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106 Total Reviews Given
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Review of War  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
*Reading*   I enjoyed this poem; I can really feel the love and skill with which you handle words, so essential for a poet—especially the lines,

Falling to the ground,
Where the innocent despair.


*Reading*   Sometimes I feel like your descriptions and metaphors get rather mixed; darkness and shadow and which is which and who gave birth to what is rather obscured, also what it is that is burning, consumed, lost by war is a little hard to grasp. I would suggest that this is not so much due to any confusion on your part, but just to the fact that these details are scattered over the stanzas--perhaps you could reorganize to deal with each metaphor or detail in one cohesive sweep, and then draw the many points together at the end. But that's just my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.

*Reading*   Write on!
Mazel

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Go NoticedOpen in new Window..
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Review of For You My Love  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Wow, totally not what I was expecting, and not at all what I would call "average." I was expecting something romantic and rather light, but all that was bowled over with "Fermented perception." This is probably my favorite line in the poem, and I was wondering if there was a way for you to expand this concept a little--ferments to wine or to vinegar? (I hope I'm right in thinking fermentation is a process leading to one of those substances) It fascinates me, because one, of course, is corrosive and stings, while the other grows finer with age and represents joy.

Just a thought.
Good work and keep writing!
Mazel
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Review of Writing...  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (5.0)
This isn't a proper reveiw, but I feel compelled to say:

My wish to write a readable write is so strong,

I love this line... and I use the word "love" a lot in my reviews, but this time I really mean it. This is what I want for my writing too--strength. I really like the word "readable," too, because it denotes ease in the mist of that strength--"readable write," more than words, a write, as in, the emotions we feel when we write, and our souls that find themselves on the page.

I just really, really like that line. A lot. *Smile*
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Review of The Last Dragon  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
*Delight*   The dragon is second only to the phoenix on my list of favorite magical creatures, so I really enjoyed reading about your vision of them, even though it's very sad! The picture of the night and the moon on the lake is especially good. Here are a couple of suggestions:

*Thumbsup*   Check out the second paragraph--I feel like it's backwards; it's certainly backwards chronologically--you describe Kreylures' tenure in the lake before her families'. I think switching these two would create a better sense of flow; perhaps you should even leave the description of the hundreds of years until the very end—emphasize her loneliness even more.

*Reading*   Suggestion:
I think your story would have more life if you found a way to add some action or some dialogue. Perhaps something happens to Kreylures on one particular night that starts her thinking about her past, rather like a vignette or something. Or maybe you can include dialogue when her mother is relating their history--it doesn't have to be all dialogue; but snippets would make it more lively, switch it up a bit, and also allow you to develop some characters.

*Exclaim*   I would also recommend you develop some of the fascinating things you mention only in passing, for example "mindspeak." What is that?

*Cool*   Good work and keep writing!
Mazel
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Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (5.0)
   Beautiful haiku! I love the simple characterization of the leaves--the words "cackling" and "dears," makes me think of an older mother or grandmother. This is contrasted nicely with "Lovers romp" which, in two words, makes me think of two people in love, young, and idealistic. Your ability to capture personality so concisely is what makes the haiku so good.

   I don't really have any suggestions, except perhaps the word "tries." If I start with the personification, then I think that elderly people generally counsel because they are convinced they are right--they are unlikely to say "tries" because they are trying to impress the absolutism of what their experience has taught them. So I would think a more fatalistic word might be more appropriate. Just a suggestion, of course.

Always a joy to read.
Mazel
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Review of soulmate  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (3.5)
*Star*   A wonderful beginning to a heartfelt poem. The strength of your attachment really comes across in this poem.

*Reading*   I was thinking it would be better if you could expand some of the more unusual themes. Right now I feel like what you are trying to communicate is very beautiful, but it's locked in traditional, rather ordinary words. Watch out for over-used terms and phrases like "never felt this way before," and "you're everything to me." I would suggest giving it a new spin. For example, instead of "You're everything to me," try "You're water, air to me." Or something like that. Metaphors will draw your audience on.

