*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
BY ONLINE AUTHORS
Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/profile/reviews/cinnamonfringe/sort_by/r.review_creation_time DESC/page/8
Review Requests: OFF
1,621 Public Reviews Given
1,644 Total Reviews Given
Review Style
I think my style is pretty honest. Though I try to find the good in everything, I give accurate ratings that express my opinion of a piece. Whether good or bad, you hopefully will understand my ratings by the end of the review. I give ratings that reflect the quality of the writing with 3 stars meaning "average". I only give 5 stars for items that I genuinely love or items that are more about effort than quality (i.e. folders, contests, forums, blogs, etc).
I'm good at...
Finding the most concise way to rewrite, tweaking structure and format, locating plot holes. Poetry reviews are my specialty. Quality-focused rather than meaning-focused.
Favorite Genres
Free Verse, Scifi, Horror
Least Favorite Genres
Romance, Erotica, Fantasy, Historical
Favorite Item Types
Anything with a short format suits me fine, as I adore short fiction (writing, reading, and reviewing). Book, static item... doesn't matter.
Least Favorite Item Types
Ummm.. Interactives & Campfires.
I will not review...
I generally don't do novel/script reviews unless I know the person. Short work is what I have time for and what I most enjoy.
Public Reviews
Previous ... 4 5 6 7 -8- 9 10 11 12 13 ... Next
176
176
Review of All Sorts  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: E | (5.0)
*Flowerw* This is a review from "Invalid Item"  *Flowerw*


Might as well do another folder review now. So... you're right. This is sort of the kitchen-drawer of your port. Lots of random good stuff. I think that like 1/3 of my port is in my Misc folder in one way or another. I literally have everything in there but my stories and poetry. It's super organized though... so yay! *Laugh*

So, the first thing that really caught my eye was the Supernatural essay. I seem to recall you mentioning it in your notebook. No? Wasn't it for school or something? I could swear that you asked for feedback on it.

Well, at the time, I hadn't seen the show. Now, I've seen seasons 1-8 twice and half of the 9th. Jenson Ackles, man. The things I would do to that dude. *Laugh* I like the special episodes and whatnot... Gabriel's TV reality, the mystery spot, the black and white monster movie homage... great stuff. I can deal with the story-arc episodes too, but I don't actually like or get into the story. I literally watch the show because Jenson is a fox and because they have 2-3 good episodes per season. Sorta sad I guess?

Anyway, that was an amusing read. Taking that show seriously is amusing in general. *Ha* I think they meant it in the convention episode where the dude playing Carver said "It's not jumping the shark if you never come down". Yeah. That's pretty fitting. They'll do any ridiculous thing.

So ummm... this review got totally sidetracked. But whatcha gonna do? I don't think we've ever talked about TV shows before, so why not. I have only mentioned Supernatural on here once or twice. Ummm... once, really. The only one that I can recall is for Soundtrackers. It was a "funny song" or "annoying song" theme or something? I used the Hilly parody. If you haven't seen it... it's pretty well done.

I'm just going to stop now. "Fan girl" doesn't suit me when it comes to things like this. *Laugh* I'm not part of the whole crazy 'fandom' thing. I just like stuff in my own way. So... nice folder! *Rolling*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
177
177
Review of Activities  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
*Flowerw* This is a review from "Invalid Item"  *Flowerw*


Woah, love! How do you have a bazillion folders with no ratings? *Shock* Not sure how that escaped my notice. It's not like it's NEW by any means. I love doing mini-raids for my friends you know! I will have to swing back by and do all of them at some point. A port with no purple stars on the folders is just... so empty looking.

