this essay is interesting, however i disagree about the part where chapters should be somewherre around 1,0-1,500 words long. People like myself who are trying to write novel length stories have chapters with at least 2,0 words sometimes even 6,0. Also prolouges should be short compared to the other chapters, but there should'nt be a limit as to how many words, just make sure it isn't your longest chapter.

Also one more thing...never..ever..when writing an essay say "I'm going to write about _" or "In this essay you will learn _" it is a silly way to make the reader feel like your babying him/her. I suggest taking that line out since we already know what you are going to be talking about.

I always try to review, even if I have very little to say, and I almost always return every review I get. I find some very good stories that way - I especially look for the stories of those who have given me CC. 'Good' CC, anyway. Sometimes it shows me they're potentially good writers themselves. ;)

I agree with this completely, save for the whole length bit. Unfortunately for my readers, I tend to write long chapters - for 'Fire and Ice', anyway. I try so hard not to, but no matter what I do, they always come out so 'long'. I have 'never' written a chapter only 1,500 words long. ;) What can I say?

Your suggestions are potentially very helpful, thanks for posting this. ;)

You know, I'd really like to see if you'd be willing to review my story after reading your blurb on short chapters. :P

I'm a fast reader (not blazing mind you), so I usually have enough memory storage to recall most of the stuff mentioned in one-shots/short stories. You're very detailed with this piece; do you take technical communication? I notice a lot of parallels between the class I'm taking and your writing (involve your reader, avoid being passive, etc). :/

I would agree with this essay completely if not for the length bit. I'm notorious for horribly lengthy chapters that get no reviews (upwards of 10,0 words once... don't worry, those evil things are gone now), so I guess I can't complain about a lack thereof. Mutual reviewing has turned out to be quite beneficial and fun as of lately, so I hope to keep that up.

Great piece with many useful suggestions; there should be a bulletin to post this or something.

I really like this essay, you did an excellent job of melding humor with good advise. Most of what you said was common sense, but you did offer some helpful tips like opening the review box when you start reading the story. I also like the tip on not just repeating what the other reviewers say, I've been trying to avoid that but it can be hard sometimes. Just one thing:

"...Otherwise, all else (plot, setting, phonetics) being equal, we will go for the story that has be best grammar..." I think you meant to write "the best grammar."

I like how you mentioned the "hate sites where they call you plagiarized tripe." I've seen quite a few of those hate sites; they're fun to rant on when you're bored.

A lovely essay - congratulations. I found many of your suggestions helpful, particularly the place where you said that you liked to 'open the review box as soon as I enter a story and write what comes to mind as I read along'. I found it to be an interesting idea, and one that I will undoubtedly use in the future. But might I recommend fleshing out the segment that discusses how to review? I would, for example, adore some advice on where the line between ConCrit and flaming is. But that's just a suggestion; perhaps you omitted such content on purpose.

Oh, and kudos for adding humor; so many essays I've read are technically well-written, but I lose interest becasue they're dry and dull. I did not have that problem in this case. Thanks for the advice, as well as the entertainment!

Brilliant! Astounding, fantastic, anything else you're willing to call it. I never really thought why to review, I don't review very often, but I think I will now.

You are a very persuasive (am I spelling that right? "Keep the grammar! lol) writer who uses her words with great skill.

As for the review return policy, in a few days my first entry on fictionpress would go up. If you could read that and review, it would make me very happy :) it should be up by March.4th...

Thank you very much for writing such a wonderful essay.

Sheri

I really liked this, props to you for a well-written essay!

I have to say, I liked it. Very witty, very clever. I mean, it has to be, in order for it to drag me out of the no-reviewing vow I made a while ago.

So, to the actual review:

1. I found no errors. A cookie to you, since essays/stories like that are so rare.

2. I like the fact that you divided it into sections. Not a chapter-by-chapter account of the Art of Reviewing, but also not a bumbling mass of words. Very clean.

, it is a chance to state your opinion. And who doesn’t want to do that?

Ah, yes. An outlet for all opinionated peoples of Makes me so happy that I have the freedom to tell the author of the essay against gay rights why his arguments were weak and transparent. It gives me happiness.

