There's always more factual things to mention like grammar. And there's also word usage or how you, as a reader, didn't get the right effect (As in you read it and only after figured out what it was intended to do) Another trick is to read what others write and figure out what things you can point out as well.
I like the idea, too. Maybe some who volunteered for the job underestimated the amount of time required. Maybe they suddenly got busier than they expected to be IRL. I don't know. In my opinion, though, the idea is still experimental and we don't yet know for sure how well it's going to work. I think, though, that stripping people who volunteered of their "official" Reviewer banners might discourage others from volunteering for the position, because they may feel that it's just an opportunity to be punished rather than appreciated. I'd rather see more members with official Reviewer banners than fewer, even if some don't review as much as they thought they could. I think that (maybe) stripping people of their Reviewer banners would eventually result in nobody wanting to be a Reviewer, and the whole idea would die. We'd be stuck with the same problem we started with. I don't know what the solution is. That's why we're eager to hear ideas.
Well, it's kind of hard to tell people not to submit, especially since that's what most members join to do. The only thing to do is have more critiques, I think. How do we encourage that? Have monthly prizes for number of critiques? How would that be done? What else could be done?
It's a good idea. The people who sign up to be reviewers just need to take it seriously and actually review. The rest of us will also review when we can, and if we feel we can.
I, for one, appreciate that people want/wanted to be official reviewers and I'm not yet ready to be judgmental if they did or did not meet someone's expected quota.
I always appreciate it when people volunteer to do something but don't do it. Incredibly helpful that they take commitment so seriously. They get the feel good joy of being helpful without all that damned effort that gets in the way.
guess i could write more reviews, but be prepared for such comedy gems as "not enough lesbian nudity in your Vatican history essay" and "requires more explosions"
I love reviewing but I didn't volunteer to be an official reviewer because I don't need or want a commitment just now. I assume the number/frequency of the required critiques was pulled out of the air as a starting figure? Maybe it needs to be reviewed. If some reviewers aren't keeping up with the present quota, maybe a mod could ask them why—in investigative, rather than perjorative mode? If they're having a particular problem meeting the requirements, maybe it's a problem that others are having too.
I think the biggest factor that got this whole 'official reviewer' thing started is that some people's posts weren't getting reviewed at all. I can't speak for all the Workshops because I mostly only visit Novels, as that's my area of interest. But I don't think it's the number of reviews that were lacking, but rather that some folks are/were getting ignored. Either their writing itself didn't immediately appeal, or they were writing outwith the most popular genres. Personally I try to visit every new post in Novels, and try to offer a critique if one has been sitting for a while with few responses. I think if the official reviewers make that a priority, rather than posting a certain number of critiques every week, that might be the way to go. Mind you ...there is always an underbelly. That might mean that being reviewed by a Reviewer means nobody else liked your stuff. Ack. What am I saying. Shut up, Jan. Go have another cup of coffee.
I like @jannert's idea that we should not focus on quotas and just make sure that workshop posts don't sit too long without a fair review. The reviewers that volunteer would be those that passionately wanted to make sure that no one felt ignored.
@minstrel is misleadingly incorrect (sorry Minstrel!). It's a member that volunteered for a core group of 'official' reviewers that would be actively reviewing in the forum to an agreed quota, and who therefore have the yellow 'Reviewer' banner on the avatar and purple colour for their name.