*Heart*   I also think you can expand the sentiments and give the reader more time to savor them. For example, the lines, "Never felt this way before./ Once I had given up," The concept is unique, of a woman who cannot fall in love. Over and over we see stories of women who have been hurt or rejected when they loved. But what of a woman who is frozen inside herself? If you could expand this with images... try sights, sounds, feelings, colors to give it more life.

*Idea*   Once you've established this theme, maybe you can find a turning point. What about the one you love is different? What happened? How did he teach you to love? I suggest you explore this as well.

*Exclaim*   One other quick suggestion: the first two lines in the third stanza, and the third line in the last stanza all begin with "your," which denotes ownership. I think you mean "You are," which is contracted "You're."

Good job and keep writing! *Cool*
-Mazel
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Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
*Star*   Greetings and welcome to writing.com!

*Thumbsup*   I guess I'll start by saying I've never read anything like this before, unless you count Paradise Lost... which may only be because I've not read the right books, but I felt it was original. It's well-written and has a nice balance of dialogue and description. Here are my thoughts and a few suggestions.

*Confused*   I felt a little lost. Not completely lost, not lost enough to demand that you fix it, but confused enough to mention it in my review. I think I will have to say it was because of all the curve balls. I love the curve balls, but the Holy Mother and the She-God and the Greek and everything didn't really have my mind in the story. I was trying to piece together your theology; I was trying to understand what kind of beings everybody and everything was; I was trying to find some sort of foothold within the story, a perspective from which to approach the book. I can pinpoint the exact moment I found that perspective—when Jasia says, “You will go to the Material Plane as a Fallen, but you will live among the humans as a human.” Why? Because it's a connection to things I know, it grounds everything else in the human earth. And I think it is ultimately the human that makes literature work. Do with that analysis what you will.

*Check1*   Okay, some concrete suggestions now.

*Exclaim*   I felt the third paragraph needs the most surgery: Christ is eternal, but your grammar needs to maintain one tense; the first sentence of this paragraph is past; the next is present; then past again. What kind of phases of Christ are we talking about? The “just a phase” kind of phase, or a phase within his life, or his eternal phase as before human, human, then glorified human, or what? Also in this paragraph you have “life itself,” and then, “Christ himself.” Maybe I'm missing the rhetorical significance of the repetition, but I couldn't see how they correspond.

*Reading*   … words of a foreign tongue to you they may be but they are the key to those who wish to change the fate of the world. This sentence is a little awkward... it trips over itself. Suddenly addressing your audience makes the whole sentence much more complicated, because you draw the reader into the drama, make it real-time. Secondly, it's like Yoda talking: “words to you they may be.” Don't abuse your verbs so. You could rearrange it like this: “To you these words may be mere nonsense, baby-talk, but to...”

*Check2*   She drew from nowhere a sword... This is a little vague. Why is she drawing the sword from nowhere? Do you mean that it appeared suddenly and nobody seemed to realize it was there? Or did she really draw it out of thin air, and if so, why not say as much?

*Angry*   Finally, don't make the exclamation points do your work for you, because they can't. Rather than putting one, two, and eventually three exclamation points as God thunders in heaven, just make her thunder. The “mighty thunder clap” is a step in the right direction... emphasize her rage by having her storm up and down, black clouds billow, the ground shake, her face turn red... really, exclamation points are just not as exciting.

*Cool*   Great work and keep writing!
-Mazel
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Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (5.0)
*Heart*   This is a beautiful haiku! I love this poetic form because it is so simple, yet when written well, so profound... for me haikus have always represented peace on paper.

