A Few Reminders about Reviewing

[AceTrainer14]

Hello Workshop!

I am sure many of you by now would have seen some of the many review discussions and games that have gone on these past few months, ranging from AetherX's brilliant lesson on writing them to the debate over flaming and criticism, as well as our new games such as the Review Game, the Workshop Quiz and old favourites like the Review Exchange and still lingering Beta Reader.

The reason why one of my main priorities since becoming forum head has been the idea of reviews is because reviews, quite simply, help make the whole concept of fan fiction go around. We all love writing, creating new plots and characters, reinvisioning the regions and villains in our own way, but it can all seem a bit pointless at times if we don't think anyone is actually reading our work.

Feedback and reviews can do wonders for any story. The author gets a boost from knowing someone is enjoying their work, they can get feedback about what may need improving or what might not be working, therefore improving their story, and, in return, the author may check out your story and give you some feedback. It can be quite depressing for any author if it appears as though no one is reading their work while other stories get ten in depth reviews for every chapter that gets posted.

I am not saying that we all write essay long responses for every single chapter analysing every full stop and exclamation mark. There is seriously nothing wrong with just posting "Hey Bob, I really loved this latest chapter of Generic Journey Shipping Fic #167. I liked your portrayal of Red in this chapter, and I cannot wait to see what happens with him and Green when they get to Pewter City!" There seems to be some thought that these don't matter at all, but it is nice to let the author know you are reading their story and enjoying it, and you can always do a more in depth review later on that gets into the nitty gritty. If you can manage the time to read the story, a few extra seconds to post a line or two of feedback will do you no harm but could make a world of difference to the author.

And while the games and programs to help with reviewing are still there, it should not be a case of it being that the other person has to read your fic if they want a review from you. The whole system kind of fails if you try and make all of your reviews into a chance for you to get more feedback as well: simply share your own thoughts and let people choose if they want to review your fic or not, don't try and force anyone into it when you only have two lines to say about their fic anyway. As I said above, chances are that the person will return the favour in their own time anyway.

So essentially, spread the love around folks! If you read a story, post a line or two at the very end and make the author's day, don't wait around for someone else to do it or until they return the favour first. We all want reviews, and people always complain about no one reading and reviewing their story, but you can't complain if you aren't getting out there yourself and giving people feedback as well. Just remember to not be a flamer and be considerate if you are going to point out a mistake or something (as long as your review isn't just "Here's a typo I found" : that's not feedback, that is being pedantic and irritating, everyone knows that). There is nothing stopping you from posting a little bit of feedback when you read a story, so don't think that it will go unappreciated: just share your thoughts, and together we can make the Workshop a happier place for all

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

As a writer and occasional reader, I must say that I agree with this. Even just a few lines letting the author know that you are reading can be immensely boosting in spirits. I recently got a review on fanfiction.net that basically said: "I like this story. I like how you do your characters.", and another review at Pokémasters that basically said the same thing, and both were very lifting in spirits.

And stories that get comments usually seem attracting to other readers, because it has to be somewhat decent. It can help the author, and it can push them to write much better things in the future, and put more effort into their stories, which just means a better reading experience for you, really. Because English is my second language, I found reading to be the best help for me when I started writing. My earliest writings were horrible and filled with plot holes, and I improved more by reading books than I did by reading boring guides of where commas and other punctuation marks go, even though those were very helpful.

Inspiration can be found when you're just reading some story, even if it is unrelated to your own. Many times, I would be reading something and suddenly get an idea of how a scene I couldn't write before should go.

So read, comment, and you'll end up benefitting yourself whether you're a writer or a reader.

 

[Kelleo]

I agree with this too, AT. I'd love to review more myself, but my problem is figuring out exactly what to say, whether I enjoyed what I read or not. I don't want to just say "Hey, I think this story's awesome, great job!" I find reviews like that rather irritating, so I don't give them to others. I want to elaborate a bit more on why I thought it was awesome and all, but I can never figure out exactly how to put it or how to address any issues without sounding confusing or something.

