Reviewing Newsletters Archive

When Thank You Isn't Enough - by vivacious

Table of Contents:

1. Letter from the Editor
2. Editor’s Picks
3. Ask & Answer

Editor of the Writing.Com Reviewing Newsletter Issue #11 is: vivacious

Letter from the Editor:

A while back Amyaurora posted in "Feedback Central" : I would like to see a feature relating to responsing reviews. More and more I have been faced with not knowing how to response to reviews (good and bad, long and short). I always thought any response was better than none so sometimes I can't come up with more than "Thanks".

But I'm sure many don't like that.

So a feature about ways to expand on this would be enlightening,

Once I had difficulty responding to a review. It was on a humorous piece that the reviewer took seriously. I didn’t want to argue with the reviewer, because it was about politics and I do my best to shy from discussing politics. As Amyaurora said, I didn’t think a simple thank you would do. I found and posted my question in "Invalid Item"   [] by A Guest Visitor . Everyone responded the same: Sometimes a simple thank you is all you can do.

Looking at it from the perspective of a reviewer receiving a response to a review, a simple thank you is enough. It means they at least acknowledged my effort. That doesn’t mean I don’t think in the back of my mind: “Did they hate my review?” “Did I anger them?” “Did I misunderstand something?” But we can’t make people respond to us, so we have to forget about it and move on.

Still, don’t be afraid to write a more lengthy response, especially if the reviewer misread your item, or didn’t see something you know is in the piece, but they simply missed.

I’ve done this many times with my more religious pieces. They’ve inspired passion, even from those who disagreed and told me so. I’ve been lucky so far in that none were hateful, but quite gracious. It was difficult at first (I’m a chicken about confrontation), but I wrote them back either asking for clarification of their point of view, or to explain mine a little better.

More often than not it started an email conversation where I learned how to express my point better, or see from a different perspective that deepened my own understanding of others perspectives. Understanding others always makes for a better writer - and reviewer. I even made a few friends this way.

I’ve also highlighted something a reviewer said I really liked, and thanked them for their wisdom as well as their review.

Lengthy responses can encourage the reviewer to review more of your items, because they then know you appreciate what they have to say.

Editor’s Picks:

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This item describes how we sometimes feel about a review we don’t like, and ways to respond graciously.

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Ask & Answer:

First off, a huge apology to the person who answered my last question about their favorite writing books. In a super-cleaning mode, I emptied my mailbox without saving the response.

This will also be my last newsletter. Life tends to take unexpected turns, and I need to concentrate on other priorities that prevent me from continuing as one of your editors. It’s been a joy and an honor. I thank Elisa: Snowman Stik for the opportunity, and you, the Reader. Without you, this newsletter could not continue.