*Reading*   The only suggestion I have is the placement of the word "cut." It's a difficult line, because on the one hand, placing red and rose together creates "red rose..." which is a little boring. But the first time I read that line I thought red was cutting the rose. I don't know if it really needs to be changed, but "cut" doesn't work as a adjective for me. I read it as a verb. *Confused*

*Thumbsup*   Beautiful words. Thank you for sharing, and keep writing!
-Mazel
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Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
*Snow2*   What a cool story! First it reminded me of the snowstorm we had on Easter this year--in Texas that's really something else! Then it reminded me of the story of St. Christopher carrying the Christ child across the river. I love your description of the girl... for some reason the red scarf is just the right touch for her, beginning to end. It gives her identity and character within the story in a simple, easy-to-remember and imagine way. Good job!

*Note5*   There was one sentence that stuck out to me as awkward: The road trip had been fun until he had driven into this icebox otherwise known as North Dakota. I think it's an instinctual awkwardness rather than technical; the former is caused by simply using more words than is really necessary; the latter comes from actual grammatical errors. Here, I think "otherwise known" bogs down your sentence. Try "...this icebox, North Dakota." Or, "North Dakota, more like an icebox than a state."

*Paragraph*   The only big suggestion I have would be to format this; use the WritingML tags to indent the paragraphs; and instead of this: ********* try centering three stars spaced apart, like this:

*   *   *


*Exclaim*   I think a few lines of space between your final paragraph and your note should be enough; maybe put "{b]author's note" in boldface. I think this will give the final polish to your work that it deserves.

*Thumbsup*   Great work and keep writing! I look forward to reading more of your work in the future. Let me know if there's anything else I can review. *Cool*
-Mazel
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Review of Cheat  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Greetings! Great job on this flash fiction. A few quick suggestions:

Your space is very limited, obviously, but I wonder if you could bring across some of these people's personalities. For example, Sherry strikes me as an independent, self-respecting woman who isn't content to sit at home and wonder what her husband is up to, but confronts him about it. How can you bring that across? Picture someone you know with that personality and the gestures they have... perhaps a quick, purposeful stride or a firm handshake, or, for a situation like this, a cool head. He, on the other hand, is a cheater. A smooth lier, a bad lier? Dark and tall, or blonde and breezy? These details will give extra life to your story. *Smile*

One more thing... "A haggard-looking waitress approached her while appearing to being bothered and asked." This sentence is a little unclear as to who is bothered. If it's the waitress, be aware that you've already mentioned this in "haggard."
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Review of Forbidden Ansidia  Open in new Window.
for entry "Chapters I, II, IIIOpen in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
*Exclaim*   Congratulations on your blossoming novel. It shows a lot of promise and potential. The pacing of your writing is nice: I really appreciate the way you get things done; you know where you want to take your story. A lot of writers get lost in their work and never really find their way out. Keep that sense of direction.   *Thumbsup*

*Reading*   No matter what genre you write, there is always a line to be struck: how much to tell the reader and when. But it's especially true for fantasy; plots are usually more complex and often involve a lot of different factors, such as romance, discovery of identity/parentage, and of course the pith of the plot itself which usually has to do with entire nations and magical objects/beings/powers. Fantasy writers face a very daunting task. Tell the reader too much and they get bored with all the details; don't tell them enough and they haven't a clue what is going on. It's okay for them to be a little confused or to make them wait for the remaining pieces of the puzzle—mystery and imagination are part of what makes reading such an adventure. But it's also possible for their questions to get in the way of your story telling.

*Confused*   And I think this is what is happening to you. It's rather like watching a foreign film without any subtitles—I'm continually guessing at what is going on, but I'm never sure if I'm on the right track. How could Malta's heart have stopped for days and then she comes to all of a sudden in a steam-engine buggy (and by the way, I love the idea of a steam-engine buggy, but unless you're being comic, I would give it steam-engine company—an explanation, a world in which it may exist plausibly, an advanced civilization or something; by itself it's pretty bizarre)? What is this ritual?

