Welcome stranger! You've stumbled upon my reclusive bunker in FP.

I've had my nose buried in books since I was about five and reading Green Eggs and Ham to my mom. I've been 'seriously' writing since I was thirteen and enjoy it more than a lot of girls my age seem to, and that goes for reading too. I've thought a lot about what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. Math isn't brain combusting but I've always hated it, loved history, hated most of my other subjects... But weaving a scene, painting it to life with lovingly chosen words is what I want to do, and happen to adore. It's what I've always loved to do, even in early grade school when teachers made kids write weird mangled versions of fables or holiday stories.

On Reviewing: In my opinion reviews or comments should be at least a little detailed (though I am guilty of small comments). It's about me putting my two cents concerning the quality of someone's story and about what needs improvement... In my reviews I try to put in what I want people to do for me; to pay attention to little details and encourage, and pass on knowledge of what about eight-plus years of obsessive reading and writing has given me.

ON GOOD REVIEWS: This includes a large scope of things. Reading a story is easy. You let the writers description wash over you and paint a picture and take on life in your mind. See? Easy.

It's the paying attention to detail as you read and let the story take you away that is pretty hard sometimes. A few tips to look out for: Find an off seeming sentence? Typos? Missing letters or places that the sentence cuts off. Notifying the writer is very good, don't be afraid to look like an irritating bug or something. BUT most times it would really help the writer if you copy and paste the exact sentence or paragraph so they don't take time trying to find something a reviewer mentioned with ambiguous wording. Also, if you think you can, then offer alternate wordings on sentences that could help them.

To really show the writer without a doubt that you paid attention try reference things from the story and comment on them. In fact simply putting your thoughts on the story in general into the review is good, even the little musings that popped into your head at what was written. You never know it might inspire them in some way.

General critique of the story; on characterization when it's FF, on quality of OC or lack there of, on details being too thin or too Purple Prose and flowery, on action being too wooden and fake, on emotion being flat and unrealistic... Plain and simple, for you writers with online published stuff, just put into a review what you really want from readers reviewing.

A lot of writers here on FF, while few over all, crave critique because it'll help them improve. A hell of a lot don't get that help. I'm one of them too, but I usually critique only when I'm in the mood or if I'm asked.