
Loved this part: I happily settled on the shortened "crit," and called myself a Critter. Yes, I like that--I do indeed! A Critter! It has something of a maverick ring to it. So what that Mr. Spell-Check doesn't like it. What does that anal-retentive pedant know?
A few minor suggestions:
* I want to say(,) without hesitation(,) I flew by the seat of my pants during this, my first quarter.
*Most all (of) their errors are in the areas of grammar and punctuation,
*
Finally(,) there are those stalwart warriors who submit daily, who truly want to improve their writing and have a healthy approach to receiving criticism.
Excellent pacing, tone, flavor, substance and humor! Fine sentence mechanics as well. Please keep up the "CRITTING" *wink*
Warm Smiles, rd
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Thanks for this witty, entertaining and enlightening read, my friend. No wonder you've won the ROM!
I enjoyed this, for obvious reasons (we're of a similar breed)!
Loved this part: I happily settled on the shortened "crit," and called myself a Critter. Yes, I like that--I do indeed! A Critter! It has something of a maverick ring to it. So what that Mr. Spell-Check doesn't like it. What does that anal-retentive pedant know?
A few minor suggestions:
* I want to say(,) without hesitation(,) I flew by the seat of my pants during this, my first quarter.
*Most all (of) their errors are in the areas of grammar and punctuation,
*
Finally(,) there are those stalwart warriors who submit daily, who truly want to improve their writing and have a healthy approach to receiving criticism.
Excellent pacing, tone, flavor, substance and humor! Fine sentence mechanics as well. Please keep up the "CRITTING" *wink*
Warm Smiles, rd
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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This is what I'm talking about. I learn so much from my fellow critters. I went back and made the changes (commas will be the death of me); I'm holding off on adding the "of" to "Most all their errors ..." Not saying I won't change it later, but I kind of like its absence, though I understand where many will feel it's needed. I'm just going to mull it over a while.
Rama, thanks so much for your sterling help with this.
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I tink the of is optional because the voicing is conversational, so diction style permits it. I felt like it would read better as Almost all of...but decided to only recommend the of. It has it's own charm as you have it, but I have to admit I stumbled on it and had to re-read the sentence. However, I am also tired, and should not be reviewing in that state! :) I just loved your essay, so couldn't help it! :) Warmly, rd
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Always gracious. Thank you, Rama for all your help.
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:-))) Thank you too!
Comment from evilynne
Interesting, humorous and true. I like when I get an honest "crit", but myself am a really lousy critter. I hate to say anything bad about anyone's writing and point out only the most glaring errors. I can't find any of those in your writing (and I'm not just being nice here) Evi
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Interesting, humorous and true. I like when I get an honest "crit", but myself am a really lousy critter. I hate to say anything bad about anyone's writing and point out only the most glaring errors. I can't find any of those in your writing (and I'm not just being nice here) Evi
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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You couldn't have said anything to elevate me 3 feet off the floor more than your words. The star raised me another foot. Thanks, Evi. I hope you're aboard for the remaining 10 segments.
Comment from Antoine Charlemaine
Hey, Jay!
Did you really post this after three months on FS??? I want to say it was very brave of you, but upon reflection I think 'audacious' would be a better word. And here you are, re-posting all these years later. I'm curious. Why? I always feel these 'resurrected' works would be better if I could read the original version first, but then, that's not the purpose of the exercise, I guess. I did think it a little strange reading this, while knowing the 'Jay of today', though it was entertaining to learn of your opinions 'back then'. I wonder if they have changed at all? I'm guessing not.
I noticed one little thing you may want to look at (I feel like I a critting the master - please forgive me, Squire):
'I tried at first being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out what they might want to consider changing this, adding here or deleting over there.' Perhaps 'I tried at first being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out (that) they might want to consider changing this, adding here or deleting over there.' OR perhaps, 'I tried at first being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out what they might want to consider changing [this], adding here or deleting over there.' I think I prefer the second option.
Thanks for another entertaining read, Jay.
