|
runnernotabiker
|
|
|
|
With the end of the month fast approaching, I stare longingly at my review list wishing that number of 15 reviews would change to 16. I'm on at least 3 days since my last review and it looks like I'm headlong for a timeout. I had hoped to get a couple in before Friday. My later reviews tend to be better you see (uh-oh dangerous statement), since I've worked with the fantastic suggestions you've made  So on behalf of everyone, could I make a request to all reviewers, including myself, to make a concerted effort to get through reviews as fast as is humanly possible, particularly when it gets close to the end of the month? This is by no means a dig at anybody in particular, everybody gets busy. Sometimes I get my reviews done straightaway, sometimes, unfortunately, they sit and wait for me. I wonder if it's almost kinder to give up a review (what's it called when you return it?) early on after receipt if you realise it's going to take you right up to the four days or beyond? Yours in peace  Runnernotabiker (how did that damn username ever appear on here?)
|
|
D666
|
|
|
|
Yeah it's not great when you see your 'baby' in someones arms, ready to point out what's wrong (lol my case), or how good it is (not my case) you keep checkin, one time turns, fast to seven checks a day lol, four days on and, yeah it's time out- again. Ive had it, I've done it. But you still keep checkin, if that darn reviewer has done 'is Godam un-paid job lol. But, for whatever reason they did not review it, I say oh well and thank the Good Lord for another day
|
|
runnernotabiker
|
|
|
|
Quote: D666, Wednesday, 29 Jul 2009 02:57Yeah it's not great when you see your 'baby' in someones arms, ready to point out what's wrong (lol my case), or how good it is (not my case) you keep checkin, one time turns, fast to seven checks a day lol, four days on and, yeah it's time out- again. Ive had it, I've done it. But you still keep checkin, if that darn reviewer has done 'is Godam un-paid job lol. But, for whatever reason they did not review it, I say oh well and thank the Good Lord for another day And next time you get one within the hour. Just the luck of the draw I guess. Generally I've been quite lucky with the speed of people's responses. Just checked though, still waiting... 
|
|
Athene
|
|
|
|
Be careful what you wish for ... I've had quite a few reviews that came within an hour or so of putting on the reading credit, and not one of them was worth having. I'd rather wait, and know that there's a chance someone out there is taking my work seriously, and spending time thinking about their review instead of just snatching a quick credit.
This post was last edited by Athene, 29 Jul 2009, 07:58
Scias te fortasse Romanum esse si animal convivialissimum arbitreris esse caprum (Henricus Barbatus) my website
|
|
runnernotabiker
|
|
|
|
Quote: Athene, Wednesday, 29 Jul 2009 07:58Be careful what you wish for ... I've had quite a few reviews that came within an hour or so of putting on the reading credit, and not one of them was worth having. I'd rather wait, and know that there's a chance someone out there is taking my work seriously, and spending time thinking about their review instead of just snatching a quick credit. I don't know about that. I take the same time over them whether I get to it as soon as I request it or leave it till later. But I take your point. It's just a numbers game. At the moment I'm not in the top ten, you have to hope that there's always a chance you will. Eternal optimist
|
|
Athene
|
|
|
|
Quote: runnernotabiker, Wednesday, 29 Jul 2009 09:03Quote: Athene, Wednesday, 29 Jul 2009 07:58Be careful what you wish for ... I've had quite a few reviews that came within an hour or so of putting on the reading credit, and not one of them was worth having. I'd rather wait, and know that there's a chance someone out there is taking my work seriously, and spending time thinking about their review instead of just snatching a quick credit. I don't know about that. I take the same time over them whether I get to it as soon as I request it or leave it till later. But I take your point. It's just a numbers game. At the moment I'm not in the top ten, you have to hope that there's always a chance you will. Eternal optimist Fair enough. But less than an hour to read 10,000 words and write a worthwhile review? I doubt that can be done. I expect the speed-readers will now swoop down and berate me. But in my opinion speed-reading and conscientious reviewing are incompatible, and my own experience with superfast reviews has so far borne that out one hundred per cent. Rushed Review = Rubbish Review. Be patient, it could be worth waiting for! (and yes, for those with long memories, I know I'm preaching what I've not always practised - I've lived and learned since then). Athene PS Of course it would be possible to post a worthwhile review in under an hour, if you'd already read the piece before it was assigned to you for review- but I don't imagine that happens very often.
