Young Writers Society

Even though the dramatic battle between the Scrambled Eggs and Reviewing Flames has come to an end, Review Day is still on our minds. In the hopes of making our signature event even more spectacular than before, we'd like to ask you a few questions about Review Day. Answer as many as you'd like, and be as open with your answers as you can be - every bit of information will help!

Here's what we'd like to hear from you about:

Why do you participate in Review Days?

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?

What do you like about Review Days?

What do you dislike?

What was your favorite Review Day?

What suggestions do you have for future Review Days?

Is there anything that wasn't covered in the previous questions that you want to tell us? If there is, what is it?



Thank you for helping us out with this survey!

I enjoy review days a lot, because it gives works a greater chance to be reviewed, it's fun, and it's COMPETITION!

There's nothing I don't like about it, really.

I don't have a favorite, mainly because I've only done two.

Why do you participate in Review Days? I participate so I can have a reason to review more, because I don't do it enough.

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?

What do you like about Review Days? The competition, the clearing of the Green Room, the sense of productivity

What do you dislike? That you can't publish works during that time.

What was your favorite Review Day?

What suggestions do you have for future Review Days? Maybe give out reviewing tips?

Is there anything that wasn't covered in the previous questions that you want to tell us? If there is, what is it?

Why do you participate in Review Days? Review Days motivate me to review, and I love the atmosphere surrounding the reviews. Everyone is very encouraging, and the review teams come together and support one another. The communal aspect of the day and the competitive nature (but not overbearingly competitive) make this an event I hate to miss!

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?Occasionally, I'll be committed on other Review Days (like this past Sunday), so then I won't participate because I know I won't have times. Sometimes if I think that I won't be able to pull my weight, I'll choose not to participate so I don't bring my team down by not reviewing.

What do you like about Review Days? I love how everyone encourages each other to review! Both teams will encourage everyone to review as much as they can, and the more senior members are always willing to offer tips on how to write the best and most helpful reviews! The way everyone gathers together to help out their fellow writers is inspiring and encouraging.

What do you dislike? The timing isn't perfect for me, since review days start at 7 p.m. Saturday night for me, and my Sundays mornings are committed. However, I understand that it's impossible to pick a date that works for everyone, and most other days are just as committed for me.

What was your favorite Review Day? I always love the review days where one team comes from behind to win. I also love close competitions and the intensity but also fun-spirited sprint to the finish, especially when it comes down to one or two reviews. I can't think of any specific dates right now, but I know there was one a few months ago where a team came from behind to win the Review Day!

What suggestions do you have for future Review Days? I think the sooner preparation starts for it, the better! It gives teams more time to figure out their banner, team captain, name, etc. instead of leading to a huge rush to nominate someone and figure out a name.

Is there anything that wasn't covered in the previous questions that you want to tell us? If there is, what is it?Just that I love Review Days! They're part of what makes YWS so fun for me, and it's a great time to meet new people and introduce a bit of a competitive aspect to reviewing. Keep 'em coming!

I participate in Review Days because I know how valuable reviews are, and having one day a month to grind out reviews motivates me. I won't lie, the competitiveness definitely helps.

I really, really wish more people did them and did more in-depth reviews than just a bunch of shorter ones.

Why do you participate in Review Days?
Well, I've only experienced this Review Day due to still being new to the site. But, I participated in it because I was interested in seeing what my limit was, and, honestly, who doesn't love a good competition?

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?
N/A

What do you like about Review Days?
I generally like all aspects of Review Days, though the competitiveness is the best (noticing a trend?).

What do you dislike?
This isn't really a fault in the actual event, but I get mentally worn out pretty easily just from writing a single review (depending on the length), and it usually takes me a long time to complete one. So this Day wasn't kind to me; I wish I could've done more reviews.

What was your favorite Review Day?
The recent one, since it's the first and only one I've experienced.

What suggestions do you have for future Review Days?
Nothing that I can think of; I'll just see how the next one plays out.

Is there anything that wasn't covered in the previous questions that you want to tell us? If there is, what is it?
N/A

Why do you participate in Review Days?
To clear up the green room and earn some starsss

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?
Because they're at a very inconvenient time/day of the week for me...

What do you like about Review Days?
I like how everyone is encouraged to review and cleaning the GR is promoted!

What do you dislike? 
The day of the week it's on. D:

What was your favorite Review Day?
Every one I participated in! Particularly, the ones my team won. :p

What suggestions do you have for future Review Days?
I think it'd be neat to experiment with other days of the week to have the Review Day!

Is there anything that wasn't covered in the previous questions that you want to tell us? If there is, what is it?
Um, nope.

A PARTIAL SURVEY
by BlueAfrica

Why do you participate in Review Days?