Obviously, I have to start with this one. You do tons of stuff on here, and lots of it just happens to be things that I like. I love "The Challenge" , Cards Against Authors is on my to-do list, and though I don't often write stories, I love supernatural and dystopian genres for sure. And that's just a little bit of what you do. Pretty awesome. Oh, and despite 30DIC being in my port, it's still yours. So there's that too. *Laugh*

Anyway, if anything deserves 5-stars for effort, it is most definitely this particular folder. You're just a community activity type of person. Compared to me, you're like the most giving person in the entire world or something. I have a few low-key newbie activities... and "Invalid Item" . That is the entirety of my hosted activities. I don't know how you activity/contest gurus find the time. *Laugh*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
178
178
Review of La Bene Vita  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
Hi, love! *Smile* I was looking for items to review for "a very Wodehouse challenge"  that I'm working on right now. Specifically... music genre items. I didn't know what this would be until I clicked on it... poem or story or lyrics or blog. It seems like lots of blogs are in this category, and to be honest, mine probably should be too. I write about music all the time, so I might just toss mine into the genre too. It would be in good company. *Wink*

Anyway, I poked through the links in the body of the blog first. I'm nosy like that. *Blush* Specifically, I checked your "professional musician" and "small business owner" links. Pretty cool stuff, love. I don't have much to say about it but wanted to say that I did so that I wouldn't feel like a creepy stalkery spy. *Laugh*

This blog seems like a pretty normal catch-all type for anything going on with you. I've got all sorts of random stuff in mine too... it's just a perfect place for it. The food log thing is something that my mother has always done. She tried to get me to do it as well, but somehow, I just don't love the whole idea. Very little makes me anxious, but that does! Couldn't say why. First, I eat pretty healthy (yesterday: salad for dinner, PBJ for lunch on the run, a cup of coffee, a glass of iced tea... that's it I think aside from tons of water), and second, I know that I wouldn't have to share it with anybody. Still, the whole idea of it makes me uneasy. Go figure. I think it's pretty brave to share it with everyone. What are the points about? And the running points?

Anyway, that seems to be the most recent goal and focus, so I wish you luck with it. I really ought to do... something different. I have still never been down to the size I maintained for 7 years before I had my son. So it has been... 8 years of fluctuating? Ugh. That whole yo-yo thing is obnoxious. Maybe I'll try to keep a food log after all. No adjustments... just track it for a while. Oh, and sorry for the weird and rambly review. If it's not a story or poem or some type of structured writing, I totally ramble about it. *Laugh*


** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
179
179
Review of Me new to you  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: E | (5.0)
*Flowerw* This is a review from "Invalid Item"  *Flowerw*


Welcome to WDC! *Heart* I saw you ummm... someplace on the newsfeed and decided to come poke through your portfolio. No one had reviewed your "try-it-out" item, so I thought that I might as well give it a go... just to welcome you and so that you can see what being on the receiving end of reviews is like? *Laugh*

As a casual writer, you'll fit right in around here. Some people here actively seek publication and/or often get stories and whatnot published. Others, such as my slacker self, have littler interest in such things but will toss out a submission now and then just for kicks. There is room for all types here.

I see that you were invited to the Newbies Academy. It's a good place to be for sure. I was one of the leaders there for a long time. *Thumbsup* They will certainly help you along with navigation and all of that.

For the writing part of it though... have you looked through any of the contests here? Lots have prompts. Images, phrases to inspire, phrases that must be used, stories and poetry and non-fiction and... it would be hard NOT to find something to spark your creativity. I recommend checking out "Contest Central Station"  for a list of all the contests by genre and writing type. Even if you don't enter the contest, you might get inspired.

You might also end up with a story or poem you like for one contest... and also be able to submit it to "Invalid Item" , which is open-prompt. *Shock* Might as well try your luck, huh?

Anyway, if you need any help or have any questions, feel free to give me a shout. *Heart*


*Vine2**Flowerp**Vine1* Review brought to you by "Newbie Welcome Wagon"  *Vine2**Flowerp**Vine1*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
180
180
Review of Cleansing Tears  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: E | (4.0)
*Earth* *Tree2* Happy Earth Day! *Tree2* *Earth*



What Caught My Eye

Hi, Ken! Long time no speak, bro. *Laugh* I decided to give Kiya's review challenge a try, and I figured that I haven't reviewed you in a long while now. Might as well. You never seemed to mind my reviews before (and you know... they can be an acquired taste).

Favorite Aspects

The message is crystal clear. Honestly, any random person off the street could read it and understand exactly what you're saying. That is not only fitting, it is necessary for this type of piece. What's the point of writing a message like this if only avid poetry readers can comprehend it?

Language / Word Choice

Again, the language is simple enough to get the message across. There are a few emotive moments as well-- the middle two lines of the first stanza and the questions at the end. The questions work very well... quite effective for the ending.

