Fuse Blog

Part 1 : Getting Reviewed

The process of receiving and performing reviews is exciting, invigorating and educational. From my experience with this process, I have developed a few ideas to help me get the most out of the review process. I thought I’d pass these ideas on in case you find them helpful and request that you reciprocate by passing on any ideas you have about how to get the most out of the review process by commenting below.

Getting Reviewed

First, a good review tells you what you did wrong, points out your strengths and provides suggestions for improving your work. A good review is NOT an endless praising of your literary genius. To brace yourself for the impact of constructive criticism, put on a mental suit of armor that separates you from your work, allowing the story, rather than your psyche, to absorb the bludgeoning. Writers often have a difficult time separating their writing from themselves. Authors tend to internalize the critiques of their works as personal shortcomings. Remember, it is the words you submit that are being critiqued, not you. I remember being upset the first time I received a negative review of a story I wrote. I thought the reviewer was obviously a short-sighted, unimaginative moron, until I realized the reviewer had graciously given me a treasure trove of ways to improve my story.

Second, writing is an art not a science. People prefer different writing styles and techniques, making it your job as the author to pick the styles and techniques you feel are appropriate to your writing. Therefore, as the author, you have the power to judge the comments and critiques you receive and draw out the suggestions most pertinent to your writing goals. Yet, to ensure you judge wisely, be sure not to ignore any comments, especially those that initially offend. Often comments you find initially offensive actually contain shreds of wisdom that can dramatically improve your story. If you find yourself being offended by a review close it and read it later with the mind-set that the reviewer’s goal was to help and not to offend.

Third, be appreciative for every review you receive. As you read the review, assume the goal of the reviewer is to help you. After you have read the review, consider sending a thank-you note to the reviewer when you rate the review in order to show your gratitude for their hard work and effort. You can also use the thank-you note to ask the reviewer follow-up questions about the review to get even more feedback.

Jacob

Stumble it!

Tags: Getting Reviewed, Reviewing

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 at 10:26 pm and is filed under About ReviewFuse, Critique, How To, Recommended Reading. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.