When writing a review, there are many aspects of the piece to take into consideration. You have to look at the style, the dialogue, descriptions, character development, clichés, grammatical errors, incoherence, rambling monologues, etc., etc., etc. In truth, for most people it’s only a few certain aspects. Some reviewers like to only comment on the grammar, while others prefer to only comment on the style. However, everyone should also take into account the author’s age.
Taking age into account is not necessarily easy. After all, I can think of three members of YWS right off the top of my head that under the age of 13 and yet produce superior work. But generally speaking, you cannot expect the same quality of work from someone who is eleven versus someone who is eighteen. The difference between the two ages, not only in terms of schooling but in terms of experiences as well, is absolutely monumental and every reviewer should take age into account.
For those who are under 13, typically all they need is encouragement along with what you liked about the piece and what you didn’t like. You don’t need to tell them that “Wow, this is awesome!” but you could tell them, “This shows promise. Keep it up and keep writing.” You don’t even need to write a long review because, chances are, they’re not going to read past the first few sentences.
No one should expect an 11 year old to write like a 18 year old, and yet that is what I see time and time again. Just a couple weeks ago, I was reading one story by an eleven year old, and a couple of the reviews said, “This is trash.” Not only is that inappropriate for YWS, but you’ve pretty much discouraged someone from writing ever again. The purpose of YWS is not to be a critic, but to actively encourage creative writing as a past time.
Gender:
Points: 11417
Reviews: 425