Reviews... A Necessary Evil

         I have found several posts regarding the Rating System here at WDC. I won't waste time debating it's merits. The fact is, it is the only Rating Tool provided and it is the Rating Tool used. Accept this and move on. Built into this tool is SUBJECTIVITY! Yes people, please remember the reviews you receive are other's opinions. When you are speaking to an individual, face to face, do you connect with everyone you meet? I suspect not. Why burden yourself with the expectation of perfection when it comes to your writing? Write, because you can. Don't give your reviews, (or reviewer), a power they do not possess

         I review pieces from the "Review Request Page". By posting on this particular site, you are inviting another's opinion. No one is required to post on this page. It is a choice. I believe what makes this site so great is it's interactive nature, so I review. I go to the "Review Request Page" and oblige an aspiring writer. If you don't want my opinion, don't ask.

         As for my Reviews, I try to be honest and fair. I rarely Rate without Reviewing. I feel an arbitrary number is meaningless without explanation. EVERY WRITER who posts will earn a minimum of a 2.5 from me. Why? 2.5 is in the middle of our scale. Any writer who posts and asks for criticism is worthy of at least this! Sharing with others is terrifying. I reward courage. A 5.0 implies perfection, therefore they are rare. It must "WOW'" me and leave me speechless. They are not impossible to achieve, but a 5.0 must be earned.

         I do penalize for bad spelling. Not an occasional typo, but spelling mistakes throughout the piece. Words are the base of our craft. For those without spellcheck, there is a big book of words out there. It is called a dictionary. For those with spellcheck, remember it only works when it finds a word not in it's database. When you spell loose rather than lose spellcheck will not rescue you. As a writer, I assign you a basic ability to read. I expect you have proof read your writing before you post. Hence, I dock harshly for poor spelling.

         Run on sentences are another personal pet peeve. You breathe when you speak, therefore breathe when you write. The longer a sentence rambles, the less it impacts the reader. Use a comma now and then. Break one long sentence into two or three. Again, it's my opinion.

         DON'T trick me into reading your work. If you are honest and ask, I'll gladly review. Pieces where the Title and Abstract are completed unrelated to the content are penalized!

         When I come to the close of an article, essay, etc., I ask myself how I feel. I may feel horrible about something and disagree with the position of the author. I may concur with the idea. Whether positive or negative, I want to feel something. I do not penalize for things I don't like as long as they made me feel or think. A well articulated idea and good writing always make up for lack of interest in subject matter.

         You now have the basics... what I review, why and how. For those of you whom hated a review I submitted, perhaps this gives you some insight to my approach. For the others I have not scared off, I look forward to reading your work.