*Note6*   The other problem was the first chapter... It's a difficult portion for the reader to piece together, which I think has to do with the order in which you give the details--it's as if the entire first paragraph was arranged backwards. Think of it as if you were painting the scene; you would probably start with the backdrop first and then add the details on top of it. The first sentence, for example: A rip opened into the unknown on a strangely quiet night. What are you ripping? At first I thought it was the sky, and I think I eventually figured out it was the ground; but it would be far more effective if you set it up by painting us a picture of the night plain--and make sure the details stay consistent (For example, grass may be brown and yellow in the brilliant sunlight, but at night they will probably be shadowy, blues and grays). Then tell us what happens there.

*Cool*   One last thing: you have the chapters reversed; it's not a big deal, but if you scroll down to the bottom of this page, you'll find that the link “previous” actually takes you to the next three chapters.

*Thumbsup*   Great work and keep writing!
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Review of Say Goodnight  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
*Reading*   Greetings! Just revisiting your portfolio. I enjoyed this story--your care in constructing it and keeping it free from errors really shows.

*Leaf5*   Art--and I think all creation is art on some level, if not museum-worthy--is about humanity. about life and who we are and what we experience. It's what makes writing and reading enjoyable but also spiritual and beneficial. If it doesn't, then what, I would ask, are we all doing? Why do we bother, why do we write with our souls? My main suggestion for you is to really step back from this story, short though it is, and ask yourself, what is my reader going to take away from this? How will they be changed or effected? It could be something as simple as a beautiful person/character or a mood. It could also say something deeper about the meaning of life itself, of courage, of love, of faithfulness. What do you want to say about first love, about relationships? Most people believe true love is forever... why, especially, did this one end? Answers to these questions is what is going to give your writing it's real content.

*Star*   Good luck and keep writing!
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Review of Center Stage  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
Greetings! This is a good monologue, engaging, well thought out, and paced nicely.

*Flower6*   I love the example "all kinds of pitches." But I'm not so convinced on the shoes. Steve Madden? I'm not particularly fashion-wise by any means, but that means nothing to me. I would recommend a more universal example.

*Flower6*  It probably won't hurt at all to break this into more paragraphs, either. You can choose where to break it, places where the thoughts develop and take a new turn.

*Flower6*  You use the words, "You know," twice in the first three sentences. You might think about throwing us a curve ball of your own and diving right into the monologue without warning. It's up to you but I think it would work.

*Flower6*  "I" should be capitalized in the sentence: "...fifteen and i saw a gorgeous pair..."


Good job and keep writing!
-Mazel
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Review of Cry of the Wolf  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (3.5)
This is a very exciting start to your novel. You've got a lot of fascinating things going on.

Suggestions
You open with this sentence:
In the dim morning of August; even before the sun’s yellow glint has risen and warmed the land that had cooled down during the night, leaving a slight bit of dew on the blades of grass; a demeaning shadow walked the land.

I really like this for a lot of reasons—sensitivity to colors and textures and temperature. But it doesn't quite work. At first I thought there was something wrong with your grammar, but I think the sentence is just too long. A good way to test your use of semicolons is to see if the phrase can stand alone without the sentence, which these really can't: “In the dim morning of August.” It's an incomplete sentence. I would suggest that a comma would serve you much better here. The phrase is also a bit confusing. Is the month of August a dim morning, or is it a dim morning in August? Or is it in the dim of the morning in the month of August? But the middle portion of the sentence is really what slows it down; try paring it by using more adjectives: “warmed the land that had cooled down during the night,” becomes “warmed the night-chilled land.” Perhaps the detail about the dew can be slipped in elsewhere. The last part of the sentence is the most intriguing: “a demeaning shadow walked the land.” I love this picture, because I already have an image of a shadowy morning. But I question your use of the word “demeaning.” Merriam-Webster defines it as, “ to lower in character, status, or reputation.” See if the nuance is exactly what you want. Perhaps a simpler word would work just as well.

