Unless it was written by someone you despise. I imagine it might be entertaining to take a piece, written by some obnoxious jerk that has insulted you, your writing, your family, your fashion sense and openly questioned whether or not your parents were ever married...and tell them that their work stinks... ...and then explain why it stinks...in a long, drawn out, highly detailed critique that highlights their faults and underscores their ineptitude. ...But then again, I tend to be a rotten bastard when provoked, so maybe this doesn't apply to everybody
I agree with you Lothgar. It happens that sometimes I read stories and I think everything is pretty well written. Of course if I just say "Good job buddy" that´s worthless for the writer to improve and it doesn´t even prove that I actually read the story. When I can´t give suggestions, I try to say what the story means to me, that I can´t give any suggestions, and I say what were the parts of the story, that had more impact with me, and why. I´m not quite sure if that actually counts as a constructive critique though.
Well, if that is the honest truth then I see no reason why that shouldn't be valid. The art of constructive criticism is just that, an art. The more you try your hand at it, the better you will get over time. You can learn more about how to critique properly by reading the reviews that others have posted. You can learn how to look for and spot such things as misspelled words, punctuation errors and sentence fragments. By reading how others express their opinions about a given piece, you can learn how to properly express such factors as why a story didn't hold your interest or why you couldn't connect with the characters. Once you learn to express these things, your criticisms will help the writer create better stories that hold their reader's attention and make them more invested in the characters presented.
Plus it is helpful as a writer if people like the basic story and idea. I have just reviewed a piece of work for someone and quite frankly yes there were some small errors but it was such a blinder I read through it without noticing them they had no impact on my enjoyment of the piece. It was a wonderful horror told in a rambling James Herriot, Dr Cameron type way. Personally I like to know when my story has gripped someone or has blown them away after all I write it for people to read and be entertained. Nothing gives me more confidence to plug on and improve a story. The greatest compliment I have is when people talk about my characters like friends using their nicknames etc. I was even constructive and nice to the guy that accused me of not being a native English speaker and didn't know what a thigh-length sleeveless tunic looked like. Not in my nature to hold grudges haven't got the energy lol
You should consider learning to properly hate. Seriously, not only will it keep you warm in the winter, but it could give you valuable insight into developing evil villains. *Strikes a Shakespearean pose and drops his voice two octaves, speaking with a deliberate melodramatic meter* "Mine heart FILLS with the BLACKEST of HATE, turning COLD, HARD and BITTER." *Shifts to different, yet still overly dramatic pose* "Mine very soul is consumed by it, as I totally DESPISE and LOATH him with a BURNING PASSION that shall NEVER DIE!" The trick is to keep your face all serious and intense looking while you say the words. Giggling half way through the lines just ruins the mood... You should try it...its fun
lol that is funny just finished writing a scene when we discover the Lord of Evil from my first book was a case of mistaken identity. My one evil character I just pinched from Shakespeare and Arthurian legends she is real evil she poisoned her mother, and shot her father.
I have a really tough time reviewing something that doesn't catch my attention right away. If I'm having a hard time reading it, there's no damn way I'll review it. I need to be excited enough to invest myself into the piece to make it better.
Though it's odd, I love to review works that could use a lot of work. Not AWFUL, but could use some pointers. With ones that are really good, I find myself trying hard to find something to point out, which I don't like.
I've always despised reviewing. Few things make me cringe more than a friend asking, "So, what did you think about this story I poured my heart and sweat into?" I think it's because of my one fiction writing class I took in college. I was going for a degree in English with emphasis in Creative Writing because everything always came back to my writing. It was a nightmare. We were not allowed to write thriller, horror, mystery, fantasy or sci-fi. The instructor wanted 'slice of life'. It was a soap-opera nightmare. I don't care who slept with who's wife and which man is the father of which baby even when it's on TV. Reading it was like nails on a chalkboard and reviewing was 80% of the class. When I started facing just the walk across the campus to the class with tears, I couldn't bear more of it. When I'm asked to review something, that whole nightmare of a class comes pouring back. It brings friends even. I always found it rather ironic that I learned more about improving my writing from the grad-student who taught my English 101 and 102 than from any other class in my writing life. We both had Creative Writing emphasis, so he put in the extra effort to offer constructive criticism and recommendations on everything I wrote. It's time to pay that kindness back and face my reviewing demons.
