Reviewing with River

This question is really causing me to think and ponder. The people the receive my reviews may view the reviews I give them differently than I do.

When I give a review, I try to do so from the perspective of a reader. I do however take the time to comment on mechanics and offer helpful links if warranted. I won't mention every single mistake, instead opting for "I've seen this a few times in this piece". A happy medium for me is giving/receiving a well-rounded review with an appropriate rating. I sometimes receive short reviews telling me how much they *loved* what I wrote and then give it 3 (or less) stars. I'm left asking myself, "what went wrong", "how did I fail my reader".

I have done a few "line-by-line" reviews, but they've been solicited. At the same time though, I tell the author things like how the piece made me feel, what I loved, what didn't work for me, or any unanswered lingering questions I may have.

Honestly, as I am nearing the two-year mark as a member here, I have noticed a big difference in my reviewing. Oftentimes my review style is personalized to the author and based on my previous communications with them. I've learned what I can and cannot say to certain people and use that as my guide.

I am looking forward to reading the responses of others in this thread! Great question, River!