Reviewing with River

When someone asks me for a review, I feel humbled that they seek my opinion on their work. I open the item and scan it quickly. If I see grammar and spelling issues, I look at the writer's bio (maybe ESL or British English).

I like stepping out of my comfort zone as to genre and type -

For an article I research the topic briefly online if it's something new to me; then comment to both the style and how effectively the writer makes his/her point clear.

For a poem, if a form is stated, I check the parameters to be able to comment to that, as well as the poem's flow and imagery, in my "reading aloud" paragraph.

For a story, I read like a writer, my first take, to read through and I note standout errors in grammar, voice, tense as I read. Then I read through again before writing the review itself.

Although I will read any genre, I am uncomfortable only with tone that is very negative or pejorative, to where I may decline, citing to time constraints (not quite untrue, as the research would be time consuming, kind of like debate class.

Until the next time,

Write On