I recently went looking to get a review on a story I have written, but want to publish. Given that the review room is a terrible idea if you want to publish the work, I turned to this site's "reviewer" list. After carousing it, I have two suggestions: 1) The list seems a bit out-dated. Several members have not logged on in over a year, some seem to check in once every few months, and a few are still forum regulars. Is it possible to update the list? 2) I think it would be awesome if each reviewer could have a small write up (one line) that says what sort of work they prefer. Aside from line-edits, the mechanics of each literary type vary greatly. As a user asking for a review, I will get less help sending a Sci-Fi piece to a person who focuses on Poetry, than a person who focuses on the Fantasy genre. Obviously, every reviewer can/will read over anything that a user asks them to, but I think it would help to increase the usefulness of the list and the helpfulness of the end reviews. Thanks, -Kyle
The Reviewer role is not the same as when the site was young. Back then, there were many Review Room threads that were overlooked, i.e. received no critiques, With Daniel's addition of the Unreviewed Writing box on the home page, trhere are rarely pieces that get no attention at all anymore. Now, the Reviewer role is undergoing some redefinition, Reviewers are moving toward being mentors for the critiquing process. We still are NOT here to give private critiques. That is considered a professional service, and is not what this site is about. The number of active Revbiewers HAS dwindled. But because the role is still being reevaluated, there has not been a great need to flush inactives and recruit new Reviewers. How could we, with no clear definition of what the repurposed role requires? There is much more to be gained by several sets of eyes looking over the writing rather than one pair of eyes. And it matters little whether the reviewer critiques a piece of writing intended for publication or a piece created for the express purpose of getting critique. It's the writing ability itself that gets examined, and it does the writer no good in either case if he or she is incapable of extrapolating the insights to the totality of his or her writing.
Is it alright if an individual can offer private reviews? Perhaps, I love critiquing on people's work, hoping that they could get published, and I don't mind people sending me emails and having me to give feedback to one another. My appetite is novels though, to keep it real. I am willing to help anyone who wants private reviews. Not only this would help individuals happy, but it will also help me to improve on my own writing as well.
This is what we have the review rooms for I see what Cogito is getting at, and I also partially misunderstood what the purpose of the site reviewers was/is. The site reviewers are currently in a state of flux and are (slowly) being redefined. The review rooms have grown to a point where they now (for most purposes) have replaced the need for reviewers. That being said, there is nothing to keep you from offering private critiques in your signature. I have seen that done often by other board members.
Let me make a clear distinction here. We permit members to offer private critiques, although many who do so live to regret it. In several cases, a well-intentioned offer is repaid with harassment if the generous reviewer doesn't deliver as comprehensive or timely a response as the writer desired. Therefore, we absolutely forbid posting to request private critiques, or making requests via private message to any member who has not openly offered to take on such requests.
which i do openly offer, btw... those who've been here for a while know that i mentor many and help many others on a one-time basis via email, performing many of the same services i performed in my old life as a writer/professional writing consultant for fees up to $150/hr... i have been doing it all for free, throughout the past decade... i help as much as i can on-site, but anyone wanting private help and/or a more detailed assessment of their work can email me 'at home' any time... love and hugs, maia maia3maia@hotmail.com