Ant
PS The fiver (no six this time) is for wordiness, my friend. I think you could abbreviate this a fair bit and still make your points clearly. Just my opinion. :) After all, using your own definition of 'superb' (above,) I can't quite manage that six! :) :)
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Hey, Jay!
Did you really post this after three months on FS??? I want to say it was very brave of you, but upon reflection I think 'audacious' would be a better word. And here you are, re-posting all these years later. I'm curious. Why? I always feel these 'resurrected' works would be better if I could read the original version first, but then, that's not the purpose of the exercise, I guess. I did think it a little strange reading this, while knowing the 'Jay of today', though it was entertaining to learn of your opinions 'back then'. I wonder if they have changed at all? I'm guessing not.
I noticed one little thing you may want to look at (I feel like I a critting the master - please forgive me, Squire):
'I tried at first being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out what they might want to consider changing this, adding here or deleting over there.' Perhaps 'I tried at first being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out (that) they might want to consider changing this, adding here or deleting over there.' OR perhaps, 'I tried at first being tactful with them, going to great lengths to point out what they might want to consider changing [this], adding here or deleting over there.' I think I prefer the second option.
Thanks for another entertaining read, Jay.
Ant
PS The fiver (no six this time) is for wordiness, my friend. I think you could abbreviate this a fair bit and still make your points clearly. Just my opinion. :) After all, using your own definition of 'superb' (above,) I can't quite manage that six! :) :)
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Thanks, Ant, for your honest crit. You are proof a person can be kind while being perfectly honest. I do appreciate you. You need to be committed also for your keen eye. That "what" was actually supposed to be "that. Once you pointed it out I was amazed I hadn't caught it. As a matter of fact with over 100 reviews you were the only one who caught it. Thanks for that!
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Sometimes our eye reads what our mind wants to see... I do it frequently.
Comment from justjo66
Very interesting and humorous read. I enjoyed this essay very much. It is often hard for me to decide between a 5 and 6 but hey, I'm a "critter" too. Oftentimes, the difference is only the preferable subject matter.
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Very interesting and humorous read. I enjoyed this essay very much. It is often hard for me to decide between a 5 and 6 but hey, I'm a "critter" too. Oftentimes, the difference is only the preferable subject matter.
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Thanky you Jo for your kind words and generous crit.
Comment from valerieellis
HAHA!!! Loved this! I am new to this site but have been an avid writer (although also distracted and a bit lazy until recently). I have found it a bit stressful and challenging to review (aka critique) others. Some, I feel almost guilty giving 3 stars, others I feel guilty for giving only 5! I tend to tiptoe around the issue of grammatical and punctuation errors but spelling errors are simply unacceptable! How can one not spell with Mr. Autocorrect looming over their shoulder?? Needless to say, I have few friends on social sites because I cannot control the urge to correct or point out simple mistakes such as to, too, and two and there, they're, and their. I enjoyed your humorous take on this sometimes tedious task of reviewing (aka critiquing). Thank you for sharing! I will now review with a smile on my face as I remind myself of my lowly position as a fellow "critter". Again, thank you for sharing :)
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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HAHA!!! Loved this! I am new to this site but have been an avid writer (although also distracted and a bit lazy until recently). I have found it a bit stressful and challenging to review (aka critique) others. Some, I feel almost guilty giving 3 stars, others I feel guilty for giving only 5! I tend to tiptoe around the issue of grammatical and punctuation errors but spelling errors are simply unacceptable! How can one not spell with Mr. Autocorrect looming over their shoulder?? Needless to say, I have few friends on social sites because I cannot control the urge to correct or point out simple mistakes such as to, too, and two and there, they're, and their. I enjoyed your humorous take on this sometimes tedious task of reviewing (aka critiquing). Thank you for sharing! I will now review with a smile on my face as I remind myself of my lowly position as a fellow "critter". Again, thank you for sharing :)
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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This is such a sweet crit, Valerie. I'm thrilled you enjoyed the essay. There are 10 more remaining, so please jump aboard and hold on.
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I will certainly read and enjoy your other writings also!