"O'er" is probably the only word choice that could turn off a non-poetry lover. Just tossing that out there for your consideration.

The opening line is fairly generic. Gentle spring rain... washing away winter. Okay. I mean, it is a fine opening in its way, but it isn't interesting. It's not really a hook. The rain/cleansing continues in the second stanza and also doesn't really wow me. Since the phrasing is simple throughout, it seems as though the opening lines would be a good place for a "Wow" statement or some really unique imagery to capture a reader's attention. There isn't that much imagery in the piece. Hardly any. Just a thought.

Flow / Rhythm

It flows well. I'm not really surprised by that. I've read and reviewed quite a few of your pieces now, and though there may be a hiccup here and there in your meter, rhythm and flow are not problem areas by any means.

Effect

Overall, I like it. You did pretty well adhering to the form from what I noticed, though I didn't go over it with a fine-toothed comb because I'm not judging it on form. You know? *Wink* It reads fine. I agree with the message too, which is a perk. Thanks for the read, love!

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
181
181
Review of Earth's Poem  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
*Earth* *Tree2* Happy Earth Day! *Tree2* *Earth*



What Caught My Eye

Alright, I decided to give Miss Kiya's review challenge a go. I'm very much in a poetry frame of mood, since I just finished reading entries for "Invalid Item" ! This one caught my eye because it is specific to Earth Day! Since it is a poem, I might as well give it a go.

Favorite Aspects

I love the whole idea of writing a poem specific for this particular... ummm... holiday, I suppose you'd say. It's one of the few days that I really can get behind. The environment is important to everyone... the great equalizer.

Language / Word Choice

All the points for "Dolphins are my constitution". *Laugh* It amused me.

'Bloodshed' was the only surprise really. Sure, it could refer to the killing of animals, but that is definitely not the first thing I think of. It seems like more of a social/political comment than anything having to do with Earth. See what I'm saying?

Flow / Rhythm

This piece does have some awkward flow at times. That is sometimes the case with non-metered rhyming poetry on here. Still, it's far from the worst rhythm I've seen, and you do at least flirt with meter.

Imagery

There isn't imagery here so much as lone nouns that are themselves images. A field, a tree, an elephant, an ocean... a reader can picture these but only because each word itself conjures the picture. So the imagery could certainly be stronger.

Technical

The rhyme scheme is a slight bit odd, what with stanzas two and four switching things up like that. Not mad at it in this case. The cutesy rhymey-rhymes might be annoying in a different type of poem, but here, it actually makes the message sound harsher. It's effective. Sing-songy cuteness is a nice juxtaposition to the topical message.


Effect

Overall, I like it. It's not the most brilliant poem I've ever read or something, but it is a sweet little piece. You get your point across quite well. *Heart*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
182
182
Review of Lists  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
Ack! Lists, lists, lists. Everywhere I go, I'm reminded that I'm super behind with the lists. *Laugh* I do love making lists of things (and Elle knows it). But you know... I've been busy. I actually should be doing other things rather than just sitting on WDC reviewing. But I felt like giving some happy little folder ratings for a friend. You know? Spread a little joy!

Not that I'm giving real advice here, but why don't you have a book for these things? You have an upgraded account, so you know...? I have my blog set as sort of a catch-all for this type of thing. I have another book for random story drafts. Another for poetry drafts and ideas. I'd go crazy without books, basically.

They're easy to use, love. Just choose "Book" instead of Static Item, and fill it out as you normally would... just put whatever in the body "A Place for X" or something. Then, you go to the item and click "Add Entry". Done. You can have hundreds of entries, depending on the type. I think a "blog/journal" holds... 700+ at the Upgraded level? Anyway, it's really not all that complicated, and in fact, it would save you tons of time and trouble of making new items all the time. Clicking 'add entry' brings you to a page for a title and body/content. That's it. No descriptions or genres or settings or anything like that. Simple and fast. If you want any help with that, give me a shout.

And happy anniversary! Here's to many more! *Glass*


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
183
183
Review of Photos  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
And you have a separate folder for photos too? *Shock* I actually do have an Image folder buried in my Misc folder. It has those few sigs that I mentioned... some old images of my son and husband and me... just a mishmash of whatever. Gotta say though that I loooove the photo albums for Premium accounts. I'm totally in love with it. Of course, I've only had a premium account for less than a year now because I waited until I needed the portfolio space. Now that I've got it though, I loooove it.

