Reviewing Newsletters Archive

Part II "Bug" Reviewers in WDC Garden - by Lotusneko

Konnichiwa, reviewers! This month's subject is part two of "bug" reviewers in the garden of Writing dot com. I also have a Tip of the Month to make reviews more helpful.

Due to the popularity of my last editorial, I am expanding the entomology data to include "nasty" insects. It crossed my mind to include unpleasant bugs last month. I also have a Tip of the Month to make reviews more helpful.

If you will, think of the items on WDC as a garden, and of reviewers as garden insects. Here are some hurtful critters we hope to never run into:

1. wasp
2. no-see-'um/gnat
3. spider
4. cutworm

Wasps see the items as their territory, and if they see one they do not like, they will swoop in without warning and leave a painful sting.

No-see-'ums are highly irritating, but they are virtually undetectable and therefore frustrating.

Spiders newly make their webs all over the place each day, thinking their creations are fabulous and that everyone will enjoy them. But webs are unsightly, and hard to get rid of.

Cutworms are big, bloated worms that burrow, undetected, under the ground to cut a plant's roots, just so they can munch without having to work.

So again, what does all of this mean in English? First I want to say surely, no dear readers fall into any of these categories.

Wasps think they are God's gift to WDC, and know more than anyone. They are not impressed with ; it never lives up to their expectations. Wasps leave scathing, hurtful, unhelpful reviews and never bother with you again.

Tiny gnats apparently have brains to match, for gnats marks items with one or two-word reviews such as "great!" and "awesome job!!!" Then they are gone and while they do not do damage like the wasp, gnats' insubstantial reviews are almost as unhelpful.

Spiders represent 'prolific' writers who whip out works and post them on the spot. Spiders can't be bothered with re-reading and editing, because they are too busy spinning their next creation. They can't understand when WDC reviewers express a desire to pare down or redo a web. As that character in The Princess Bride movie would say: "Inconceivable!"

Cutworms may be the most vile perpetrators of WDC: Cutworms plagiarize and steal works posted on the site. I have never had a personal experience with one, but these bad bugs are out there. Do you think in this day and age where a high school or college freshman writing assignment can be swiped with the mere push of a 'search' button that these thieves do not lurk on our site?

EDITOR'S PICKS

A treat for lovers of Horror:

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Pour out your heart in this Love Poetry contest:

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Escape to this lovely place . . .

LAVENDER SHORE  (E) a rhyming poem about a place in fantasy and magical lore (Best of Best contest entry) #1245906 by jc_hall

ASK & ANSWER

((Last months's question was: Which WDC reviewing bug or bugs are you? Here is some of your feedback:

LOTUSNEKO,

Regarding Newsletter #30. I think I am a mutation of earthworm and ladybug. I feel the need to spread cheer and encouragement (although I don't usually use emoticons), but it takes me a while to search out just the right portfoilio. Then, I spend a good deal of time pouring through items and folders. The ladybug and earthworm mixture would make a strange looking critter. But then, check out my picture in my portfolio. That's pretty strange looking also.

daizyDaizy May

I'm an in-depth reviewer, having answered mostly 'C'.

Nooo, that's not right. But it did take me a couple of read-throughs to follow what this newsletter was about, as I kept thinking back to the subject of Arwee's first newsletter. I see you're talking about how long a reviewer sticks with one reviewee now, but I have to say I don't fit any of the bugs in your garden. Some better than others, but I couldn't choose among those I'm closer to fitting.

Maybe I'm an aphid, going for the juicy bits of a plant until a ladybug scares me off. Or eats me, leaving my task a forgotten blotch.

Dude, it's tough being an aphid.

Judity J. A. Buxton

LOL, actually ants don't eat aphids, but milk them. Ants just want your sweet, sweet aphid juice. Maybe you could be an aphid Spartacus and lead a rebellion against your ant oppressors. Also, that's pretty good that you understood the NL with only two read-throughs!

From my favorite "inchworm:"

Hey Lois -
This is a great newsletter.
I can't help but think that it can also relate to how you review a specific piece: Are your reviews just about the positive? Do you spend tons of time on each review, making it as detail as possible? All that sort of things. :)

Thanks for sharing. :)

TiggerTigger thinks of Prancer

Absolutely, Jamie, you speak respectively of a ladybug and an earthworm. I'm glad you liked the newsletter.

Nice newsletter, Lotus! I liked the similes of different reviewing styles being like different types of insects, or garden creatures if you prefer. Personally, I think I'm an earthworm, although I have traces of bee in me, I believe & hope.

You did leave out one of the nastier insects: the wasp. These creatures just like to sting, and hard! They may give the notorious one star rating with no review, or include a few nasty lines along with their low rating. Either way, they're no fun, but unfortunately there are a few.