So, watch your semicolons; try to keep your phrases from winding; find ways to combine words that use less unnecessary words like “that had ... down during.”

One other thing I noticed: ”...you had to be careful that you weren’t bit by a vampire...”--should be “bitten.”

Good job and keep writing!
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Review of Jackson Lewis  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Welcome to writing.com. I enjoyed your story, especially this sentance, which, I felt, made the whole thing. It's basically perfect: One sad day everything changed. It's confusing and exciting all at once... It makes no sense, but at the same time, warns me that it will soon make sense and heightens my anticipation.

The end of the story seems to be missing, though. The last sentence reads, "The final picture was a..." And that's it. Please fix this! I want to know what happens!

The only other suggestion I have is that the story contains no dialogue. Whether or not dialogue really necessary is ultimately up to you, but I feel like it would break up the story and make it easier to digest, so to speak. Right now it reads like a textbook--no action. Dialogue is snappy, easy, and exciting to read and I think would really be useful in illustrating your characters. Paul Martin talks about this in his book Craft and Technique. He writes, "Many readers skip long narrative passages to get to the good stuff--what characters say and do to each other. Do the same as you write." I completely agree.

Good job and keep it up!
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Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
I enjoyed the theme of this story. The control-freak letting go--really letting go. She's so far away she can't control the situation like she would like, but she discovers that she can still handle it. Wonderful work!

I thought this sentence was very awkward: Typically when I travel, I feel out of control of both my office and home life, but lately the dual pressures of career and motherhood had changed my outlook.

I'm guessing it's so weird because you're trying to keep the story short. But it's very difficult for the reader to navigate. Perhaps if you cut the elaboration of what you feel out of control of (the reader should be able to guess this anyway, and it doesn't really serve to set up the rest of the story) it would make the sentence simpler and help keep the word count down.

Keep writing!
-Mazel
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Review of Worlds Crumble  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (2.5)
Greetings!

"Whats what when your world crumbles" I think you mean "What is." I think it should be written "What's"

"Building futures,raising sons" You just need an extra space here. *Smile*

"Whats taken, is simply gone" Again, it's "What's" It's a contraction.

"Try as I do, Here is all of me" I don't think you meant to capitalize "here."

"Try as I can, pride and pain fill me" Try adding a period here; it looks odd to end the poem without any punctuation.

I don't understand what you mean in the first line by "Building futures,raising sons." Whose sons or futures? What does that have to do with the poem? Is that your purpose in life or you world that is crumbling?

Also, "alone the heart but stumbles" doesn't make much sense.

You have an interesting pattern in this poem; all of the first lines state that the world is crumbling, and each line state it in just a bit different way; then you have the second line, which describes that crumbling a little more. Then you describe in the third line your feelings, and finally what you are doing (or not doing, in this case) about it. I like the structure very much.

Good work! Write on!
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Review of SPEEDING TICKET  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
*Snow2*Hello!

*Star*I found this on the Shameless Plug Page and thought I would review it!

*Reading* Things I Noticed

*Note1* Spelling / Grammar / Punctuation / Format

This sentence is a bit hard to understand:

He thought let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard.

You might want to either put the actual thought in italics, or put a comma between "thought" and "let."

The only other thing I noticed is that one of the lines here is broken up--right after "Christian cop." You'd have to see it to know what I mean, but take a look at this an check it out--it's a minor detail, but I thought I'd let you know. *Smile*

Also, you may want to capitalize "maker" since you are using it as a name for God--it would help make that point clearer, too.

*Note1* Flow / Plot / Style / Characters

This is pretty good, and so short I don't have anything else to say. Good work!

*Star* Things I Liked

*Note1* General

I like the way you made me feel uncomfortable with Jack. That may seem like a little thing, but you really did it well. I also like the slight suprise I got near the end. You handle the story here very well.
I hope this review was helpful. Keep writing! *Exclaim*
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Review of The Floater  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
*Snow2*Hello!