Scias te fortasse Romanum esse si animal convivialissimum arbitreris esse caprum (Henricus Barbatus) my website
|
|
runnernotabiker
|
|
|
|
Fair enough. But less than an hour to read 10,000 words and write a worthwhile review? I doubt that can be done.
I expect the speed-readers will now swoop down and berate me. But in my opinion speed-reading and conscientious reviewing are incompatible, and my own experience with superfast reviews has so far borne that out one hundred per cent. Rushed Review = Rubbish Review. Be patient, it could be worth waiting for! (and yes, for those with long memories, I know I'm preaching what I've not always practised - I've lived and learned since then).
Athene
PS Of course it would be possible to post a worthwhile review in under an hour, if you'd already read the piece before it was assigned to you for review- but I don't imagine that happens very often.
Hi Athene
I think we can worry about these things too much. I haven't been doing this long but I can honestly say, I've never had a review that I haven't been able to take something from. Some people do write more on the tone and impression but I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing. My goal is publication so that I can justify writing another... if somebody is kind enough to read enough of my work to gain an impression of how I can move it further towards that goa,l and is then able to express how they see this could be done, then that's honestly enough for me. People who are not professional reviewers should be wary of doing close line edits. Good editors/ mentors make suggestions to hep you write your story better, not so good ones tell you how you should write the book they would write. Do you know what I mean?
That said, I hope I get assigned to you, I know I'll get a thorough job 
|
|
sulcus
|
|
|
|
Quote: runnernotabiker, Wednesday, 29 Jul 2009 12:01 Some people do write more on the tone and impression but I'm not sure that's necessarily a bad thing. My goal is publication so that I can justify writing another... if somebody is kind enough to read enough of my work to gain an impression of how I can move it further towards that goa,l and is then able to express how they see this could be done, then that's honestly enough for me. People who are not professional reviewers should be wary of doing close line edits. Good editors/ mentors make suggestions to hep you write your story better, not so good ones tell you how you should write the book they would write. Do you know what I mean?
quote]As a reviewer who is all about tone, impression & language of any piece I review, I'm curious as to what else there is left to review, if you also say it's not about line edits (which I agree with you) ?
This post was last edited by sulcus, 29 Jul 2009, 12:35
"A,B&E", "Not In My Name" and "52FF" (flash fiction anthology) all available on Amazon Kindle"How a psychopath makes sweet love. I can get you ringside. Royal box even."
|
|
fudgefase
|
|
|
|
I like to read a piece as if I've picked up a book. If my eye is stumbling around a lot, or my mind is not letting it run smoothly, then I know there's something wrong and I'll start taking notes. I don't generally try to check spelling mistakes and typo problems, unless there are so many of them that it's spoiling my enjoyment of the book. Grammar I'll pick up if I spot it, which isn't a given. But spellings etc are for the editors and for re-writes, polishing. If a phrase rankles, then I might pick it out and say why. But I'm not going to produce a line by line dissection of someone's work, with pages of spellings, comma corrections and whatnot. When I take someone's work I want to read it like the book it's intended to be.If it works on that level, I'll tell them so. If it doesn't (for me), then I'll say why. We're here to write books. Surely it's better to read them as such, and not exercises in writing. Sorry if that's not what people are looking for. And no, it doesn't take me three or four days to do that. Two days is plenty time to get everything I could want to say down.
Happy Christmas poppets!
|
|
runnernotabiker
|
|
|
|
Quote: fudgefase, Wednesday, 29 Jul 2009 13:00I like to read a piece as if I've picked up a book. If my eye is stumbling around a lot, or my mind is not letting it run smoothly, then I know there's something wrong and I'll start taking notes. I don't generally try to check spelling mistakes and typo problems, unless there are so many of them that it's spoiling my enjoyment of the book. Grammar I'll pick up if I spot it, which isn't a given. But spellings etc are for the editors and for re-writes, polishing. If a phrase rankles, then I might pick it out and say why. But I'm not going to produce a line by line dissection of someone's work, with pages of spellings, comma corrections and whatnot. When I take someone's work I want to read it like the book it's intended to be.If it works on that level, I'll tell them so. If it doesn't (for me), then I'll say why. We're here to write books. Surely it's better to read them as such, and not exercises in writing. Sorry if that's not what people are looking for. And no, it doesn't take me three or four days to do that. Two days is plenty time to get everything I could want to say down. Here, here fudgefase
|
|
polite request to people sitting on reviews
29 Jul 2009, 00:31