Comment from boxergirl
Love the title "How This Critter Crits", even though I thought it was going to be about a critter creature for real. Interesting information about your life and how the measuring stick you used to "crit" others' post on Fanstory. I hope you don't crit my review because I see it has several red lines. 8-)
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Love the title "How This Critter Crits", even though I thought it was going to be about a critter creature for real. Interesting information about your life and how the measuring stick you used to "crit" others' post on Fanstory. I hope you don't crit my review because I see it has several red lines. 8-)
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Thanks, Karen for reading. This post is getting an incredible number of reviews. There will be 10 chapters to follow. Hope you plan to be here for them.
Comment from Tomes Johnston
This is quite a comprehensive post that the author has created with this piece of work. I loved this piece. This is a telling and informative post indeed. I bow to your excellence.
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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This is quite a comprehensive post that the author has created with this piece of work. I loved this piece. This is a telling and informative post indeed. I bow to your excellence.
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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This is a pleasant surprise, Tomes. Thank you for your kindness and your generous rating. Hope you get a lot out of the next ten posts. No need to bow, though. Aw, go ahead! LOL, see you around the bend.
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Good on you 😃
Comment from Dashjianta
Hmm. Your next quarterly report is a tad overdue. ;)
This is an interesting look at your early reviewing told with a humorous tone which made me smile. I enjoyed your breakdown of the different groups.
Sixes, for me, are those pieces that have that special something, fives have good story lines and characters, 4s are 5s with too much SPAG, or the characters/setting/story are good but under-developed. Anything that doesn't hook me in 2-3 paras, or is very SPAG heavy I skip.
I found one wee SAPGlet:
I want to say without hesitation I flew by the seat of my pants during this, my first quarter,.
--A sneaky comma fell off the keyboard onto the screen to join the full stop.
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Hmm. Your next quarterly report is a tad overdue. ;)
This is an interesting look at your early reviewing told with a humorous tone which made me smile. I enjoyed your breakdown of the different groups.
Sixes, for me, are those pieces that have that special something, fives have good story lines and characters, 4s are 5s with too much SPAG, or the characters/setting/story are good but under-developed. Anything that doesn't hook me in 2-3 paras, or is very SPAG heavy I skip.
I found one wee SAPGlet:
I want to say without hesitation I flew by the seat of my pants during this, my first quarter,.
--A sneaky comma fell off the keyboard onto the screen to join the full stop.
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Haha! Yes, I am behind. Thanks for finding that errant comma. Got it corrected. 10 more chapters for this.
Comment from nancy_e_davis
Jay, it does no good to critter anyone if you dock a star.
It raises the shackles on the meekest poet or writer on the planet. It is like a slap in the face. I reacted badly the first time I was docked a star but I came to realize the person was being kind and trying to help. That is when I started improving as a poet. This is interesting and fun.
:<) Nancy
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Jay, it does no good to critter anyone if you dock a star.
It raises the shackles on the meekest poet or writer on the planet. It is like a slap in the face. I reacted badly the first time I was docked a star but I came to realize the person was being kind and trying to help. That is when I started improving as a poet. This is interesting and fun.
:<) Nancy
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Hey, Nancy, and thanks for reading, commenting and leaving a fine rating. You're absolutely right. It's never easy to get a dock.
Comment from Margaret Snowdon
I've also wondered how far I might have gone if I'd started writing earlier in life - if I'd had the time and motivation. But with a family, job and home, there wasn't enough hours in the day.
Now we'll never know, Jay.
I enjoy and appreciate your reviews, dear Critter, as they are honest and helpful. Keep them coming --- please.
Margaret
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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I've also wondered how far I might have gone if I'd started writing earlier in life - if I'd had the time and motivation. But with a family, job and home, there wasn't enough hours in the day.
Now we'll never know, Jay.
I enjoy and appreciate your reviews, dear Critter, as they are honest and helpful. Keep them coming --- please.
Margaret
Comment Written 16-Apr-2015
reply by the author on 16-Apr-2015
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Oh, you know I'll keep 'em coming. Thanks to you for reading this.