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Writers' Workshop General Chat Thread

Eeeh, I'd say a review includes constructive information toward what they liked and disliked, allowing the author to change to improve the points brought forward. That's just a general opinion of the subject matter.
 
To be 100% honest, a part of me wants to read and give reviews, whereas a much bigger part of me doesn't want to, because since I may not know the author I'm critiquing, they may be unable to take it.
 
If that was the kind of review I got from someone, I'd ask them to go play in traffic. It's fundamentally unhelpful and completely useless to an author who wants to improve their writing.
 
Now that I've picked up way too many fics to catch up with, I also know why some reviewers maintain that they don't review stories of authors who don't bother reading/reviewing other fics as well. It just makes a world of difference if you're able to see the work of the person critiquing you as well, at least for me it does.
 
I'll only review if I know the author is able to take it and benefit from it. And I am usually pretty civil about them. If they immediately hit me with "don't like, don't read", or just straight up block me because I didn't give them a good review, I'm just gonna think that my time was wasted on them.
 
I'm very light on receiving reviews. If what I've gotten counts as them in the first place. I don't read fics often, so I don't give reviews much either.

On an unrelated note, Xenoverse 2 comes out tomorrow for us console players.
 
That's all right, Survival Project still hasn't gotten its last review after all this time for whatever reason. o_O Life is busy, so ah well.
...that wasn't me, right...?

/I know I'm behind in like four people's stories/reviewing and I'm really sorry :')
 
Noticed this while checking on other stuff, still on break, but thought I'd point out:
- you only get reviews from two judges in your category, not all six or so. If you feel you haven't gotten a review you are owed, message me next week when I am back and I'll sort it out.
- as our multiple lessons/reminders/discussions always come down to this, we generally recommend people review even if they are not going to provide lots of constructive criticism to improve the story. Writing to let the author know you like the story can mean a lot, and it is not the job of every single reviewer to come in and analyse every part of the chapter. Lots of people say they don't know how to review so they don;t: well, you can't get better if you don't try, and generally you can't complain about people not reviewing your work if you don't try and review other people's.
Ok, bye now for another few days.
 
I don't review terribly often (though that is something I'm trying to change) but when I do, I just write what I feel as I'm reading it. I'll highlight and quote bits I like or bits that I need to make a point, and just kind of write the whole thing stream-of-consciousness style. Admittedly, it can come off a bit... weird, as I'm trying to write down and state exactly what I'm thinking, which in turn leads to me editing the review extensively after I've already posted it, but I digress.

I wouldn't call a comment of "I like this" or "I dislike this" a 'review' as much as just a general comment. I'm fine with comments like that, just don't go posting in the review game with "This story is good" and expect the writer to take that seriously. On that same note, however, even just pointing out one little thing that you liked is immensely more helpful than just a bland "I like it." Someone left a comment on my own fic along the lines of "I really like this character, she's delightful." Super simple, and that at least let me know something they enjoyed, which in turn let me know I was doing something right. Likewise, if someone just says "This story sux lol" it's like, I'm sorry you didn't like it, but at least tell me what you didn't like, specifically, so that I can know what I'm potentially doing wrong. Again, it can be super simple, just like "I didn't like it when Richie flew away on his magic surfboard. That didn't make sense." You don't need to write a ten-page essay on the fundamental flaws of Richie's magic surfboard, just a simple comment on it is just as helpful.

The point I'm trying to make is, even if you don't feel like, or are uncomfortable with, writing lengthy essay-style reviews, even a simple comment on one particular aspect is just as useful. "I really liked the part with Richie's magic surfboard" is succinct, tells the writer what you liked, tells the writer what they did right, and everybody is happy. :D
 
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I, too, yet draw breath.

Working two jobs is kicking my ass, I've gotten little writing done this month, I have submitted a story to a publisher but haven't heard back yet. Stress, anxiety, blah blah blah.
 
Nope, instead it can get it's arse kicked by the Fire/Fighting-types.

Incidentally, I wonder why Grass/Ghost for Decidueye. What's the inspiration there? I'm thinking Robin Hood, since I recall some tales say he was born an aristocrat (hence the posh looking second-stage evolution) before becoming the outlaw we know of.
 
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