*Star*

*Reading* Things I Noticed

*Note1* Spelling / Grammar / Punctuation / Format

Just a couple of things to look out for:

The driver’s door opened and Chief of Police Tom Six Horses stepped out onto the beach.

This sentence is a bit confusing. Six Horses? Does that have something to do with his Native American origins? I'd just try to get a bit more clarity.

his thumb and fingers spread apart and waggling slightly."

I don't think you meant to put any dialog tags at the end of this sentence.

“Stella,” Tom said. Are you okay?”

You need an extra dialog tag before “are.”

“Hello, Tom” she said.

A period, maybe a comma?

pina coladas all day and play golf..”

Two periods here—also my spell checker isn't liking “pinacoladas” as one word; I don't know if that's correct or not, but you might check into it.

Also, watch out for these things:
********************

They are fine, but don't go overboard. As they are now, the widen the text area so that it runs off my screen. Maybe just three spaced evenly and centered would be better:

* * *


*Note1* Flow / Plot / Style / Characters
I think you may have a plot hole; I don't know anything about what happens to bodies under the ocean, but how likely is it that a foot would just come off if it's being tugged on by a fishing line? It seems like the foot would be a lot harder to get off then that. If the foot was decomposed enough to come off, it also seems like you wouldn't be able to tell what it was—you would definitely not take something that smelled bad out of the water. I don't know, but this whole thing sounded strange. Wouldn't it be more natural for the bodies to be found on the surface, floating around? It seems like you could avoid this potential plot hole.

Yucky. *Sick* I'm going to talk about something else.

The absence of any mention of missing people, searches, and so on, while those things don't need to be chronicled, their complete absence is unnatural. I would include some information about them to give this a more realistic feel.

When you get inside the mind of the police officer later down, you ask the question “why?” This feels strange to me. Is this the logical train of thought that an intelligent man might be having? It seems like he might be gritting his teeth and saying something about the serial killers under his breath— especially since you've already established that this is a serial killer.

I like what you've done where you tell Stella about her husband's death, but I think it's overdone a bit. At first I thought that you were just having trouble portraying the depth of her grief, but I now see, in perspective, she was trying to fake it. I think what it really needs is a bit more description. I don't know if you want to establish doubt in the reader's mind towards Stella (as a potential murderer). But if you do, descriptions are the way to go. Actually coming out and saying that Tom or whoever suspects is too obvious.

The last thing that this story needs is purpose. No, I don't mean a “Point” with a capital “P” I'm talking about how you handle the story. What is the purpose? Is it to carry the reader through a incredible plot that makes them wrack their brains? Is it a slice of a Sheriff's life? Is it a horror story? Defining what you actually want to do with this story is a very good idea, I find. It gives every paragraph, every sentence, a place in the story. It's one of the final things I do with the a story, the crafting part. For example, if you want to make this a page-turner, and keep the reader glued to the page, you're going to have get them engrossed early on. Start asking questions “who dunnit?” early on. Establish the friendship between the two men (flashbacks are great for this) so that the reader is drawn in emotionally. Introduce new information gradually so that the reader catches it all and can start trying to solve the mystery themselves. Make the shooting scene into an action scene (usually that's very fast-paced, physically descriptive, and tense).

*Star* Things I Liked

*Note1* General

I like the plot a lot. It's not terribly new, but you tell it in a new way. You carry the story well, and the ending climaxes well. I like the way you make the people in the story characters that can live in my imagination.

I hope this review was helpful. Keep writing! *Exclaim*
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Review of War Cry  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (3.0)
Hey! I'm really new to writing poetry, so I don't know much about it, but I do have a few thoughts for you:

Watch out for "stong," as I think you meant "strong."

