I'd like to improve my reviewing, but meanwhile I'm not even sure if I'm helping the writers! Am I being too harsh? Too unconnected? Maybe I'm being too flowery?
Here's one of my recent reviews:
Chapters 2 of The Token
The above ^ is about as good as it gets for me... What am I doing wrong?
Review a Review for Socks?
3 posts in this topic.
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Timmy here!
This won't be very long because I don't have much time, but I will try to give you as much help as I can in few words!
You mention being too harsh, and harsh isn't something that I believe shouldn't belong in the vocabulary of a reviewer. You have your nitpicks: say them. You have your negative comments: say those, too. But its more how your structure your nitpicks that make it seem like you are either enjoying it, or not. A reviewer can mention about a dozen+ nitpicks, and still make the review seem like it's positive. It's more in comments and praise that makes the review seem less harsh, less unconnected, and more experienced.
That was, in my opinion, the biggest thing you would need to work on. Its praise and just general commenting on the story. You got a good start when you did this:I'm starting to like Simon a bit. He seems innocently troublesome, in a way. I liked his little rant that he had... I can't remember what it was about, but I thought it was funny how serious he got about it.
That was a very good start to a character comment, and praise. Just remember one small thing: When reviewing, if the praise isn't legit, don't say it. But in the worse pieces on YWS, there is always, always something good in a work you can find--even if it only pertains to how they formatted it. Because us human beings, being our silly selves, look at something and when we only see nitpicks, we get rather downcast and think that the reviewer doesn't enjoy the piece.
So I think in your review, a teensy bit more praise (and this doesn't have to be dying in happiness over their work, but rather just pointing out parts you really liked) and commenting on story and plot--which can, overall, give you the biggest bang for your buck. People like hearing about their plot, and whether you like some changes or not.
Overall, I thought that was a very well done review, quite honestly. It was structured very well, had some very constructive criticism in there, meanwhile not being mean at all, and I didn't think you were too flowery! I actually really like your style of reviewing, and its one I wish a lot more reviewers would look into.
Thanks for sharing, and I hope this ramble helps.
~Darth Timmyjake -
Thanks Timmy! I'll try to add a little more praise and plot talk!
( I'll review your review you posted awhile ago, sometime soonish )
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