One Hand's Bullish View

My reviewing style has evolved over the years just as my barn gets painted every so often by my lazy human.

You may see me as



or



or even the hand with the reading room -



Either way I am a bull (or Hand) who likes to read ON MY OWN TERMS! SEE p.s. at bottom of this item!

Right now, I am focused on telling the author my reaction to their work - what it made me feel, moo, think or question. Did I swish my tail? Did I applaud? I will let you know.

I will let you know if I am confused or if I think there is something to do to make it better too.

I will also let you know what brought me to your pasture or portfolio to read your work.

These are the things I am interested in, most particularly the last one, so I thought maybe others might be interested in these things too.

Something catches my attention.

I read your work.

I moo or applaud, and I react to it.

I am honest and straightforward in my reactions.

I swish the flies off my tail. If I am tHiNg, I wave goodbye.

I leave.

Period, end of story.

Usually, my reviews are short and hopefully sweet and encouraging.

I only look for short items to read now.

Sorry, no longer ones and DO NOT bug me to read.

I find most of my reading by meandering around the public reviewing page. I read items there and I read authors I see giving reviews there. Sometimes I read items in Newsletters, specific genres, contest entries, and sometimes I go on the auto-rewards page.

If you want a visit from me, go and be active and chances are I will find you sooner or later if I think you are doing a good job.

I do it at my own pace, in my own meandering time.

I do not host a review forum and admire those who do.

But I DO NOT HAVE ONE!

That doesn't mean that anything is wrong with a reviewing forum or giving a detailed review. I think that is great for those who have the time and energy and patience to do it. God bless them all for being so selfless with their time.

Any rating you receive from me reflects my appreciation of your work and quite frankly, my mood of the day. Did I get my daily hay and cider? Am I regular? Have I had my manicure?

Do not get your knickers or horns in a knot over not getting a 5 from me or really any rating because one day's five could be the next day's 4.5.

I am moody and I admit it. I am far from perfect or even consistent.

If I love it and can't think of a way I could do better, most probably it will be a 4.5 or a 5.

What distinguishes the two? I think you have to really wow me for a 5 and make me stand up and really moo out loud.

It's how the work strikes me at the time I read it. Anything above a 3 is above average and good. Below 3 definitely needs work in my opinion. If I rate you below a 3, it means if it were me, I wouldn't have thought the work was ready for the public.

There is a saying about that which doesn't kill you making you stronger.

Running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain might kill you. Ernest Hemingway made it famous in his novel, The Sun Also Rises. Hemingway watched the action from a hotel window while drinking scotch. Hemingway run with the bulls wannabes don't get that.

Getting a remoo from Hooves or even COWser in a trench coat CANNOT kill you.

Getting a remoo from anyone, including me, might just make you stronger. If you react by saying, what does Hooves/COWser/tHiNg know?

You are probably right and are free to disregard me and my bullish, manicured opinions.

Getting lots of honest reactions to your work will definitely make you stronger as a writer and as a person, if you are human.

The experiences I bring to my reading color everything about my reaction and my reviews. If I don't get you, I'll say so. Maybe I am too old or too way cool to get you - chalk it up to that if you like.

Did I graze or have to stay in the barn because of bad weather?

Is Hooves cranky or serene?

Is COWser's trench coat belt cinched too tightly on my loins?

Does tHiNg have a hangnail today?

Just as in life, timing is everything.

Good luck with your timing!

I look forward to reading your work!

Here I come now.

Better look alert!



MOOOOOOOOOOO

p.s. I am judging a site contest for October 2009, so I will only be reading poetry, very short items, and of course contest entries until that judging is over - mid-November 2009. Once again, I must repeat, if you want me to read do not, DO NOT badger me! Enter the contest or you will be ignored.

© Copyright 2009 tHiNg (UN: 4provinces at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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