K'neto's Hotline

Hi K’neto,

What’s up? I have to agree with Mavis on this one. We all receive ratings that are disappointing. But, the point shouldn’t be the stars (in my opinion) so much as the accompanying review. People use such vastly different standards when assigning stars that they are of very little value.

The basic idea of putting our work out for review on this site isn’t to receive accolades, but to gather other writer’s opinions so that we might improve. This can be a painful process as we place our work (and in some ways, ourselves) out there for public scrutiny. It is difficult sometimes to remember that it is our writing skill at this point in our career that is being critiqued and not us personally. And that the critiques are merely opinions, in this case obviously intended to be helpful. In your disappointment that wordplay ’s opinion was not what you had hoped for, you seem to have lost sight of this.

I have received a three star review with “wow. great story” as the only accompanying review. I have received one point five stars with a review that told me how poetry should be written and then told me I did just that. I have received one star ratings with no accompanying review at all (that's a "hate rater", by the way). And on and on. These, I did not find particularly helpful. Many of us reviewers, like many of us writers, are novices. If you do not find their comments helpful, thank the reviewer for their time and move on. I don’t believe you would ever call a writer you were reviewing “a loser” if you didn’t like their writing. Why do so to a reviewer whose review or rating you don’t like?

Your tantrum is likely to have a chilling effect on others who review your work from now on. They are unlikely to tell you if they find something they feel needs improvement for fear of being blasted. Just a thought.

I hope will you reconsider your ill-advised rant.

Peace and Love,

Spheric