The picture of the trees reminds me of 'back home'. Where do you live again? By the St. Francis River, one might assume. *Wink* Your bio-page isn't set up though, and relying on MY memory? Please. That's not helpful at all. *Laugh* I grew up in Maine, so fall leaves were a big part of the aesthetic. There was a river running behind my house too, actually. Nothing like that anymore. Anyway, you only have one more folder to review, so I might as well do that either right now or a little later.

Now, I see that all of your newer writings are in your port rather than a folder. Have you used the new port organizer? It's soooo much easier than it used to be. On the left menu, click "My Portfolio" and then "Portfolio Organizer". It will pop up in a separate window. Just drag and drop things. No more number ordering and all of that.


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
184
184
Review of Signatures, etc.  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
Yet another person who has far more signatures than I do. Honestly, I don't even know where you all get so many from. *Laugh* I have ummm... two or so that were a gift. Then I have an owl one from an auction that I used quite a bit. And now, I have the Fraggle one that I made. I think that's it. Of course, I have tons of them saved in my "Keep" email folder from groups and all of that. Oh, and three that I made for different review groups too. But you know... nothing that would require its own folder I guess.

I like your review signature with the flowers. That's simple and cute. *Smile* And the pumpkin... I remember that auction pretty well. I think that I might have one of those saved in my email too. A gift from... someone or other. I'm just to lazy to download/upload and then change my signature, I guess. *Facepalm* Anyway, nice collection here, love.


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
185
185
Review of Nature  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
Apparently, you write descriptions of nature very well. *Laugh* 14 reviews with 4.5 ratings across the board? Nothing wrong with that, clearly.

As I recall, you're in the States... so we're in another one of those season changes right now. Well, back and forth between spring-like and freezing cold and snowing... a weird one in these parts. But anyway, do you have any more of these types of items planned for the future? I don't put tons of stock in WDC reviews because a handful of people aren't necessarily an indication of overall quality, what with all the personal likes and dislikes. That said though, if people seem to really like something you're doing, it might be worth investigating further. *Wink*



*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
186
186
Review of Non Fiction  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
There may only be a handful of items in this folder, but you know... I don't even have a Non-Fic folder on here. *Laugh* So it's impressive in its way. I suppose that many of my poems could fall into that category, but I always think of essays and articles, which I only write for newsletters these days. Too much freelancing turned me off to writing things like that on WDC-- a break between work and fun, I guess.

Since there is an item from 2016 in here (the first that I've noticed in your folders so far), I decided to give it a peek. A sentence structure review, huh? Well, not sure what you're trying to do with it, but as far as the content goes, it has merit. Varied sentence structure makes for a more engaging read. It has less of a repetitive quality than sentences that are all the same. It's a good thing to play around with while revising. *Thumbsup*


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
187
187
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
This one is a super obvious 5-star review, since it seems to house almost all of your work. 21 items? That's a whole lot of stories. More than I've written in my entire time on WDC, no doubt. It looks like people really enjoyed some of them! 10 reviews at 4.5 stars? That's great! Of course, they "can't all be winners", as I say all the time. Some of my poetry is just boring and blah. It's just the nature of the beast... some writings are always better than others. *Laugh*

I don't see many 2016 dates in here, love. Well... I didn't notice ANY on my scroll through. Are you working on some other type of writing, or are you blocked? Either way, I wish you lots of luck with that. If you need any help, give me a shout. I've been told that I'm pretty good at energizing people and getting them to write. *Wink*


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
188
188
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
Hi, love! Happy Anniversary! *Delight* Two years... it's crazy! I swear that you just joined a few minutes ago. No? Time flies. It feels like you've been here forever on one hand and for like two seconds on the other. It's weird how that happens.

Anyway, for anniversaries, I like to give just a few people mini port raids. And I prefer to just give happy fluffy 5-star reviews too... for items that don't get reviewed all that often, like contests, activities, forums, etc. It seems like no one ever reviews folders especially, but it makes your port look all pretty and polished to have 5-stars on all thr folders. I know... a friend of mine did all of mine ages ago, and it looks much nicer.