4.I feel as if you should have added there is a differance from leaving a 'flame' review and a constructive review. Many people have left flames while honestly thinking they are leaving a good review. Not so much vice versa, but it does occur occasionally.

YOU for writing about short chapters. I would hate reviewing for a 15,0 word mammoth of a chapter, it would have been so easy to break it into smaller bits.

6.I loved the last two sections. Honestly nothing to say except it caused me to snicker more times than I would like to admit.

If you would like, you COULD review my stories...but I wouldn't reccomend it, seeing as how they are both rough, rough, ROUGH. But, then again, maybe you should to give me a wee bit of help.

Much love,

The Leading Lady

Ha! you said Orgy... ok. Now that I've gotten that out of my system. Sage I see that your writings have been multiplying like rabbits. New chapters here there stories here there. anyway this essay was surprisingly motivational. It really makes me want to write reviews.

Things I liked

Orgy... well cause its a naughty word. one of those where you put your hand over your mouth and snicker.

The entire FAQ section made me smile.

The bit about the Pen name is something that I seriously never considered when I first signed into Fiction Press. Which reminds me arent ya so glad it's free now. I kinda feel bad like I need to give a donation or something but more power 2 them.

Things I would have liked to see

I kinda have no idea how to respond to peoples reviews... Should I send a PM in thank you or e-mail them or what.

I guess a recommendation on how to balance time between reading and reviewing. (This is a bit much I know)

Hmm... A check for a million Dollars so I could leave college and write for the rest of my life.

Anyway good essay keep up the blazing fast updates of all your stories seriously I don't know how you do it. I would actually like an essay on that type of topic... "Writing to your hearts content, yet still finding time to live."

I actually didn't know that you were such a Fiction Press Celebrity when you reviewed my story so long ago. Well if you actually are reviewing for this review it would be nice if you could take a look at the new chapter of "Where Angels Fear to Tread", Yea it used to be called Illicit Elegy (I hated that title so it got the Ax). It is the same story though and I have gone through and edited every chapter. Also you may like my other story "Soul in the Shell: Walking by Faith" It's A nice mix of Sci-fi, Space, Faith where bible verses create physical objects.

Cheers

Happy Writing

MaDMaS

Okay, first off...I promise I'm not reviewing this just to get a "review return". ;) It'd be nice, but your title got me right away, I couldn't resist after that hook. ;)

I loved this bit of fluff, and the ideas/suggestions were spot-on. :) Now, my favorite bits:

"forget everything you learned in school but grammar, keep the grammar!" YES! Oh for the love of all that's good and apostrophe'd KEEP THE GRAMMAR! ;)

"7. Are you firmly convinced that you are superior to the rest of humanity?

Sage says: Not firmly, no."

LOL! I bow down to your snark. ;)

Thanks so much for such a lovely bit of work. ;)

Hey,

that's a very well put together essay you've got!:D

It's really good and I like the quirky manner with which you've presented the content. Reviews are what everyone hopes for when they post their writings and you pretty much covered all aspects of reviews and reviewing etiquettes/techniques. All in all, an interesting read :D .

What a wonderful treatise on both the etiquette and effects of the All-Powerful Review!

I wish that I could post a link to this on Fanfiction dot Net so that others could be illuminated by its brilliance. I must admit that I have only been tooling around Fictionpress very sporadically, since fanfiction is more my realm of creative expertise than is original, but I plan to dig some old goodies out of the proverbial closet and fire up my juices for some new ones soon. Fanfiction gets rather boring and predictable after a long while, really.

Reviews are, as every author/ess knows, a truly wonderful thing, though five hundred "omg i luvd ur stori!" one-liners, combined with a dismal lack of coherent and well-thought-out criticisms, tend to make one groan in dread-because then it seems perfectly obvious just whom one's fiction appeals to, albeit making one's day a little brighter because, after all, SOMEONE liked it.

If you will excuse the run-on sentence in the guise of a completely pointless and random ramble.

At any rate, reading this gives me hope, I must say. There IS someone who understands!

And no, I'm not forty. I just write like I am.

It is, as everybody (but not really) knows, the curse of the Future English Teacher.

Um.

Who Often Makes Grammatical Errors For The Sake of Style.

~Echo