Reviewing with River

Hello there, River!

I'm not sure how I've missed the April Discussion this month, and I'm afraid I've been absent for a couple it seems. My apologies! I'm so glad you posted it in the Newsfeed this morning!

Anyway... your questions and my responses:

Do you think this is good advice?

Yes, I do think that is good advice. As important as the technical aspects of writing are, it's important to have an engaging piece. Therefore, when I receive reviews that offer me a 'reader's viewpoint' I am thrilled. A reader can tell us where they got lost or confused, whether or not the characters are authentic, if the dialogue is believable, etc.

Technical reviews are also very valuable, don't get me wrong. But I really appreciate a good balance of the two.

Do you review from a reader's point of view?
When I read something (poetry or story), the first time I read it it is for pure pleasure - as a reader. If I am asked to review it, I will read it a couple more times and I try to give a review that is balanced. I talk about the storyline, the characters, dialogue, etc; then I tell the author what I liked and why. After I do all that, if there are some technical things that I've spotted, I will share those.