And you know, your folders are a perfect case-in-point. No ratings at all... and you made them two months after you joined. Yeah... they need a little love. Since folders are all about the effort of what is (or what will be) inside, I feel totally fine with 5-stars across the board.

Can't say that I'm much into cats, but I imagine that I'm in the minority there. Nice folder, love... and moving on. *Laugh*


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
189
189
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
*Flowerw* This is a review from "Invalid Item"  *Flowerw*


Alright, Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk ! This is my last review for the month. Well, the last Sr Mod & Kind Hearts review for the month. I believe that I have about 13 reviews to do after this for newbies if I want to get done all of my usual stuff. *Laugh*

I'm not one of the people who subscribes to the Unofficial Erotica Newsletter. I don't write erotica, and in fact, I find the whole subject boring. *Blush* One of those 'rather do it than read it' things perhaps? *Facepalm* It is just not a genre that interests me... neither does romance. To be honest, I don't even like romantic subplots!

However, I think it is great that you started a newsletter for those who do love it. Clearly, you have a whole lot of members, so there is interest. It is also great to represent the genre in a special-interest newsletter since the WDC Official newsletters cannot speak about erotica in explicit terms, which I would think might be convenience for the subject matter.

The reason that I chose to review this folder rather than one of the Dark Society forums or one of your highlighted items is because it only has a 4-star rating. That seems... weird. Unless a folder is empty or something, I see no reason to rate it less than 5 stars. It's about the effort represented by the contents rather than the quality of the contents. Stranger still, the ratings on the content within... super high and well-loved from the look of it.

So here's a few more purple stars to perhaps balance out the the rating a little bit. Maybe it will be enough to bump it to 4.5, maybe not... but at least it will get it a little closer. *Wink* So, see you around soon, no doubt. We're both busy sorts of people, but if nothing else, I'll probably hit your port again in a few months when sr mods are the targets for Kind Hearts again. *Laugh*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
190
190
Review of Community  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: E | (5.0)
*Flowerw* This is a review from "Invalid Item"  *Flowerw*


Back for more! *Laugh* I might go back to your highlighted items for my next (and last) review, but I knew that I'd have tons to say about this folder. And I like giving happy little fluff reviews for folders and things. You've received a review or two from me for writing, so you know that I'm honest (probably to a fault) in my reviews. By comparison, I'm sweet as pie for these types of "effort that counts" items. *Wink*

First, and possible most random, I love that I'm not the only person on WDC who never bothered to go back and add cover images to absolutely everything in their portfolio. Ain't nobody got time fa dat, as they say. I've got most of my no-cover images hid away in various folders and things... and I'm slowly adding more as I edit old items. But you know... who cares?

Alright, that said, you do a whole lot of good around WDC. I'm a member of the Screenwriting Guild and have read your ummm... newsletters? Guides? Whatever they're called. I have a few books on writing screenplays but have never attempted it. Regardless, I enjoy reading about writing, and I think you did a good job with them.

I'm a relatively new member of the Dark Society too. Ummm.. I took part in the V-Day Massacre thing. And some other review challenge with Goblins and Demons and such. For the WDC 15th Bday perhaps? That was when I joined. I very rarely write stories, and though my poetry often involves dark themes, I don't really consider the pieces themselves to be dark very often. *Ha* Still, it's a decent place for me to be. I do love horror. If there were more monthly activities, I'd take part I'm sure.

Let's see... I also did the NaNoWriMo Write-A-Thon last November for the first time. That was pretty fun, really. My team did well, as I recall. And of course, I've taken part in Blog Harbor challenges... the only two that have happened since I joined, I believe. I loooooved the 'blog about books' challenge, whatever that was called. So much fun!

So anyway, yeah... awesome stuff in here! Might as well give you one more 5-star review for it because you never know when a newbie might come along and give it one-star because they don't understand why it isn't a story or something. *Wink*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
191
191
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
*Flowerw* This is a review from "Invalid Item"  *Flowerw*


Hey, Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk ! I'm working on the review challenge for "Invalid Item"  (as that header up there would indicate, right?). It's senior mod month, so I suppose you have probably gotten some reviews already. There are only so many of you, after all. *Laugh* At any rate, I've been trying to spread the love a bit. I already did mini port raids for Kiya and Sophy... might as well round it out with a few for you.