Also, you might try formatting this:

Life within fire,
Engulfing the mind
Demons of old,
The darkness they wind

Normally one doesn't capitalize mid-sentence unless it's a proper noun.

Also, I'm not sure what you mean by a lot of this. Gothic is most definitely not my genre, but what does "Ages that die" mean? Ages that are forgotten? Ages that end--like the Tudor period ended or something? And "Lacking much Dark." also seems a bit odd. Shouldn't it be "Lacking much darkness?" and what is the dark, what does that represent? If it means the demons, then what it lacking the dark?

I'm just really confused, and I think this poem would be much better if it was clearer. You might even expand your audience to readers outside the Gothic genre.
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Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (3.5)
*Snow2*Hello!

*Star*I enjoyed this story--you ended it very well!

*Reading* Things I Noticed

*Note1* Spelling / Grammar / Punctuation / Format

You've probably been told this before, but the way you have the dialog formatted here is a bit confusing. It would probably be a good idea to go ahead and format it in the normal way.

*Note1* Flow / Plot / Style / Characters

This is pretty well written. I do have a couple of suggestions, though.

This sentence:

She was not alone in the room.

How did Katie know that? How does the reader know that? I think this sentence just kind of gives away a good bit of the ending and the rest of the story.

Another thing I would try is give us a few more hints about her death to make it seem strange. I thought the story was going to be more about the ghost. While surprise endings are good, I think it would be a nice touch to just get the reader guessing a little--not enough to give away the ending or dramatically change their train of thought, but enough to make them go "Ooooh!" at the end, instead of "What?!?"

One other thing I would suggest is setting up the fact that the gardener loved Emily. The way it is now, it read to me a bit like it was thrown in as a last-minute explanation, which it isn't. I would look into that and see if you can set it up a bit.

*Star* Things I Liked

*Note1* General

I love the way the scent of roses pervades the story all over. It brings the story together nicely.

I hope this review was helpful. Keep writing! *Exclaim*
22
22
Review of Jupiter  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (3.5)
*Snow2*Greetings!

*Star*This story has a nice combination of music and matchmaking. It's an interesting an unusual combination, thrown in with death.

*Reading* Things I Noticed

*Note1* Spelling / Grammar / Punctuation / Format

There are a few type-os that I noticed; you might want to look into them:

However, Chloe Severson, a dashing 20 year old at the local university, had planned on spending her time studying for an upcoming exam in one of her classes.

This should be, "20-year-old" I think.

Supposedly, Colin's father was friends with the pub's owner, so COlin and his friends could get all the booze they desired. Drinking, though, never appealed to CHloe all that much.

Just a few type-os; "Colin and Chloe." I thought at first you were referring to CO and CH... if you were then I'm still too stupid to figure it out. *Laugh*

"What was Chloe like before she came to England," Cate asked Tim.

I think a question mark after "England" would be more appropriate.

"However, she was almosst consumed by her obsession with matchmaking."

"Almost" is spelled: "Almosst". I'm sure it's just a type-o.

*Note1* Flow / Plot / Style / Characters

I'm not sure if this is is fiction or not; the way you have it written almost gives it that feel. Usually, when building to the climax, an author doesn't give away what's going to happen. I'm also not sure about a lot of the descriptions you include. I know you're trying to emphasize the music, her matchmaking craze, etc. But I can't quite find the significance in the music, and while you tell us that she's a avid matchmaker, you really don't provide any supporting evidence. She goes along to matchmake, sure enough, but she doesn't do any of it. There are also no concrete descriptions; you tell us that "Despite the darkness of the pub, it was alive, a carnival of sounds and smells." I've never been in a pub in my life. I can't picture it. Also, what does the couple she's trying to matchmake look like? What was the weather like at her funeral? What about where she was killed? What exactly happened there?

I don't understand the significance of this:

"Chloe's life on Earth may have been over, but she was about to start over in the afterlife."

I have a sneaking suspicion that it has to do with a philosophy I'm not familiar with, but I think some extra hints as to what you mean would be good.

