Off the Cuff / My Other Journal

Ranting against Three-Star-Rating rants

Okay, so this is a rant, but a well-founded one. Believe me, I don't like ranting.

Recently, I read quite a few items that complain about getting a three or three and a half star rating.

What is it that we don’t understand about the rating system? For a long time, on the left column of WC pages, it was announced in red that a three stars rating meant average.

As writers we should learn to read and understand what we read. Three stars do not mean the writing --be it yours, mine, or ours-- is bad. Three stars mean the piece is neither good nor bad; possibly, it can be rewritten to make it better, but as it stands, a three stars rating means the piece is considered average by the reviewer.

Since accepting other people’s views shows a writer’s mettle, a writer needs to be careful when he or she says a three star rating--which means average for this site--is unwanted or has made her feel bad.

People have different criteria and they rate and review differently. A piece that lulls to sleep one person may excite another one. Still, a three star rating means average.

Thus, in order not to raise anyone’s feathers, this is more or less the way I rate:

1 star: The piece is there with only one phrase, line, or meaningless sentence, possibly to insult someone or to fill up the quota to be considered for a RAOK upgrade. A one star is also for pieces written badly on purpose--just for the fun of it--and the writer says it is done on purpose and he needs a one-star rating.

1.5 stars: The piece is not readable due to spelling and grammar errors.

2 stars: The piece has quite a few errors, but it is salvageable.

2.5 stars: Below average with errors that can be fixed.

3 stars: Average - may or may not have many flaws.

3.5 stars: Above average - may or may not have many flaws.

4 stars: Good - way above average or shows brilliance but may have a few flaws.

4.5 stars: Very good - with possibly no mistakes or truly brilliant with an attention slip or typo.

5 stars: Wow! You knocked my socks off. No mistakes and a rare gem.

Happy R/R everyone.