Young Writers Society

Hey Shadow, as your Secret Santa only reviewed one of your works during Christmas in July, I'm here to give you your second one!

I'll begin by saying that I think you definitely have an interesting concept here, and I personally believe that there's no such thing as normal. Normal is an ugly word, in my opinion, and everyone is a unique individual in their own rights. I like that you tackled this issue because it is something I see myself. So many people try to fit in to what they consider normal when in reality there is no such thing as normal, an even if there was, it would be very boring. So yeah, I do like the idea you have here overall.

With regards to critiques, I don't have piles of them because this is a very short piece, so I've no idea how useful this review will be. One thing I do suggest though is that you make this longer because as it stands, I don't feel like there's really enough here for my teeth to sink into. Because this lacks some detail and length, I don't think what you're saying and your argument is as strong as it could potentially be. The more detail you give us, the stronger your argument will be.

Something else I'd suggest would be to maybe share a personal story. I'm guessing this issue has affected you personally, and so I think your piece would have an even greater impact if you let us know why this is such a big issue for you. One way you can do that very effectively is by sharing something personal. It helps us readers empathise with you, and it makes use truly see where you're coming from. As a result, the enlargement you have her will have greater impact on us, which is always a good thing.

One other thing I'd like to mention here is that I think you should explore all aspects of 'normal' some more, and present your point from other perspectives. At the moment, you are a little biased. Maybe look into why people feel the need to fit in and be what they perceive as normal. It's often due to issues regarding self-consciousness, and so I think it would be good if you could explore that a little. A lot of the time, it's an age thing too. What you'll generally find is that the younger a person is, the more likely they are to try and fit in. Well, that's a lie really, little kids don't give a flying fish how 'normal' they are. Teenagers are massive victims of the normal bug, so maybe you could mention that? Just go into more detail about everything, I guess.

I also want to bring up something Black said. For this to be a strong, valid argument, you need to define what 'normal' is to you. One person's normality may be living as an exhibitionist in Antarctica while another person's normality may be living in the suburbs with their parents. Now obviously, they're very different. While our versions of normality probably aren't quite that different, it's likely what I consider normal is somewhat different to what you consider normal. As a result, you should definitely specify what 'normal' is in your world, and then go on to explain how you oppose that stereotype. Or something like that anyways.

And I think that's it. If you have any questions or comments regarding this review, just let me know and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

Keep writing,

xoxo Skins

If you're normal then you're doing what people want you to do.
They want you to blend in: to be like them, to think like them, to act like them.

It's the people who are ABNORMAL who stand out.
The one's with more than just a flare of creativity. The one's who are creative they can see art or inspiration in anyone or anything.
Some people see an apple and we see a story or a painting about Adam and Eve, Steve Jobs, etc.

We look at something and see a whole world of possibilities.

A good piece of work, a very good read.

Well done.

Hey ShadowHunter,

I hear the same thing. People who strain to be normal aren't normal. Because really, why would you try to be normal? Just why? Like you, I am the opposite of normal, so leave me alone! I feel for you! Keep writing!
-FCS

I agree... lol

NORML is NORMAL or Normal.... XD

Well, my advice to you is that they don't know you very well.

I would like more, and believe it or not, some people do want to be normal.

Maybe put the caps in something like italic or bold, caps can be harsh to some eyes, and it normally draws the attention there, thus we get an overview of "NORML NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL IS EARTH NORMAL ABNORMAL" And that can be very distracting.

Anyway, I like it...

Thanks,

pegasusgirl2

Okay, hey Shadow, Black here for a quick comment/ review!

Okay, so first off: I don't agree with what you have to say here. When people say 'I'm not normal' I find that they're just trying to stick out. Get attention. Why? Because normal doesn't exist! Think about it. Have you ever met a NORMAL person . . . humans are complicated creatures, with personalities made of of hundreds of thousands of different variables. A person can be 'normal' in many ways (meaning, they're similar to others), but different in one aspect.

I could live a normal life (with a mom and dad, in a respectable urban community, going to school like a normal kid), but be completely not normal because I'm a black belt in Jujitsu, or a complete math whako. Point being that 'normal' is not define. Define normal for us, then claim that you are NOT normal. Normal, by definition of the word, should mean similar to. A normal guy is a guy who is similar to other people, with little making him stand out.

Well; I hope you get my point. You have to define normal. It's not yet been done. Now for a few more basic, ground-level fixes. Abnormal tends to mean mutant . . . in a bad way. Watch what words mean, don't just use them for color. Also, being immature is a BAD thing. Oh, yeah, I know, I'm being one of 'those' people, but it's like saying 'let me act like a four year old, squealing for what I want all day' . . . I'd use something a bit more respectable.

I hear it all day, every day, ‘Why can’t you be more NORML?’ ‘You should try to be more NORMAL!’ ‘Your interests should be more NORMAL!’

I’ll tell you what normal is, normal is unimaginative, normal is un-ambitious, normal is safe, normal is dull, normal is boring.

ok, we'll just agree to disagree then:P