I feel like I'm in the minority on this one... but I really, really like reviewing really, really bad writing. Maybe I just like being rude when it comes to people's writing skills or perhaps I find it enjoyable to find all the flaws and address them. I know it makes me seem look like a snob but I can't refrain from honesty. With good writing, I just feel like I didn't read the piece. When I tell someone their excerpt is wonderful and that there's hardly anything that needs improvement, I think that I'm not being very helpful towards the author for whatever reason. I tend to steer clear from reviewing things in general, but when I come across a bad Twilight fanfic, I just can't seem to contain myself...
My rebellion to such an idiocy would've been to do strict reviews: "Ok, here's my review to Bob's work. After a brief four page analysis of the murder he's trying to perform on the English language with his first paragraph, I continue with the discussion of 'style and Bob's aberrant deviation from any trace of it'. It's thirteen pages long, so it barely scratches the surface, however I hope to be able, during the analysis of further paragraphs, to discuss deeper topics, like Bob's obvious retardation and his deeply encysted homosexuality. Shall we continue with these 'slice-o-life reviews' Or we're open to alternative options."
I have no problem reviewing good or bad pieces. The problem I have is when it's obvious the person was lazy and sloppy. But if there is an effort, why not reward that writer with advice? They won't get better otherwise. I especially enjoy helping those kinds of people because I know I've been there, as have all of us. One other reason I will not critique is if I feel I have no right to critique it. I don't claim to be the master of everything writing, but I do believe my opinions are valuable in certain areas. However, in poetry, for instance... I will not ever ever critique it. I am no good at it. I can dissect the meaning, possibly, but I cannot make any sort of corrections.
Critiquing is a learning process, not a judgment. Take on critiques where you don't feel certain. Step outside your comfort zone. That is how you learn.
I enjoy reading, so I like to leave a review when I am done reading it. I'm very honest when I review, I don't like being mean in a review cause I'm honest. I like to give a good detail review to the person, because I love getting reviews from people. I like deep detailed one but if it's just, "I like it." It's better then getting nothing? If it's a piece of work, I don't like, cause I don't get passed a few paragarphs then I probably won't review it. Back I like reviewing and getting them, lol.
coming to this site, I thought I would hate to do reviews, so I went in thinking I'd do it just to get it out of the way so I could put my own writing up. Then something strange happened... I found that I really enjoy going through a piece and looking for ways to improve it. Now I look through my weekly obligations with work and all that, and look for spare time where I can do at least a review a week. (That's my goal anyway.) I suppose one explenation for this, is that my eye for weakness and error is improving in my own writing with every review I do. Definitely a "win-win" situation.
-actually,when i found this site,thats when i got into reviewing.there's so much good material around and potential lurking everywhere,i feel it my duty as writer to help others.
I like reviewing but I don't do it that often. I know that sounds odd but the conditions have to be right. If I actually read something then I will always leave a constructive review even if it quite short. The problem I find is that my attention has to be tweaked first. I don't enjoy fantasy - which seems to rule out about ninety five percent of online work at the moment - and I won't read anything that is over romantic or 'teen'. Also I find I am put off by too much 'Americanism'. To be honest reading on line that limits me quite a lot. However, if someone reviews me then I will always review something of theirs in return as I think that is only fair. I have a novel posted at another site and find it amazing that lots of people seem to have read to the end but never reviewed. I would never do that! If I enjoyed it that much then I would feel that I owed the writer at lest an encouraging 'Thanks'.
Will only ever review things I like. Much as critiquing can be helpful etc etc and folk shouldn't take things personally etc etc I don't think unrelenting criticism does anybody much good. It is nice to be nice.
If I read something to the end but don't really have anything constructive to say I don't "critique" it. Just posting an I don't like or That was great doesn't really strike me as helpful. Or if I agree completely with someone else I just let their review stand. When doing critiques I tend to ask more questions. Sometimes its to clear up a question I have or an issue I'm noticing but can't tell if its due to the fact that only a partial of the tale is there or because I"m missing something. I also love to point out things that I really liked. My goal is to do at least 4 critiques a week. So much work is posted daily that there is plenty on offer and I like to do it while drinking my morning coffee.
