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TirzahLaughs · 06-06-2008 13:50:18

I try never to read other's reviews before I post mine because I know I'll be influenced by what they've written. But I do read their reviews after I post mine.

Today, I broke my rule and looked first. The story had a lot going for it but a problem that seemed very obvious to me and I wondered what others had said about it.

The reviews were all very high praise and only one of them mentioned the HUGE plot hole in the middle of the story.

I went ahead and reviewed and pointed out what to me is a giant problem but I knew when I did it that the author would not be pleased. I was right. The author didn't see a problem with the plot hole.

The characters in the story were fantastic. The descriptions vivid but the plot died midway through.

So, just out of curiosity, when everyone else loved it and you see the problems...do you review?

Do you review when you know the author will be very unhappy? I still gave him a four...there was a lot to love in his piece, I just think I could love it more.

What do you think?

Tirz

Last edited by TirzahLaughs (06-06-2008 13:52:56)

brosna11 · 06-06-2008 16:38:06

It's happened to me a lot also (both ways); sometimes I notice what I consider to be a major drawback while others don't. I also can have the opposite effect. I see perfection while everyone's complaining. Subjective judgement, I guess.

TirzahLaughs · 06-06-2008 16:41:00

Although I've received more helpful reviews on here than anywhere else...it still makes me wonder how much you can trust your postitive reviews.

pamelablack62 · 06-06-2008 16:58:32

Yup, I do. I make sure the review is balanced with positives, but I say what I really think.

That's what we're here for and if the author wants to not listen, it's their right.

If you should decide you don't want to review this author again, it's your right.

Feel free to leave me your honest input anytime. It's the hard to hear reviews that are generally the most helpful, just be sure to stay respectful of the work, and myself, that's all I ask.

Chris Stralyn · 06-06-2008 16:59:20

When I review, I always try to point out things (nicely) that don't work for me. I read the other reviews first so I don't duplicate things, but try very hard not to let them influence me. I either liked it or I don't. That doesn't change just because I read the reviews, and I try to tell the author what I feel will help them to improve.

On the same token, when others review my work, and see something they don't like, or that just doesn't work for them, I want them to TELL ME, TELL ME, TELL ME! That's why I'm here, to improve my work so that agents and editors won't have reason to dismiss it so easily.

Anyway, that's my two cents....
Chris

TirzahLaughs · 06-06-2008 17:02:20

I will. I told him how much I loved his characters. They were very vivid. But, the plot still needed help.

I always try to be truthful, positive, but still honest. If I truly hated something, I wouldn't review it. I find most writing has something redeeming about it.

wordsmith · 06-06-2008 17:27:14

Tirzah,

I try not to look at what others have said before I review for fear that it will colour my opinion. I believe each reviewer brings a unique perspective to the table and if something is pointed out that has merit, then you can be sure I'm going to at least think about using the suggestions.

It's something I've looked at during my time here and realize that reviews do tend to go in one direction when people start looking at the ones before and repeating the same thing in different words, starting with I agree with what so-and-so said

I have a pet peeve with it as the reviewee because I find it a tad bit offputting when someone says yeah, I agree with so-and-so's comment about... when I've gone through and re-written the section in question. Sometimes, I feel that the person hasn't really read what I've written before jumping on a bandwaggon.

A plot hole's a whole other thing though. If it's there, it's there and I'm gonna be grateful someone caught it, but there are times when the writer just hasn't got to the point of clearing up a particular mystery/situation.

And to answer your question, Tirzah, (be you didn't think I was going to get to it )yes, I'll review and point out the problem, even if nobody else has seen it. Better to catch it now than to send it to an agent/publisher and have them find it.

If the author curses me out and/or dashes me a 1 or 2 with no explanation, then I just take my two cents worth elsewhere.

TirzahLaughs · 06-06-2008 17:38:28

wordsmith wrote:
If the author curses me out and/or dashes me a 1 or 2 with no explanation, then I just take my two cents worth elsewhere.