 

[AceTrainer14]

There is nothing wrong with just saying that @Kelleo, that is basically the point of this little reminder. They may bother you, but you don't know how much of an effect it could have on the author, especially if they get few other reviews for that story or they are a beginning writer. You don't need to specifically say "Here are all the points I liked" or anything, you can just say something specific you liked and move on. And if you can't find a way to word the issues properly, don't mention them! There are plenty of other people who will probably point them out instead, and if everyone goes "YOU DID THIS WRONG!!!!" that could be very upsetting for the author. Just say you enjoyed it, make the author's day and move on

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

I agree with this too, AT. I'd love to review more myself, but my problem is figuring out exactly what to say, whether I enjoyed what I read or not. I don't want to just say "Hey, I think this story's awesome, great job!" I find reviews like that rather irritating, so I don't give them to others. I want to elaborate a bit more on why I thought it was awesome and all, but I can never figure out exactly how to put it or how to address any issues without sounding confusing or something.

Then just say simple things like: "I like [character name], in my opinion, their best quality is their care for others, even if it can be a weakness at points!".

You really don't have to elaborate much. More often than not, an author will jumps to conclusions and interpret your message correctly than not understand it at all. If you worry about sounding confusing, then again, the writer will know what you mean, and they know more than their readers, so they will most likely get the right message from your comment, even if other readers don't.

You might even inspire other readers to have their own thoughts, and other readers' comments might inspire your own comments and how to word them.

 

[Kelleo]

Then just say simple things like: "I like [character name], in my opinion, their best quality is their care for others, even if it can be a weakness at points!".

You really don't have to elaborate much. More often than not, an author will jumps to conclusions and interpret your message correctly than not understand it at all. If you worry about sounding confusing, then again, the writer will know what you mean, and they know more than their readers, so they will most likely get the right message from your comment, even if other readers don't.

You might even inspire other readers to have their own thoughts, and other readers' comments might inspire your own comments and how to word them.

Oh, I see. That sounds like an idea. But then I also never know how to say I didn't enjoy a story. I don't want to offend or hurt the author. So in that case I usually say nothing as well.

@AceTrainer14;: Well, see, I feel that that kind of review is boring and not very helpful. Sure it's praise and all, but wouldn't you like to know WHY your readers think your story is so great? WHAT made them enjoy it so much? I certainly would. If there's one thing I DID learn from people that gave me harsh critique, it's that simple praise like that is useless. But this is just how I feel. xP

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

Oh, I see. That sounds like an idea. But then I also never know how to say I didn't enjoy a story. I don't want to offend or hurt the author. So in that case I usually say nothing as well.

@AceTrainer14;: Well, see, I feel that that kind of review is boring and not very helpful. Sure it's praise and all, but wouldn't you like to know WHY your readers think your story is so great? WHAT made them enjoy it so much? I certainly would. If there's one thing I DID learn from people that gave me harsh critique, it's that simple praise like that is useless. But this is just how I feel. xP

Everyone wants a long, detailed review, just like how everyone wants praise. Even I can get upset at just simple lines, but when you go 10 or more chapters without anything, they can be the best you've ever gotten; knowing that someone is reading your story and liking it is a great motivator. Not every review has to be detailed and show you exactly what to improve; expecting that is foolish, and someone gushing over a scene can be more satisfying than nothing at all.

My previous example: "I like [character name], in my opinion, their best quality is their care for others, even if it can be a weakness at points!".

From that, a writer can get:

• That they are portraying the character correctly if it is canon, and that it's a well-developed character if it's an original character.
• If the character is canon, the reader either already likes them, or they like the character because of your story.
• The writer is portraying the character's relationships correctly.
• The character has a weakness that can be their strength. The reader is obviously interested in that, and it can be a storyline for that character.
• The reader can jump to certain assumptions without them seeing far-fetched, so the writer's way of writing has been successful in inspiring certain aspects without detailing them.

That line can be a detailed review with a lot of fluff, but the underlying message is the same. If the reader can't find their words, then the author is surely to find them.

 

[Kelleo]

I never said anyone had to give me a long, essay-like response. It's just like you and AT say, simply saying "I liked character x and such because ____" is just fine. xP

 

[Gama]

@AceTrainer14;: Well, see, I feel that that kind of review is boring and not very helpful. Sure it's praise and all, but wouldn't you like to know WHY your readers think your story is so great? WHAT made them enjoy it so much? I certainly would. If there's one thing I DID learn from people that gave me harsh critique, it's that simple praise like that is useless. But this is just how I feel. xP

Yes, I would prefer reviews that gave a little more reasoning. If the choice is between that and a one line review that says "Keep up the great work! I'll be reading!", I'll choose the more detailed review.