Also, I would suggest putting in "Yenta the Matchmaker" instead of just "Yenta" since that's what she was often called, and anyone unfamiliar with Fiddler on the Roof would know what you were talking about.

So try:

--adding concrete descriptions
--rearranging the facts so that you have some kind of climax
--add more examples of Chloe's character qualities
--add more concrete descriptions to add life.

I think these few modifications will make this into a really good story!

*Star* Things I Liked

*Note1* General
Well, I like the unique combination of character, death, and flirting. It's really a cool combination and with a little extra effort, I think this would be excellent! *Delight*

I hope this review was helpful. Keep writing! *Exclaim*
23
23
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (3.5)
*Snow2*Greetings!

*Star*What a beautiful picture! "Surely this IS my Father's garden." I love the way you make a conparision between real life and the garden.

*Reading*Things I Noticed

*Note1*Spelling / Grammar / Punctuation / Format

I just noticed a few small errors:

When she had waken to this beautiful day she knew that she just had to be out and in it.

I think it should be "woke" instead of "had waken."

No, she had brought a light lunch consisting of several pieces of fruit; and she had brought a book, a romance novel.

I think the use of a semicolon is a bit awkward here. I think it would be better like this:

No, she had brought a light lunch consisting of several pieces of fruit; and she had brought and a book, a romance novel.

*Note1*Flow / Plot / Style / Characters

I put this under flow because it really has to do with the way it is written. You break up your sentances a lot. For example:

It was simply a gorgeous day. It was near the end of spring. The days were comfortable outside. That Saturday morning in 1937 was the result of a mild winter and a very wet spring.

All of these sentances are talking about the day, yet there are four of them. I think the story would flow better overall if you made your sentances a bit longer and more complicated. It helps keep the reader reading by increasing the movement.

*Star*Things I Liked

*Note1*General
I love the theme and the careful attention you give to the difference in the children's attitude. It really makes the point well.

I hope this review was helpful{/iblah blah blah}. Keep writing! *Exclaim*
24
24
Review of My Story.  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (3.0)
*Snow2*Greetings!

*Reading*Things I Noticed

*Note1*Spelling / Grammar / Punctuation

You've got a few type-os in this; it's not that bad, and wouldn't be too hard to fix:

Oh that’s to bad... should be: "too"

I Cant read signs! I think it's: "can't"

But I’m Not going... I would probably write it: "But I'm not going..."

The format here is a bit hard to follow. I know that, since it's a play, the format doesn't take away from the final production, but I think it would easier for the performers to read if it was arranged a little clearer. I would try using some writing ML tags, and break it up some more, like this:

A-(enters through door)

Hey, hi there! How’s it going?

(pause)

I’m just fine! How are you? Oh that’s too bad, because I really wanted to tell you this story that happened to me but if you’re in a bad mood I’ll just leave you alone.

(pause)


I think that would make it easier to read.

*Note1* Flow / Plot / Style / Characters

I think you may overdo the child's anger just a bit. I think it would be funnier if the child wasn't quite so angry. Maybe you could have him say some of the lines instead of shout them.

*Star*Things I Liked

*Note1*I liked the way you have this arranged so that only one person is acting at one time; it gives it a different flavor.

I hope this review was helpful. Keep writing! *Exclaim*
25
25
Review of Choices  Open in new Window.
Review by Mazel Author IconMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
*Snow2*Greetings! I enjoyed this poem, and have a few thoughts, although I don't know anything about poetry.

*Note1*Things I Noticed
I'm always impressed by the way good poets pick their words, and this poem is no exception. But I feel like the stanzas are out of order. You elaborate on the feelings behind the choice before you tell us what the choice is. I would switch one of those later stanzas to be earlier so "a gathering of clouds" makes more sense.

Anyway, those are my thoughts; good job and keep writing! *Exclaim*
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