So, it occurred to me that I might as well peek through your highlighted items and see if I had anything to say about them. Obviously, I have been to your blog before. Many times, in fact. Soundtrackers... you know how it is! *Ha*

On the topic of Soundtrackers, I do have some advice here. It's the same advice I gave Norb ages ago (the undeniable king of super long entries). You should really set your blog to display 10 rather than 20 entries. Even with just 10, the load time is significantly increased during Soundtrackers, just because of the number of videos on the page. With 20+ entries, it takes more than 1 full minute to load. It makes it pretty inconvenient to browse through and comment, since every comment requires a long load time. Now, it's not the end of the world, but you know how it is. People want things instantly! Dialup is a fading memory until you get to a page that takes as long to load as dialup used to take. You feel me there? *Wink*

So anyway, that is the only practical suggestion I have for your blog. It's an awesome read, which you already know, I'd imagine. I enjoy poking through here and there (minus those long load times... and the Mariah). Looking forward to seeing some more tunes the next time around! *Heart*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
192
192
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
Hi, Neva! *Smile* I'm working on "The Challenge"  and need to review an item in the Spiritual genre. I'm not religious or spiritual myself, so I assumed that would be a very difficult prospect for me. *Blush* Then, I stumbled across your poetry collection. I am always drawn to poetry, and since I have multiple books for it myself, I like to see what other people do with theirs.

Surprise, surprise! I've been to this book before! *Laugh* At first, I was sort of bummed out that I had already reviewed it (since I was absolutely positive that I had), but when I scrolled down, lo and behold, I hadn't! *Shock* Yay!

Alright, so I think that the first thing I ought to say here is that you're setting a very good example for other people with this collection. Poetry exercises are useful no matter how long you have been writing. We all fall into our own styles after a while, so it is good to occasionally stretch ourselves and make sure that we still remember the basics.

This is a crazy assortment here! It's just so much work. I write predominantly free verse (very predominantly) and only adhere to traditional forms once in a great while, just as an exercise. The volume here is staggering! To me, it would certainly feel more like work than fun to tackle some of these forms.

So, in short, nicely done! The volume and variety are both quite impressive. Everything is laid out very well. It looks clean and functional, with everything in its proper place. Probably my favorite aspect though, honestly, is just the good example you've given to others who might just be stuck in a rut. *Heart* Keep up the great work! Who knows? In another 6 years, you might just have 100 more exercises tucked away in here.


** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
193
193
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: E | (2.0)
Welcome to WDC! *Smile* I hope you enjoy your time here!


What Caught My Eye

I was just looking through a long list of newbie items, and I saw more than one of yours on the list. I chose this one because I think that many video games have strong imagery that could be very well-suited for poetry.

Originality

This doesn't read as fan fiction to me. There is nothing that links the piece to one specific game. I wonder if fans of the game will notice any nods to the material. It all looks relative generic to me until the final stanza, no offense meant. The images and language are all fairly common. It seems that some specifics from the game might liven it up a bit for both fans and non-fans.

Technical / Grammar / Syntax

Typo in line two: "shadown"

In line three, you use past tense with the present "now". "I was saved now by the light" is very awkward because of this. Were you saved in the past, or are you saved "now"? Possible revisions:

I was saved then by the light.
I am saved now by the light.

In general, you should focus on your tenses when revising. The first stanza alone has present tense (line one), past tense (line two), both past and present tense (line three), and past tense (line four). Decide whether your piece is happening now or in the past.

You also use lots of passive voice here, which is a bulkier than necessary way to phrase. Examples:

"I was saved" vs "Light saved me"
"Now I'm going" vs "Now I go"

These mean the same thing but cut the unnecessary "to be" from the verb. "I am going" verses "I go". It may not seem like a major difference, but it is.

On a side note, I would recommend either using a rhyme scheme or using no end rhymes. Those that exist here look like errors rather than purposeful. Some of the non-rhyming lines work much better too. "Own/goal", for instance, is a nice bit of assonance in lieu of a rhyme.