However, if the choice is between "Keep up the great work! I'll be reading!" and nothing, I'll definitely choose "Keep up the great work! I'll be reading!". While it is true that it is worthless in terms of improvement, it means a lot to me to know that people are reading and like my work, even if they aren't sure how to verbalise their reasoning, or even just don't have time to do so.

 

[AceTrainer14]

@AceTrainer14;: Well, see, I feel that that kind of review is boring and not very helpful. Sure it's praise and all, but wouldn't you like to know WHY your readers think your story is so great? WHAT made them enjoy it so much? I certainly would. If there's one thing I DID learn from people that gave me harsh critique, it's that simple praise like that is useless. But this is just how I feel. xP

This reminder isn't to discuss the merits of those types of reviews, I am largely saying that if you read a story, there is nothing stopping you from giving some sort of response even if it just a one line "Keep up the good work!" review. A review of a single chapter or of only a few should not be something you fret too much over. Even if you think they are worthless or boring, the author will probably still appreciate them, especially if they have no other forms of feedback. If you received no reviews for an endless amount of chapters, wouldn't you appreciate getting something as small as that?

 

[ShinyFlareon]

Yes, I would prefer reviews that gave a little more reasoning. If the choice is between that and a one line review that says "Keep up the great work! I'll be reading!", I'll choose the more detailed review.

However, if the choice is between "Keep up the great work! I'll be reading!" and nothing, I'll definitely choose "Keep up the great work! I'll be reading!". While it is true that it is worthless in terms of improvement, it means a lot to me to know that people are reading and like my work, even if they aren't sure how to verbalise their reasoning, or even just don't have time to do so.

^ THIS.

Honestly my writing ego has been wallowing in the mud for ages now, and even just seeing that someone has left anything on one of my stories is a massive boost.

 

[SuperTrainStationH]

If you've read something here, anything, and ESPECIALLY if you like it, replying in ANY capacity is invaluable.

I mean, a "like" is nice, but a comment that's little more than as "I like the main character" or "i like the way you described the battles", or "this is a really imaginative idea and I want to see more" can easily mean the difference between someone just posting one or two chapters and vanishing, and feeling appreciated enough to fine tune and persevere to the point where they actually complete a more ambitious project or continue writing short story type fics.

Even if you don't feel "qualified" to give in depth constructive criticism, or don't feel like picking apart something like a grammar teacher (which actually isn't necessarily always called for), replying contributes enormously to the culture of the little creative subcommunity going on here.

 

[Kelleo]

This reminder isn't to discuss the merits of those types of reviews, I am largely saying that if you read a story, there is nothing stopping you from giving some sort of response even if it just a one line "Keep up the good work!" review. A review of a single chapter or of only a few should not be something you fret too much over. Even if you think they are worthless or boring, the author will probably still appreciate them, especially if they have no other forms of feedback. If you received no reviews for an endless amount of chapters, wouldn't you appreciate getting something as small as that?

I suppose that's true, yes. I see your point now.

 

[LightningTopaz]

Even just asking "I noticed you did X, any reason why?" allows the author to explain why they took the approach they did, especially if the reader doesn't get it at first

 

[AceTrainer14]

Considering we have gotten such a good response for this, I do hope to see everyone getting more involved

 

[LightningTopaz]

Also, don't hesitate to tag people that want to know when your latest episode goes up (just ask permission first). This can motivate you to write, knowing your regulars are awaiting the next episode.

 

[SuperTrainStationH]

Just chiming in to say that I'm going out of my way to leave reviews, particularly on newer or less established ongoing things. I have a current "lineup" of maybe five different fics open in tabs that Have been up there for days now that I'm slowly whittling through.

Not even trying to read and review all or even most of what's been posted lately, but every little bit counts, right?

 

[AceTrainer14]

That's the attitude I want to see! I plan on doing the same with some other small fics I have seen floating about that don't seem to be getting many reviews, and I hope that we can try and keep the love going around

 

[Caite-chan]

I always loved getting reviews on my stories especially from @Gama when I posted my very first story. I loved reading his reviews because they were in depth and helped me greatly when I would go to write the next chapter.

I was always a bit iffy about posting my stories because of them being in the Wrestling category and well let's face it...this isn't a Wrestling board. I did post a few one shots on other Pokemon boards and got not one comment but when I posted them here people actually left me comments. It made me feel like Hey...I can post something that's not Pokemon related and people will still read it.