Because I feel like it, to up the overall number of reviews, to challenge myself, to catch up on some reviews I'm behind on, to join in the excitement, to clear out the Green Room, to soldier onward in my knightly quests.

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?

I'm burnt out and/or lazy and/or busy.

What do you like about Review Days?

The excitement, the friendly competition (even though I don't join a review team because actually *participating* in competition stresses me out), and the feeling of community/working toward a common goal.

What was your favorite Review Day?

Whichever one it was where I just did, like, so many reviews and it was totally ridiculous. Also the Review Days where I had active novels in the Green Room and just received like a thousand reviews.

Why do you participate in Review Days?
I participate in Review Days because it's all wonderfully amazingly awesome!!!

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?
I already participate. And, I have a full and good intention to participate in every single one of them! Hopefully.

What do you like about Review Days?
I. LOVE. ALL. OF. IT!!!

What do you dislike?
NOTHING!

What was your favorite Review Day?
So far, I've only participated in two Review Days. I loved both Review Days! But, I loved this one more because I did so many more reviews than before.

What suggestions do you have for future Review Days?
Nothing, really. Just remember to start Review Day on time!

Is there anything that wasn't covered in the previous questions that you want to tell us? If there is, what is it?
Um, I LOVE YOU YWS!!!! <3

Why do you participate in Review Days?
To help clear the Green Room and catch up Reviewing. Also getting to know the members of a review team a little better - and of course ~the competition~ and the glory!

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?
Most of the time if I don't participate it's because the time-frame doesn't work out and I have a lot of church obligations on Sundays.

What do you like about Review Days?
The Competitiveness, that different members get a chance to be captains, the community aspect of it, the memes & banners, and getting reviews to works that might have been in the green room for too long.

What do you dislike?
The short time-frame, that it seems to always fall on a Sunday, the team formations can get a little repetitive with two teams and similar goals each time. Also limited participation recently.

And sometimes not a lot of time to decide for a captain, avatar, etc. if the signup link is posted late.

What was your favorite Review Day?
The Halloween one!!! Also the Review Day with the Checklist Challenge was super fun because it diversified the goals a bit.

What suggestions do you have for future Review Days?
- More diverse set-ups (ie. 2, 3, 4 teams (or even a "no team" challenge) - review days that go for three days or four days - occasional "pick a team" Review Days, different days of the week than always "Saturday/Sunday")
- Oh Review Day badges!
- Longer sign-up periods for team organization - why can't sign-up be like weeks in advance even? - This would give more opportunity to build up hype and maybe grab the interest of more members to participate.
- Highlighting review quality with "Best Review of Review Day" contest
- More challenges like the Checklist Challenge
- Allow posting works for Review Days / or have a "no points to post 1 work" day before Review Day.

Is there anything that wasn't covered in the previous questions that you want to tell us? If there is, what is it?
Before I was a mod, review days were probably my favorite site activity and I can remember making a point to log-on to participate. Review Days are still one of my favorite activities - but I think they could add some spin to continue to make them more exciting and hopefully encourage more folks to give them a try.

Why do you participate in Review Days?
If I joined a team, it's to review as much as I can so that my review count goes up and more people who deserve reviews get them. If I didn't, the reason stays the same and my "participation" is coincedental and I happened to feel like reviewing.

If you don't participate in Review Days, why?
I often get burned out because I write long reviews; I get too fixated on the competitiveness and don't always write reviews I consider adequate, which causes me not to participate to avoid that; I am too busy, whether I'm working or otherwise occupied; or I simply don't feel like reviewing.

What do you like about Review Days?
The Green Room suffers a significant dent or is even cleared! I also enjoy seeing people motivated to review and help their fellow community members improve in their writing.

What do you dislike?
The competitiveness can easily lead to quantity being emphasised over quality, which helps nobody: not the reviewer, not their team, and certainly not the writer being reviewed.

What was your favorite Review Day?
July 2015, I believe? The Pokémon Review Day, complete with Review Stops and everything! It was also my first and only time leading a team. (Team Plasma kicked my Team Rocket's butt sooo badly. XD)

What suggestions do you have for future Review Days?
I haven't reviewed since October 2018, I think, and goodness knows how long it was before that, so I legitimately cannot remember the last Review Day in which I participated. My suggestion might therefore not be as useful, but the themed Review Days were nice! Of course, those are difficult to run if they have special mechanics, and there's nothing wrong with the normal format.

Is there anything that wasn't covered in the previous questions that you want to tell us? If there is, what is it?
@Rosendorn is a legend for her involvement in the birth of Review Days! They are YWS' most defining feature, and she, Nate, and everyone else who contributed deserve our everlasting praise.