He was polite enough but I don't think we'll be doing coffee any time soon. Which is good because I hate coffee. Perhaps, I just didn't get it. I am a bit thick-headed sometimes about 'abstract' items.

I like all kinds of reviews myself. Even if I don't agree, I usually will take the story out and look at it again and try to see their perspective. Sometimes, I find they were right (darn them!) and sometimes I still think I'm right.

Its good to grow.

The only ones I can't stand are the ones that in gibberish...I have one person who rhymes their reviews and the ones that don't say anything at all except i hate it or I like it.

All others are welcome.

Tirz

pamelablack62 · 06-06-2008 18:18:50

Chris Stralyn wrote:
When I review, I always try to point out things (nicely) that don't work for me. I read the other reviews first so I don't duplicate things, but try very hard not to let them influence me. I either liked it or I don't. That doesn't change just because I read the reviews, and I try to tell the author what I feel will help them to improve.

On the same token, when others review my work, and see something they don't like, or that just doesn't work for them, I want them to TELL ME, TELL ME, TELL ME! That's why I'm here, to improve my work so that agents and editors won't have reason to dismiss it so easily.

Anyway, that's my two cents....
Chris

Chris, I hear what you're saying about not wanting to repeat input, I did that for a while, but then something occurred to me. As a writer, sometimes I need to hear the same comment more than once to sit up and pay attention. It's hard for me to let go of the lines I love best, I know, but it is. I'm not merciless with my own work yet, I'm working on it, but I'll be honest and tell you not there yet, SO, when one writer tells me something I really liked isn't working it's easy for me to blow them off, but when I hear it a second time I sort of sit up and pay better attention. By the third or fourth time hearing the same input, I'm getting out my white out and editing.

SO, I think it's good to go ahead and say what you see even if others before you have already said it.

I love to believe I'm a one of kind creature with no one at all like me, but truth be told I don't think I'm that special so I figure if it's true for me it's true for others.

Just my unasked for two cents worth.

Pamela

jediprincess · 06-06-2008 20:13:18

I never read the other comments before I write my own. I've tried that a couple of times and wondered if the people were reading the same piece I did. Either they thought it was great and I thought it needed a lot of work or vice-versa. I feel the beauty of this place is that you get several different points of view. It is perfectly possible that someone loves a piece and someone else hates it. It happens with published works. I hate A Tale of Two Cities. I thought it was terrible, but hey it's like a classic or something. So it's just my opinion. I like honest opinions from everyone and I pick and choose what is useful. And I do think there is something useful about nearly every single review. Even if someone completely hated it, at least I know who is NOT in my target audience.

I feel like I'm babbling. So, I'll stop.

JediP

Last edited by jediprincess (06-06-2008 20:14:13)

s_thatcher · 06-06-2008 20:18:15

My number one rule is to never look at the other reviews first. You are short-changing the author if you do. Really. Don't even peek.

pamelablack62 · 06-06-2008 20:28:01

s_thatcher wrote:
My number one rule is to never look at the other reviews first. You are short-changing the author if you do. Really. Don't even peek.

She's right. This is the best way, but when I first started here I didn't have enough confidence or knowledge to review, so I would look, always, but slowly I grew and now I don't.

So...........

Even though she's right, if it comes down to not reviewing without peeking or peeking and going ahead with the review, then I vote peek, but work towards gaining skills and knowledge and confidence where you can stop peeking altogether.

This writing thing is a journey. Some of us are much farther up the road then others, but we're all, hopefully, heading in the same direction. SO, where ever you are, do your best until you learn to do better, then do better.

s_thatcher · 06-06-2008 20:30:52

pamelablack62 wrote:
I love to believe I'm a one of kind creature with no one at all like me, but truth be told I don't think I'm that special so I figure if it's true for me it's true for others.

Just my unasked for two cents worth.