I'll have to think about what other insect types there might be. Thanks for the entertaining and helpful newsletter!

Lynn McKenzie Lynn McKenzie

Lynn, As you can see, I included the wasp along with some "nastier insects" in this newsletter. You and I thought along the same lines. Thanks so much for your input!

Hello! Thanks for letting me join this group.
First I have to say the quote above: "As adults, we can usually attribute a period of boredom to something specific: a feeling of emptiness or frustration with a situation we can't seem to fix or get beyond." That really struck me, because I joined WDC in 2005, and for some reason decided to created a forum for Poetry Reviewing:"Nancy's Poetry Review Forum "   by njames51 Description: An honest review of your poetry, if you need some help, and a good cup of tea. Back then, I think Lexi and Tigger were the only ones reading poetry and sending reviews for that species of writing. I wrote a simple black description...didn't venture into WDC codes for color or jazzy images. I went gung ho for a long, long time - received 6 Reviewing Badges in a row when I first arrived. Then, I don't know what happened, My Forum disappeared - maybe I somehow deleted it, or whatever..it just went POOF. Now I'm back reviewing in my forum etc........and I was swamped from day #1. I think because my title description just said " come on over for a nice cup o' tea, and I'll review your poem honestly, fairly, and even if you only need some help, I'll offer a few words, suggestions...blah...blah.........

I guess I'm a butterfly, but I don't really flit much outside my forum.....I'm always behind it seems. I tend to give specific impressions on specific stanzas or lines or certain words, and tell people the truth - that word should be cut, it's a filler taking up space etc. Or a phrase may almost prove that I live on Mars - and I'll be honest and tell the poet.."I don't have a clue what this means, maybe I'm stupid...but I just don't get it. I always leave on a positive note, and there's always things a Reviewer can praise in a submitted work. Always. I've gotten alot of return reviews for my poems, and usually GP'S from someone I've rerviewed.

But, lately......I just sit here and stare at the long list waiting for reviews. I'm not bored.......and your lines above really hit things on the head for me: it's not that I am bored with reading & reviewing........it IS something specific........and frustration is even getting me to question my writing skills and if I am a 'Reviewer". I couldn't figure out why I didn't want to read submitted poems. I just dreaded the task......and felt quilty about that.

But, yes there is a specific situation that I have tried to fix, again and again,....but it's not fixable. And "getting beyond" a certain event ( my Mom's death, then my Dad's, then a year later, my sister's passing) is soooooooo surreal in it's pathway....getting beyond these things is a 12 month (or more) space in time when even laughter kicks you in the gut. I had no desire to come to this site. I was busy writing, if only small scribbles, words, feelings, just so I wouldn't go crazy in the sorrow and depression I needed to climb through.

Anyway, love this newsletter; I like butterflies, so I'll just stay a butterfly, as its beauty in a garden is so wondrous to view.

Many thanks for the wonderful quote near the end - I so to hear that, and know I have to fix my situation or let it go. Frustration really prevents me from writing and I cannot be fair to people, if my frustration interferes with rational, calmer thought.

Njames 51 njames51

Nancy, Thank you so much for your wonderful, heartfelt and honest letter; you ARE a Reviewer, albeit a reviewer who is swamped with requests, dealing with a lot of loss, so you are understandably overwhelmed. If I lost three immediate family members in a year, coming to this site would be far from my mind, unless I wanted to do a few reviews to take my mind off the pain. But I would not be up to managing a forum. It is impressive you still want to honor your promise.

As I said, I will help you catch up with your forum, and readers are welcome to contact her to volunteer reviewing services. Creating a review forum is a good subject for another newsletter.

I am pleased you liked the quote about boredom & emptiness. The quote is from a weekly horoscope by Bethea Jenner. If you are interested in subscribing, the e-mail is [e-mail]. I have been subscribing for three years, and love it.

I suspect your letter reflects the feelings of other reviewers. Also, that is very odd that your forum vanished. Anyone have any ideas why that happened??? Tigger?

Anyway Nancy, surround yourself with good things and love; you deserve it.

This months's question is: Have you had encounters with nasty bugs? If so, what occurred? Feedback on this topic and any others is always welcome.

TIP OF THE MONTH After watching the mind-blowing opening ceremonies for the 2006 Beijing Olympics, and thinking about if you lined up all the peopel in the world that one out of five would be Chinese, consider taking up Mandarin! Perhaps I should change my editorial opening greeting to 'Ni hao ma?'

REVIEWING NL FEEDBACK FORUMComments on ideas for a future newsletter? This is the meeting place for readers and editors. Join in the discussions!

"Feedback Central"   by Storm Machine



As adults, we can usually attribute a period of boredom to something specific: a feeling of emptiness or frustration with a situation we can't seem to fix or get beyond.

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