Young Writers Society

Below I'm posting some of my favorite feedback. Often, the obvious thing to do is to critique grammar. Then, there's that other "extra feedback" side. That we often find is simply to include what we liked and disliked, and why. Though, what I've found as some of the best feedback, is feedback that's completely inferred/arbitrary from the writing itself. I'll cut down on my rambling with bullets from here on in. (Note this is written like you're solely a reviewer, not an author, even though that's probably not the case. It was just the easiest way to write the post! Plus it ha--wait, I'll talk about that at the end...)

1: Emotions When I write, my favorite thing to do is to try and provoke the reader's emotions. I love the way humans react and what causes the emotions we feel. I like to work on making my writing more personal. I also fancy manipulating your emotions! Anyways... When reviewing works, always give the emotions you felt. When twisted people like me, and plain poets and writers, write, we generally like to convey emotions. And sometimes, when we all epically fail at some point, we end up conveying opposite emotions that we would have never known we conveyed if not for you!

2: Atmosphere Rarely ever do I see people touch on this. They say "add more imagery," or "too much imagery," but never do they say what that imagery is when it's there. Whenever I'm describing things, I again like to play with your feelings , and try ever so hard to push out a deep, involving mood that's not cliche . Oh, how I crave opinions on that! Half the time when I proof-read, I end up realizing how terrible it was. But, maybe nobody else thought it was and it was just me being overly critical?!

3: Predictions When people say, "Oh, this is so cliche! It's the worst thing I've ever read *throws up*," how do you know? I once read a story. "Wow, really?" Yes, really. There was a character with an odd-ball name. A reviewer pointed this out, then the author responded with the next part in the plot. What a spoiler! I hate giving out my plot like that. The character's name was odd-ball for a reason. So, when you say something is cliche, maybe there's a specific reason in the plot. If the reviewer had predicted and elaborated on why it was cliche(on a completely different, undefined cliche example that should be in your head ever so randomly now), then the author could simply not answer (which is annoying, obviously), or say "you'll see" (again, probably a little annoying given human nature), or say "that's not going to be what's gonna happenin'! Ha!." Still it ruins that plot a little, but it's better than giving it away completely. :/ Here, there really is no middle ground, and it's your call, I'd just like to prompt the thought.

4: Meaning You know those dumb lessons from school when they said why authors write and that they always have a purpose? Well, many authors and poets write with meaning. WHAT??? I just blew your mind right? *grin*. The best kind of feedback on a lot of things is the meaning. Again, the author may be attempting to communicate something, but they're not going to know unless you tell them. But I recommend doing that subtly, and politely. A guy like Edgar Allen Poe, I imagine, would not treat you so kindly if you were a tad too blunt. He'd probably beat you in a drunken rage.

--: Um... Suggestions? XD

The Deadly Cycle of Perpetuating Beliefs, Hypocrisy, and Arrogance, with Acknowledgment
You've likely noticed the attempted anti-snob appearance reinforcement. Especially if you read the spoiler. As a reviewer, especially when I/you write things like this or review the works of those older than me/you, you/I can be easily viewed as a snob/concieted/arrogant. By negating it, we're only reinforcing it really. Only those(me) who pretend to facilitate a level of empathy and compassion and equality and do so by "recognizing" their (of what they believe to appear to another as) arrogance and the like, are the ones who in the end truly come out as conceited. It's a painful cycle I've always fallen into. Others do it all the time, and the more we acknowledge these things, the more of a --fill in the blank-- we become. So as a reviewer, or author reading a review, I think the best practice is to ignore it. Don't you feel the ironic hypocrisy?
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Oh, and since this article is bound to make you hate me, it's probably worth linking this article:
topic5730.html
XD Go Snoink!

So, take it as is and all. I don't want you to hate me, of course, but I've probably succeeded in making you. Get past that, and please respond with suggestions and thoughts. Obviously...a waste of a sentence considering this is a writing site. :/

--Skis