Pamela

It's called subjective and that's how all reviews should be. We can only tell how the piece affected us, that's all, and no one else. Reading other people's reviews before giving your own is ick.

pamelablack62 · 06-06-2008 21:00:49

s_thatcher wrote:
pamelablack62 wrote:
I love to believe I'm a one of kind creature with no one at all like me, but truth be told I don't think I'm that special so I figure if it's true for me it's true for others.

Just my unasked for two cents worth.

Pamela
It's called subjective and that's how all reviews should be. We can only tell how the piece affected us, that's all, and no one else. Reading other people's reviews before giving your own is ick.

What this quote is referring to is the fact that it helps me as an author to hear the same input over and over. It's very telling and carries more power each time I hear it.

I was not talking about reading other's reviews before giving my own.

I don't do that.

But I used to, when I was first learning how.

I think that staying stuck and not doing what one needs to do to learn and move forward is more ick.

I would have my own thoughts about a piece, but I was very insecure and afraid of upsetting anyone, so I would read the reviews of others to see if I was in the same ballpark and if I was then I'd go ahead and say what I thought. I did this for a few months before I gained the confidence to trust my own thoughts and input.

I have to believe there are many others facing these same fears and insecurities and I'd rather them read reviews first for a short time then feel they can't do this and quit trying.

I agree with you, it is best not to read first, it's much better to trust one's own input and give it honestly and respectfully, but some just aren't there yet.

s_thatcher · 06-06-2008 21:06:51

I know, pamela, I was agreeing that everyone has their own take on a story, and their take is unique whether they know it or not. New reviewers need to trust themselves and realize only they know how they feel about a particular story. All they need to do is spill it out. I was going with what you had said, if it didn't come out right.

ladyn · 06-06-2008 21:45:08

What I tend to do anymore is write my review and then check out how other's reviewed it. That way I'm giving how I really feel and my first impressions. But I can also advise the author if I agree or disagree with something another reviewer stated. There have been some times where I've firmly disagreed with other reviewers and I think the author needs to know that too. I look at it kind of like a debate.

corra · 06-06-2008 22:38:05

I always look, and I imagine I always will. I want to see if I agree with other reviewers. If ten of them have said "I don't like the opening," and I like it, then this is a red-flag area I need to address.

And to Tirz: Any kind of a review is a good review in my book. I would never quibble over honesty from you. I'd be grateful you checked in.

I'm not a fan of declaring rules about how I'm to be reviewed. Check in and say whatever you want. My goodness. Rules Schmules.

pamelablack62 · 06-07-2008 06:45:05

s_thatcher wrote:
I know, pamela, I was agreeing that everyone has their own take on a story, and their take is unique whether they know it or not. New reviewers need to trust themselves and realize only they know how they feel about a particular story. All they need to do is spill it out. I was going with what you had said, if it didn't come out right.

Rereading, it came out fine.

Communication is fifty percent spoken and fifty percent interpretation.

I misinterpreted.

Please forgive.

Last edited by pamelablack62 (06-07-2008 07:06:35)

mikira · 06-07-2008 14:28:20

Like Pamela I read a few reviews when I first joined the site, before posting my own review. Now I don't, due to feeling more confident about what I know in regards to creating a good story an editor won't reject out of hand. The interesting thing is the more confident you are in your ability to read and review the more it reflects in the review you give to the reviewee. I can tell that the people I review are confident that I will give them the best review I possibly can give them.

If your curious check out the review I gave Josie Santos last night - Prelude to Passion: Chapter 1.

I'm not soliciting my services as a reviewer, since I'm kept busy by my writing circle and a handful of friends outside the Fantasy Realm and I need time to write too. I just wanted to give an example of one of the best reviews I've ever given.

~Mikira

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Reviewing Something Everyone Else Loved

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wordsmith wrote:

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Re: Reviewing Something Everyone Else Loved

Chris Stralyn wrote:

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s_thatcher wrote:

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Re: Reviewing Something Everyone Else Loved

pamelablack62 wrote:

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Re: Reviewing Something Everyone Else Loved

s_thatcher wrote:

pamelablack62 wrote:

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s_thatcher wrote:

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