The never-ending dilemma of reviews...

[Weeble]

Putaro,

Damn near wet myself over the "strangle a cat" line, still giggling. On my annual June fishing trip there is a group of firefighters from Chicago that play the bagpipes when they're not fishing. I am a Scot and so It can be enjoyable, but one of them is a beginner. Thankfully he is getting better. A few years back even the fish had earplugs in.

Kotik,

I was wondering when you were going to notice the whole adopt-a-T'Pau thing. What pissed me off was his response to my pms about perhaps excessive borrowing. Next thing I know he's lifting more stuff from "Forks". His stories have seemingly disappeared, aw gee darn.

[Kotik]

His stories have seemingly disappeared, aw gee darn.

Good riddance. I'm not the guy to shout out that I'm the greatest, but in contrast to that numbnut, I'm Shakespeare when it comes to English language, and I'm a bloody Kraut. I'm inclined to doubt that he`s even American, as he claims. Nobody can be THAT dyslexic. With the Americans' propensity for over-the-top nationalism, they'd locked this guy up in Guantanamo and tortured him to death for that abysmal rape of their language.

[Weeble]

Naw,

He's probably go the writing gig for the next soupy sit-com on NBC

[putaro]

I have a fondness for bagpipes (in small doses) but I would essay that beginning bagpipes are probably worse than beginning violin. Certainly louder!

With the Americans' propensity for over-the-top nationalism, they'd locked this guy up in Guantanamo and tortured him to death for that abysmal rape of their language.

Area 51 is where we send sci-fi authors, FYI.

[Kotik]

I want to apologize for my rude tone yesterday. I was so infuriated, I wasn't exactly thinking straight. Guess I'd make a lousy Vulcan with my emotional control - or lack thereof. TOAL is hardly my best story, but it was my first. I spent weeks writing it and at least three times as many weeks endlessly re-reading and tweaking it until I thought I could send it to my beta without fearing that she had to paint it red. There comes one run-down schmuck, steals the plot-line and doesn't even give a flying expletive about the language. It made me mad

[Weeble]

Kotik,

Worst of it is Is that I like your story, always have. When it who shall remain unnamed stole the en'ahr'at bonding angle, it was just friggin' wrong. Your plot line was interesting science fiction and you wrote it well.

With any luck the dude will stay disappeared.

[Transwarp]

I used BnB's clan concept and Transwarp's clan name of T'Pol's, but I also gave credit to these people in the disclaimers

Kotik, to set the record straight, that clan name in 'Command' is actually BnB's, from his 'Road Once Traveled' series. I borrowed from his stories for the same reason you did; he makes it all seem so REAL. And because I wanted to to pay tribute to an author I really like!

Still, I am honored that you took something from my work, even if it does ultimately belong to BnB.

I am also glad that you found something of value in my reviews. I find that USEFUL reviews are deucedly difficult to write, and I always try to be useful when I review a story. As others have pointed out in this thread, this can be a bit of a balancing act, especially when reviewing a new author. (I think my first review of Eireanne might have bordered on the overly-critical, judging by comments from ensuing reviewers. Eireanne, bless her heart, seemed to take my remarks in stride and continued her writing at a pace that can only be described as prodigious.)

So, what would a useful review look like? To me, it's useful if the author can learn something from it. I am forever indebted to Alelou for a review where she pointed out (in her english-teacherly manner) that I was using too many commas. I had no idea, because that's how I'd been taught. (Or more precisely, that's how I *thought* I'd been taught.) I adjusted my writing style and now I'm more vigilant, although the pesky things are still prone to creep into my prose at the most inappropriate places. But the point is I learned something from it. It was useful.

A useful review doesn't necessarily have to point out problems or errors. In fact, I can learn something of value from what my readers liked; from knowing those things that sparked their interest, made them feel something, or made them want to read more. Some authors are so technically proficient that this is the only kind of review I can write: I simply CAN'T find anything wrong with them. So, rather than just gush and tell them how much I LOVED it and I can't WAIT for the next update, I try to tell them which scenes resonated and why. Which phrase or expression made me sit back and say 'Wow!' Anyway, that's my take on it. And for all those I haven't reviewed, my humblest apologies. There simply aren't enough hours in the day!

[dialee]

Thank you, Transwarp.

That was very helpful in telling a reader what an author might be looking for in a constructive review I.e. specifics.

[putaro]

Well, here's some research on the lack of critical feedback in society:

http://medicaldaily.com/news/20120730/11165/polite-society-honest-truth.htm

[Alelou]

I was reviewing some teacher evaluation surveys I give each semester and noticed that, with a few exceptions, students were frustrated with the quality of feedback they get during small peer workshops. It was one of the main issues that drew written comments. I don't blame them. Except for the occasional group that bonds over their genuine desire to improve their writing and starts getting tough with each other, it's usually just "that's good." But I still make them do it. I think the most important thing they're doing in that group is actually reading their pieces out loud to an audience. They'll hear errors they don't see, and they'll notice when people laugh or start looking bored. So I think it's still worth the time and effort. There's not really any equivalent in fanfic, but just posting is worthwhile.

[Weeble]

Alelou,

You don't teach them how to write angst do you? I am not sure I could handle a bunch of new angst writers....just saying'



><((((º>

[Distracted]

But angst is drama, and drama is good stuff.

[Alelou]

Oh, I wish. I don't let them write fiction at all, the poor dears. They're supposed to be learning how to handle college writing, not fanfic.

Well, there is an exception in my lit courses: I'll take fiction as a commentary (or parody) of a piece or an author, but not very often.

[Distracted]

Oh, joy. Research papers. Believe it or not, I'm actually writing one right now.

Don't laugh. It's not funny. It's been over 30 years since I last did this! The darn thing is the documentation for my SCA Kingdom Arts and Sciences Competition performance piece, and trying to find primary sources to reference a piece of 14th century French music is driving me... appropriately, I suppose... to DISTRACTION!

Will you proofread it for me when I get it done, Professor Alelou?

[Alelou]

If I have time, which is looking a little doubtful. That long stretch of luxurious time I had at the beginning of the summer is just so gone ... especially since it takes me about five times as long just to walk across the house. Thank God I've done most of my reading, but now I have to organize my courses and (worst of all) get the photocopying done.