Need Help Writing a Basic Review?

4 posts
User avatar
Gender Female
Points 3015
Reviews 157
The Knowledge Base isn't working (again) and I wrote this a week or two ago to help out a member who asked for help to write a critique so I figured I'd (hopefully) help out more members. This is intended for the newer reviewers but anyone is welcome to use it. If you guys see anything that needs to be added, please let me know. :) -alwaysawriter

****

Read the entire story first. Some things that may be confusing in the beginning may be explained toward the end. You see the bigger side of things this way.

After you've done that, scrutinze the story. Pick it apart. Some things to look for:

-Grammar (Don't point out every little thing. If it's a constant grammar violation, tell them to read over it to find the rest of them and give them a general suggestion on how to fix it. The only exception to not pointing out every little thing is when they ask for help in grammar--then you can point them out).

-Word choice (Do the words fit the rest of the sentence? The rest of the paragraph? If they don't, tell them that and suggest they find a synoym)

-Characters (Do they seem too nice? Too whiny? Too arrogant? Too shy? Is there something slightly off about them? Do you like them? Hate them? Why? What can be improved about them?)

-Plot (Is it original? Unoriginal? What could be changed about it? Why do you like it? Why do you not like it? Why? Did everything fit together? Were there parts that confused you? What were they and why?)

-Show, don't Tell (If the writer is saying "He laughed.", they're showing. Tell them to describe their laughter.)

-Description (Is there too little? Too much? Hint: Too little meaning you can't draw a basic picture what's going on in the story in your head. Too much being to the point where there's not much left to the imagination. Note: A writer doesn't have to describe how a character looks so don't tell them to; generally speaking, it's boring to read, readers don't care, and it leaves less to the imagination).

-Dialogue (Is there too little? Too much? Is it realistic? Unrealistic? Why?)

-Spacing (Do they start a new paragraph after each person talks?)

-Overall (Did you like it in whole? Did you not like it? Why? Summerize what you said above with everything else).

-Reread it a third time and add in anything you may have missed the second time.

-End (Sign your name at the end.)

Notes:

-Add in compliments.

-Always give suggestions when possible about how to fix things and always explain why you said something (Like if the character is too nosey. Why is the character too nosey? Give examples).

-You don't have to go in that order. When you're quoting, just point things out as you see them; put them in organized paragraphs otherwise.

-All stories are different. That's just a basic review outline for all fiction stories. If there's not a problem with it or it's something you don't know what to say on a certain problem, you don't have to say anything at all.
Meshugenah says to (18:12:36):
Kat's my new favorite. other than Sachi.

WWJD: What Would Jabber Do?




User avatar
Gender Male
Points 15698
Reviews 369
This is a very good article. I would recommend this to any struggling newbie who doesn't know what to say in a review here.

I have to add to this, to stress on the compliments and on the suggestions. No matter how bad the piece of writing you're reviewing may be, always find something good to say about it. You wouldn't like to be left in pieces, so don't do that to anyone else. And on suggestions, if you see something wrong, but don't know how to fix it, either don't mention it, or refer the author to someone who you know will know how to fix it.

But yes, this article is officially the bomb. All who don't know how to review, come hither! :)
Garrus Vakarian is my homeboy.




User avatar
Gender Female
Points 42011
Reviews 922
Oh, I wish this had been here when I started reviewing so long ago. I try to cover as much of this as possible, after having done a lot of trial and error reviews and receiving some masterful ones from others. Thank you for sparing other newbies from such a trial by fire and for putting a reminder list up for those who already know.

Pure win.

~GryphonFledgling
I am reminded of the babe by you.




User avatar
Gender Male
Points 1564
Reviews 181
Yeah, great work! :D

Additional tip:

Quotations from the story always help. Focus on several snippets or short gobbets that you can base the main points of your review around.
"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself." William Faulkner.

Do you do poetry? Check out Poetry Inspiration over in Groups!



I say, in matters of the heart, treat yo' self.
— Donna, Parks & Rec