My Life on a Plate

Another Review Grump

In light of the fact I have little to report or contemplate, I'll bore the pants off you with yet another grump about reviewing on W.D.C.

I think I've mentioned before I feel most of us tend to over-rate. If I think something is poor I tend to leave it alone but will admit to sometimes rating a little higher than my gut instinct tells me. If I criticise I feel qualified to do so and back up my comments with examples. I also try to concentrate on the positives. I'm not amongst the best writers on the site by a long shot, but I'm well educated, highly qualified, particularly in English and have attended a Creative Writing class once a week for the last four years, so I feel justified in saying I know enough to judge what constitutes an above average piece of writing.

I often notice the little comment in the left hand column of this page reminding us that 3 stars is an average rating. The problem is, how do we decide what to compare the pieces we read with? The classics of Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy, the standard of today's published novelists, our own writing or the standard on this site? Having been a member of this site for almost four years I conclude it is generally for amateur writers, so I set my standard by what I read on here. There is some great writing, some mediocre and some just plain awful. Nowadays, I generally prefer to review work written by my friends on here and established members who have proved their worth. That way, I get to read some damned fine stuff and am spared having to condemn or declare anyone as distinctly average. You my friends, are all writers of quality, who deserve recognition.

I've ranted about anonymous low raters who hit the button and run and I know we've all had those. But how do you feel about someone who declares your work as average and doesn't really qualify their opinion? If a reviewer of some standing gives me an average rate and explains their reasons, I'm quite happy to accept it, but I've received one I'm not very pleased about.

The fact that InkyShadows featured my story 'Hush' as top of his picks in the Drama Newsletter last week would maybe give me the impression this story is pretty good. The fact that my tutor, a published author, has taken this story from me to seek publication for it, adds a little more fuel to that feel-good factor. The fact I've received eight great reviews ranging from 4 to 5 stars might also make me think it has some qualities which make it an above average story.

But wait! Yesterday, someone who joined the site five days ago has declared this an average story which he admits is 'overall not bad' but 'lacking an effective motivation for your protagonist to murder that which she so recently coveted and lost.' For those who haven't read the story it's basically about a woman who is forced to have an abortion by the father of her child, only later to discover he's married with a child of his own. Considering the way she's been treated and the fact she's been locked in a cellar for 24 hours, I think she is well justified in her actions. But I digress.

To be told my story is average by someone so new to the site who uses words such as 'nascent neophyte' in his Bio and has posted plotless pieces on subjects like baptism and suicide doesn't go down too well with me. I couldn't even be bothered to send a note of thanks. When he starts his writings with phrases such as 'It was a brief and pure silence; and extended moment of private ecstacy...' (which doesn't make sense to me) and 'I can't see well out of my left eye. The bullet had taken a track different from what I intended...' (from what I intended? YUK!) then I really can't be bothered to respond. What does really annoy me is he's received ratings of four and a half stars for his efforts from some members, but by comparison, thinks my story only worthy of three.

As a joke, my sister bought me one of those 'mood' rings which supposedly changes colour according to how we're feeling. Since I've had it it's varied from blue to green. (normal, sentimental and romantic according to the leaflet.} Today it's been decidedly close to red; I leave you to analyse that. Maybe there's something in it after all.

Okay, gripe over. I just think people should take a little time to get used to the site before they jump in and start judging established members. I guess I just don't like criticism and being declared average. Maybe I could write a story with him as the protagonist who gets his just desserts...GAWD, I can be evil. lol