Effect

Overall, I think that the piece could be interesting with further revisions. The general theme is a classic, and the video game inspiration could be a nice contrast to the classic light vs dark theme. Good luck with your edits! *Thumbsup*

*Vine2**Flowerp**Vine1* Review brought to you by "Newbie Welcome Wagon"  *Vine2**Flowerp**Vine1*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
194
194
Review of Poetry  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
*Flowerw* This is a review from "Invalid Item"  *Flowerw*


First stop in your port... Poetry. Highlighted items don't always catch my eye, but they do when they're poetry! *Laugh* I tend to write and review mostly poetry myself. Well, not counting these goofy little 5-star folder/contest/activity/album reviews that I like to give for anniversaries. *Wink*

The poetry slams... I have heard of the legendary WDC slams over the years, but if I'm not mistaken, they were much before my time. I'll have to poke around in those, and if I see something interesting, I'll give you a real review. I'm not one of those people who is shy about giving honest and helpful reviews to mods/sr mods/etc. We're all here for the same thing... no point in being all delicate and gushy. Besides, you have reviewed me before too, and it wasn't all rainbows and roses. I appreciate that, myself. *Heart*

Oh, but wait! I see a very low star rating down there. Could it be...? Bad poetry? I do love that! I'm guessing that "Spewlitzer" (brilliant name for it) was a predecessor of SPAM poetry... terrible but fun poems that deserve one-star reviews? That's my hunch, and I'm down for reading some foolishness.


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
195
195
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: E | (2.0)
Welcome to WDC! *Smile* I hope you enjoy your time here! I see that you haven't been around in the past month or two, but hopefully you will come back at some point. It looks as though you added lots of writing to your portfolio, and reviews have been pouring in during the absence.


What Caught My Eye

I am working on a challenge right now, and one of the tasks is to review an item in the fashion genre. When sorted by Newest First, this was one of the top items in the genre. I also like to review newbies whenever the opportunity arises. This clearly seemed to be an online freelance article. Though I don't usually review nonfiction on WDC (seems too much like work), I have a considerable amount of experience in this area.

Favorite Aspects

The language used is perfect for a blog or a slightly low-brow type of magazine. I'm unfamiliar with Darpan and mean no offense there, but a serious magazine would never publish a piece with old phrases like "all the craze". Especially since the term is a slightly updated (but still outdated) version of "all the rage". Still though, that type of thing is popular on the internet for a reason.

Technical / Grammar / Syntax

The opening line is the first that I have a problem with, sadly. Passive voice. *Facepalm* It's not a strong way to hook a reader. "Leaves will fall, and wind will blow. But what will you be wearing?" is a better alternative. In online articles, the more direct language used, the more likely a reader is to continue.

"a little accessory that I like to call a handbag" is also the type of phrase that should be avoided. It's long for the purpose it serves, and it's also sort of silly. You call it a handbag? Well, so does everyone else. *Pthb* I suggest cutting all of that. "Let's start with the handbag." Bam. Done.

There are some wonky grammatical moments throughout, but nothing that 15 minutes of editing wouldn't cure. I would watch for that passive voice. "A similar look can be attained", for example... "Women can attain a similar look". It makes a huge difference to use those active verbs.

Effect

Overall, I think that this is something that reads as a first draft, and it is somewhat surprising that it was published in this condition. Of course, there are calls for fast and poor writing on many freelance transaction broker sites, so there is room for everything. Still, why not polish it up so that it will be the best it can be? Just the two cents of a long-time freelancer who has been published online at least 1000 times and has worked as a freelance writer off and on for many years. Take it as you will.


*Vine2**Flowerp**Vine1* Review brought to you by "Newbie Welcome Wagon"  *Vine2**Flowerp**Vine1*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
196
196
Review of VALENTINES GRAMS!  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
I was looking for some cute valentine-type cNotes, and this shop was right up at the top of the list. Very convenient for me! *Laugh* I'm going to send one of them, but I figured that I might as well give you a quick review first.

So the images are from 2002? Well, they stand the test of time, clearly. Classics are always nice to have around, right?

