The Rating Game

"All reviewers are equal, but some reviewers are more equal than others" - anon

You just know that some people think that they are trying to be helpful when they say that you look like death on legs. You know it, but it's still not very helpful. Here on WDC the same can happen - only not usually about the way writers look; not now that I've removed my images folder. There are many forms of attack:

Rate and Run

Most of you know my opinions about the infamous guerrilla tactics of the Unexplained Crap Rating (or UCR, as it will now be referred). It's good to let people know that they've missed the mark but not very helpful if they don't know why. If the person concerned considers themselves to be the next JK Rowling they may believe the solitary star was just a case of sour grapes - pointless.

If you do feel the need to rate lowly just pretend it isn't you! Biographical profiles can be changed at any time (along with user names) so just choose one of the following examples:

         Fluffy Little Sugar Pie 'I'm a gentle soul with only days to live.
         I have promised the angels that I will enter heaven in a state of honest
         humility. In order to do this I feel I must honestly review peoples work
         with no care for their retribution. I have asked my elderly grandmother
         to take care of my site as a memorial. Please feel free to UCR.'

or;

         Crusher McGann Prison ID 36839'As part of my rehab I am tellin'
         people how it really is. If you don't like it - see me when I get out. If you
         want to try and be funny - leave an UCR and Techno Dave can trace where
         you live and send the lads 'round for a discussion.'

More example identities can be found in

ID: 1289572   (Rated: 13+) Acme's Choose Your Own Biography!  Who says you have to be you when you could be me, or me, or.. by Acme

NB. Due to the effective hair-pulling nature of a UCR you yourself may still feel it a useful weapon in your armoury but it doesn't make it right. Where would we be if we all turned on each other in this way? The community feel of WDC could be lost. It's up to people like us to set a good example and take the flack on the chin.

Spelling and Punctuation

If it is really horrible you owe it to the author to point it out. How you do it is another thing! Ultimately it's up to the individual to ensure that their work is presented (to be rated by you) as they want it to be rated by you. In other words it's their job to know the craft not yours to teach it, so you don't have to copy and paste huge chunks of text if you don't want to. Here's some examples:

         Punctuation and Eye Boggling 'There is one thing that reduces
         the impact of your writing - the construction of your sentences and
         paragraphs. Maybe a little less of the William Shatners (or WS -
         the, ability to, use commas, in a, truly, inhuman way) and try to shorten the
         paragraphs so that if people were to read them on a trampoline they
         wouldn't loose their place.' (or, more technically Trampographs)

More examples of how to treat bad spelling can be found in

ID: 1284452   (Rated: E) The Badd Spelor  Why I believe in the power of terrible spelling by Acme

Reviewing Tips

You can look at lots of WDC mentors files to find and discuss ways of reviewing helpfully and I tip my hat to moderators and support staff that do this in a serious, friendly, helpful and community minded manner. With that in mind there is really no reason to add to that information in any sensible way so I won't. Here's the insensible contribution:

         Attack of the Bad Reviewer You will receive badly written reviews.
         This actually shocked me at first. Then I realised that just as I have the
         right to read bad stories and write bad stories so do my fellow WDCers.
         Don't get angry back. Your writing obviously provoked a reaction big enough
         to rouse their anger. Just acknowledge that and move on. You are the
         author and ultimately the only one who can really critique your work.
         No lie - I wrote a kiddies story with pirates in just for fun and was amazed
         by the strong reaction I got from a historian who went into HUGE detail
         about how inaccurate it was. ABR's will happen. Don't sweat the
         small stuff.

More examples of how to review difficult pieces can be found in

ID: 1286954   (Rated: ASR) The Reviewers Guide to Being Nails  Armour on? I'm going in! How to review the impossible by Acme

Remember Write On even if you Write Wrong. WDC is here for all sorts - I should know because they let me in!

Take care, Acme

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