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How do I give good reviews without breaking spirits?



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Tue Oct 29, 2013 11:24 pm
stygianlover says...



I hate to put myself up like this, but I feel like the last review I did was, although written with honesty, might've hurt?

My question is this: is there a thread that explains how to give honest reviews without stepping on the author's toes? I mean, personally, I usually hate to be critiqued because I don't aim to please–––s'just a bonus–––but on the rare occasions when I want to be critiqued, you bet your ass I want that person to break every bone. I want them to tell me I'm s***, because it gives me fuel to do better, to go deeper and bare more scars.

But I know everyone isn't like me---thank God for small favors, eh? I realized long ago that not everyone has my kind of skin and way of thinking, that some people are actually fragile when it comes to their writing and such.

I don't want to hurt anyone. I do, however, want to give honest reviews that tell the author where improvement is needed and where they shine.

So .. how do I do this?
the truth of the matter is this ..
jay: what a fucking tool.
me: omfg i know right.
  





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Wed Oct 30, 2013 12:13 am
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Iggy says...



First off, never belittle the writer, or their writing. Ever. Your job as a reviewer is to help that person improve on their writing skills and help them achieve and learn, not condescend them and make them feel inferior for not knowing what their/there/they're to use.

When you're giving a review, always be honest, but don't be rude. Have class. Point out mistakes and explain how it can be improved. If you didn't like something, explain why. For example, if you felt the imagery was lacking or it was just boring, just say so. I've done so before. But I reiterate - don't belittle them.

Believe me, we've all been there when it comes to receiving honest reviews that are so vacant of kindness that we grow offended by them. That's really the best way to learn, is to look at the "rude" review and teach yourself not to be like that person.

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Wed Oct 30, 2013 12:42 am
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Gardevite says...



if you cleaned up the grammar errors and fixed the flow, this piece wouldn't be much more than a cutesy but bland, insignificant story.


Words like "insignificant" are to be avoided if you don't want to step on anybody's toes. Also you kind of stated that the piece was nothing more than just errors and a bad story. Try to fill reviews with suggestions on how the person can fix the things you didn't like. Also a little note like "keep writing" never goes astray. ;)
Formerly Hightop


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Wed Oct 30, 2013 12:45 am
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Iggy says...



HighTop wrote:
if you cleaned up the grammar errors and fixed the flow, this piece wouldn't be much more than a cutesy but bland, insignificant story.


Words like "insignificant" are to be avoided if you don't want to step on anybody's toes. Also you kind of stated that the piece was nothing more than just errors and a bad story. Try to fill reviews with suggestions on how the person can fix the things you didn't like. Also a little note like "keep writing" never goes astray. ;)


Good point, HighTop!

Also consider checking this out - The YWS Critique Sandwich

It helps me! Might it help you? :)
“I can't go back to yesterday because I was a different person then."
- Lewis Carroll
  





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Wed Oct 30, 2013 12:46 am
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Rosendorn says...



As Iggy said, keep it to the piece itself.

However, this will not stop people from feeling hurt at your reviews, and will not stop egos from bursting at receiving any form of criticism.

If you keep your critiquing to the piece itself, then it is not your fault. It is an author reacting poorly to criticism of their work.

To minimize the possibility of that happening, give suggestions for how to improve after you point out a place that could use improvement. Stick to one or two points in your critique and explain them in detail, from the reasons why those aspects are important to why they're not working for you in that work to how they can be improved.
A writer is a world trapped in a person— Victor Hugo

Ink is blood. Paper is bandages. The wounded press books to their heart to know they're not alone.
  





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Wed Oct 30, 2013 1:47 pm
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Adnamarine says...



I think Iggy answered your question well. However, I also want to point out that we have a variety of writers and reviewers on this site for a reason. Some people will not know how to benefit from the kind of harsh review you described, but others will need it. Sometimes it might take a long time for them to see the value in that "harsh" review they got.

To use myself as an example, the first piece I posted on here was complete garbage, and there was one reviewer (who is not around anymore, so name's not important) who blatantly told me so, clearly not looking to spare my 13-year-old feelings. I think his kindest description was "jambalaya without the meat." At the time, I was offended and I posted some kind of angry reply. I shouldn't have been hurt, but I was. But, you know what? It gave me fuel to want to prove him wrong. It was a couple of years before I went back and looked at the review and realized how ridiculous I was to take it personally, and that he was 100% right. But even in the meantime, it still made me a better writer.

So do I think you should tell the writer that they are terrible, or their writing is terrible? Not really. Do I think they deserve to be told that their piece is terrible? If it is, then yes. Take what I'm saying with a grain of salt, but I don't think you should shy away from writing harsh reviews.... as long as you have a healthy dose of "why" and "how" in the mix--why was it bad? how could it be better? After all, we write reviews to improve their writing which won't work if they don't know what, specifically, they did "wrong." Don't just assume everyone is fragile; help them develop their tough skin. If they do end up reaching out to the professional publishing world someday, how kind will it be to them?

Edit: I just read the review, and HighTop also made very good points.
"Half the time the poem writes me." ~Meshugenah
  





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Thu Oct 31, 2013 5:25 am
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DreamWork says...



I agree with all the points here. Just one thing not to say in review is ' I don't like what you bla..bla..'! Try to respect their works and encourage them to continue writing for a better outcome. :D
“You get a good review, and it’s like crack. You need another hit. And another. And another. I know authors are like Tinkerbell and generally need applause to survive, but it’s a slippery slope.”
― Alexandra Bracken
Dream high
  





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Thu Oct 31, 2013 5:42 am
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Snoink says...



I used to have problems with this too!

1. If you have some of your older writing that you avoid because it's too terrible to look at, look at it! My early writing makes me cringe and wish I could burn up the entire world. But, there were some people who looked at it, saw potential, and lifted me up with constructive criticism. And I wrote and became better!

2. Sometimes, people put really, really personal things in really, really bad ways because the writing is so raw and they're trying to get the poison out, but aren't really sure how yet. For example! One YWSer from years and years ago wrote a very terrible poem about rape. I looked at it and my first thought was, "Wow, that's a terrible poem." My next thought was, "It's so terrible, I bet this actually happened to her." I decided to be overly nice in the critique, and sure enough, I got a PM from her, thanking me for my words and explaining that she wasn't really a writer, but she was getting over a violent rape and she was happy that I took the time to wish her the best. SO. Just because it's bad, doesn't mean that the author isn't affected by what you say.

Sometimes, you may be able to judge that this person wants to have a harsh review. Cool beans! But, I think being thorough (yet kind) is a good way to go if you're uncertain as to who you are reviewing. :)
Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est.

"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly." ~ Richard Bach

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Thu Oct 31, 2013 5:29 pm
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Messenger says...



Well these answers are all really great. Let me just tell you that for me personally, I always write "Keep it up!" at the end of my reviews. It may seem small, but a lot of time-eve if your review is harsh- reading that at the end shows the reader your intentions are to help them with their writing.
  








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