The designs are simple and sweet. They're not overly gushy and romantic, which is perfect. This isn't a dating site, after all. We're mostly all friends here! *Laugh*

The one with the white bear seems a bit off size-wise. It looks slightly stretched. Still cute though. I'm sure that you will put any proceeds to good use. It is, after all, what you do. *Heart*


** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **

197
197
Review of Poetry Readings  
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with The Rockin' Reviewers  
Rated: E | (5.0)
Hey, love! *Heart* Just working on a few missing elements over at "The Challenge" . Since they don't have to be done in order anymore, I just do what I normally do and then fill in the blank spots. Apparently, I haven't reviewed a Mod at all this month. Go figure.

So, I knew just the mod and just the item as well! *Laugh* Clearly, I am a fan of this activity. If I wasn't I wouldn't have recorded a whole bunch of poems and offered to help you keep the forum updated and all of that.

It has been fun making videos, and it has been awesome listening to people's actual voices. It makes everyone more... real. And of course, there are distinct learning possibilities as well. I've already learned something... how quirky Maori words are pronounced! That wasn't even the type of lesson you had in mind with this either. There are lots of opportunities for people to learn more about rhythm and flow, of course, but there is also that little matter of learning how to create and upload a video. I would be surprised if everyone involved hasn't learned at least one thing from the experience thus far. Anything that can be a learning experience gets a thumbs up from me. And poetry? Well, that just sweetens the deal. *Heart*

I think there is a pretty major opportunity for community involvement as well. We've both seen things succeed for a while before dying. I don't think this will be one of those. There will always be people who want to share their art, and videos might incorporate any other type of art that a person creates as well as their writing. There's just... so much opportunity.

So in short, I'm in love. *InLove2* If you ever need help with it (promoting it, getting people involved, whatever), just let me know!


** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **
198
198
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
Alright, so this is my last review for anniversaries this month, and this folder is probably a strange choice for me. I am not spiritual in any way. *Laugh* That said, I know that people who allow their faith and spirituality to inspire them sometimes end up with lovely pieces. It appears that you have been writing poems of this type for years and years too!

I'm not sure if I have read any of these, though a few titles seem familiar. In particular, "The Spirit of the Butterfly". It's newer too, which means that I very well might have read it for a contest I was judging or when you posted it in the newsfeed or something.

Anyway though, I don't need to read some of these to know that you get something out of writing them and that others get something from reading them. 58 reviews? 40 reviews? Clearly, people really like what you have to say here. *Heart* Happy anniversary, love! Here's to another 13 years! *Glass*


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
199
199
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: E | (5.0)
More poetry folders! And unreviewed ones at that! I do believe that this is where I'll be until my review raid ends. Which will be shortly, I think. Almost done! *Shock* Already!

So, I am pretty sure that I hadn't read any of these before now. It's possible, with the amount of poetry that I read and review on WDC, but I don't remember any offhand. I did have to click through and read "Gates of Desolation" though. I'm a sucker for Dante (you should see my epic blog entry about my most prized possession, which happens to be a copy of Inferno). I also had that quote painted above my bedroom door as a teenager! *Laugh* There's no angst like teen angst.

Anyway, I liked the one I read. Clearly the others are liked as well, since they all have awardicons, right? I can't believe that you only have 4 poems in here though. Pretty sure that I have a large assortment of weird horror-like poetry around. *Facepalm*


*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
200
200
Review by Cinn
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
I'm glad now that I chose you to do a mini-raid for, love. I hate to see folders with less than 5-star ratings unless they're practically empty or something. In my view, a folder isn't about the quality of the work within it. It's about the effort. If someone has written 30 stories that are all 3-star quality, well... that person just wrote 30 stories! That's a good thing, right?

Anyway, maybe this review will boost your rating back up to where I think it belongs. I've read a handful of your poems... I know that I've been in this folder before. Of course, most recently, I read the one that you read aloud! Still think your accent made the poem far more unique than it was as just a poem on the page.

Looks like you have over 100 poems in here, easily. Keep on writing, Tracey! Poetry is always good for you (even when it turns out bad... which, let's face it, happens to all of us once in a while *Laugh*).

*Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv* Happy WDC Anniversary from "Anniversary Reviews"  *Confettig* *Giftv* *Confettiv*

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
608 Reviews · *Magnify*
Page of 25 · 25 per page   < >
Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/profile/reviews/cinnamonfringe/sort_by/r.review_creation_time DESC/page/8