Storytelling Reviews

Master_Yoda · 2010-12-18T19:04:53Z

As many of you know, my activity on YWS has been very limited for the past year. I've been on a post high school program which allows me very little free time, and even more limited internet access. I was forced to redistribute my time and compromise my involvement in YWS. Now, although my schedule hasn't calmed down too much, my priorities have once again shifted. The time that I've spent studying storytelling now needs to be sharpened, and I need to write some reviews. This Will Review for Food thread is not going to be concentrated on grammar and writing style, but rather on the story itself. I think it's a fairly unique thread and it will help those who wish to perfect the craft of story telling. The main issues I will deal with reviewing your stories are probably going to be: 1. Plot and Story : I used to think that it what a story is about didn't really matter. I still do to a certain degree, but am not as convinced as I used to be. While I've been studying storytelling, I've noticed certain elements that give a story far stronger effect. I'll try to help you sharpen these elements and develop your plot making it more interesting. 2. Tension : I will try to point out how to keep your readers more interested in reading further and closer to the edge of their seats. In terms of both plot and character development, your ability to keep your audience captivated by what you're saying is going to indicate how good you are at telling stories. 3. Exposition : The order and pace at which you expose your information dictates the depth that your stories will be able to penetrate your reader. If you want your story to be memorable and have an emotional impact on the reader, you'll need to have your exposition down to a pat. I'll try to help you develop your exposition and gain the hearts of your readers as well as the mind. 4. Character Development : This has nothing to do with the plausibility of your characters or their Mary-Sue tendencies. It's got to do with the underlying character transition that drives a story forward. I firmly believe that a character transition exists behind every story that is truly going to have an emotional impact on a reader. I'll probably dedicate a lot of my review to helping you highlight your change in character. Those are the four main elements that will probably come up in most of the stories I review. Depending on the genre and my current mood, I might choose to comment on other more writing oriented ideas such as your prose's quality and dialogue. This will not be my focus, though. If you'd like to look at my writing, I haven't posted anything on YWS for quite a long time, so take a look at this as it reflects my more recent work: http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/topic73444.html If you'd like me to review your story please make sure that: a) The grammar is at least decent enough to make readable b) You want a critique that focuses on your story telling. c)You don't mind harsh criticism Please only post one story here every week, as I still have very limited time. I will probably get to do a review every two days. Keep well everyone! :)

Master_Yoda

Gender

Points 7061

Reviews 277

Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:24 pm

Master_Yoda says... · Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:24 pm

Okay, Everyone is done!

I've got one more review requested by PM, and then I'm free.

Anyone else want a review?

#TNT

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-- Robert Frost

I review your reviews: viewtopic.php?f=188&t=94522

confetti

Gender

Points 7459

Reviews 167

Fri Jul 29, 2011 8:16 am

confetti says... · Fri Jul 29, 2011 8:16 am

Hey, Hi, Hello Yoda. I just sorta stumbled upon this today, and I was wondering if the offer is still up for grabs.
You see, I have this story - http://www.youngwriterssociety.com/post892041.html#p892041 , and I'd love a review from you. Feel free to be honest, don't sugar coat. If you have time of course, no worries if you don't. And if you'd ever like a review from me, I'd love to.

"So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads."
— Dr. Seuss

Master_Yoda

Gender

Points 7061

Reviews 277

Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:10 pm

Master_Yoda says... · Fri Jul 29, 2011 3:10 pm

Your review's done, Confetti.

Hope it helped

#TNT

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-- Robert Frost

I review your reviews: viewtopic.php?f=188&t=94522

Jas

Gender

Points 805

Reviews 336

Thu Aug 04, 2011 4:08 pm

Jas says... · Thu Aug 04, 2011 4:08 pm

Hi,

Could I please get a review on this?

post894922.html#p894922

Thanks so much!

I am nothing
but a mouthful of 'sorry's, half-hearted
apologies that roll of my tongue, smoothquick, like 'r's
or maybe like pocket candy
that's just a bit too sweet.

~*~

Master_Yoda

Gender

Points 7061

Reviews 277

Thu Aug 04, 2011 4:37 pm

Master_Yoda says... · Thu Aug 04, 2011 4:37 pm

Yours is done, Jas!

#TNT

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-- Robert Frost

I review your reviews: viewtopic.php?f=188&t=94522

pettybage

Gender

Points 1532

Reviews 32

Sun Aug 14, 2011 4:21 pm

pettybage says... · Sun Aug 14, 2011 4:21 pm

A novel review of plot and tension please, much obliged:
topic85896.html
(speculative; 35K; half of story arc completed)

joshuapaul

Supporter

Gender

Points 14013

Reviews 280

Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:39 am

joshuapaul says... · Fri Aug 26, 2011 3:39 am

A Critique, I request good sir!

topic86584.html

Read my latest

Priceless

Gender

Points 5391

Reviews 114

Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:58 pm

Priceless says... · Fri Aug 26, 2011 7:58 pm

Hola!
Can you please review the first chapter of my novel? viewtopic.php?t=84706 Thanks so so much.

We're all a little weird. And life's a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.

Master_Yoda

Gender

Points 7061

Reviews 277

Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:31 pm

Master_Yoda says... · Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:31 pm

Pettybage is done, joshuapaul, you're next.

#TNT

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-- Robert Frost

I review your reviews: viewtopic.php?f=188&t=94522

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