Reviewing Newsletters Archive

Should the reviewer be a reader or a writer? by Lotusneko

REVIEWING NEWS & VIEWS

Konnichiwa! Let me pose a question to you: Do you think it is more important for a reviewer to be a) a reader or b) a writer? Will the reviewee benefit more from someone who spends more of his free time actively reading, or writing? This question came to mind when a friend of mine, who has been on WDC for years, attended the conventions, and is actually a mod, told me she is not sure whether or not she will continue on WDC. When I asked her, she replied "I don't write anymore, so what's the point?"

What's the point indeed? I know she still avidly reads. So, if you quit writing for whatever reason, maybe you have severe writer's block, or a case of self-doubt, or your efforts to be published are not paying off as fast as you would like, does that mean you are no longer qualified to review? After all, this site is called WRITING dot com, not "reading" or "perusing" dot com.

I know my friend's possible quitting of this site is a sensitive issue, and there maybe a lot more to it than I am aware, but I know that if you throw in the writing towel, a gremlin does not jump out of the computer, strip your invisible WDC Reviewer badge off of your shirt, and fling it to the floor. I am going to go out on a limb and state that in regards to reviewing, I think it is more important to be a reader than a writer in reviewing. Before we wrote, we read. Those who write are not superior to those who do not write. Bad writers don't get readers (at least in theory, but that's a topic for another NL).

On April 14th, I was out of town, visiting my alma mater and accepting an award for First Place in Short Fiction for "Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor . I got a check! (And yes, I originally wrote the story for a WDC contest). I also got a Honorable Mention for "Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor My point in mentioning this is that, even though these items are now published, and I am technically (very technically) a "professional writer," without readers,my writing is nothing.

And such a silly idea of a WDC computer gremlin ripping off your badge! Ha, ha! But those gremlins do a pretty good job of washing the dishes.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Kindly review my two above pieces. "Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor only has nine reviews. Please let me know what you think, and thank you very much in advance for the reviews.

ASK & ANSWER

This month's question is: What are your thoughts on the topic of whether a reader or a writer makes a better reviewer?

TIP OF THE MONTH If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. - Joseph Campbell

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"Every day the future looks a little bit darker. But the past, even the grimy parts of it.... Well, it just keeps on getting brighter all the time." - Sally Jupiter, The Watchmen.

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