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Review Requests: ON
1,115 Public Reviews Given
1,356 Total Reviews Given
Review Style
Disclaimer: I am not good at remembering to do requested reviews. Often I have busy things going on with work and my own novels, so sorry if I decline or don't remember to do a review in the short time given. Just a warning. When I review: Long. Depending on the type of story and reason for review I tend to get anywhere from 4,000 characters to on the rare occasion over 10,000. I will make overall comments, technical points and even offer sources when necessary but a lot is dependent on what I'm reviewing. I can even do a full edit but that's take a lot of niceness and time.
I'm good at...
Ummm let me ask someone and get back to you on this.
Favorite Genres
Fantasy. I read a lot of romance/erotica because of the contest I run. I'm fairly open and will read stories, poems, nonfiction, chapters, almost anything.
Least Favorite Genres
I know less about mystery, horror, some nonfiction topics, and westerns. I also don't care for vampires, sorry but just don't interest me.
Favorite Item Types
Short stories.
Least Favorite Item Types
Probably campfires and interactives. Maybe surveys and polls too though I can always managed to find enough to say.
I will not review...
Shrink or Growth items. I've seen references and yeah, not my type. Erotica is one thing, I can handle most with only few times leaving a story feeling scarred for life, but those two I have no interest in helping. So, unless you want me to say please stop, don't request I review that and if you do, better have it rated appropriately.
Public Reviews
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51
51
Review of Dear Me for 2023  
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with I Write  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hello 💙 Carly .

My name is Dawn and I'm reviewing your item as a judge for "Twenty-three in Eleven "  [13+]. These are just some general thoughts from me with some reflection on the contest entered along with the entry you have created. I hope you enjoyed writing for the chosen contest and are having fun with the Write Challenge.


First Impression: It can be hard at times to judge such an entry because it is personal. That also makes it very hard for people to judge the contest because almost all entries that are easy enough to read are good entries. It will be difficult for the judges that have to read our entries for the contest. I like the approach you took with giving a past look before getting to the focus of the letter, which is to make plans for the year. The little emoticons used in the list are playful and help break things up wit the added color. Nice work considering how things went in 2022 before bringing up the big goals for 2023. Also, I liked the use of the motto to combine with your goals of Growth and Focus.


Prompt: This contest is one I have very little experience. I've never judged it even after all of these years as a moderator. This is also the first year I've done my own entry for the contest. Writing about myself was always awkward in school but I can understand how other people may enjoy it and even find the topic therapeutic. It is good to see people taking the challenge on that comes each January with the letter to self prompt that comes with the Dear Me contest. You did what was asked with the letter start as Dear Me and the topic involving plans for the year.


Otherl Comments: I do have to admit that the beginning of the letter does give of a spacey vibe, which is what you point out. in the first paragraph. It does come off a little distracted with the discussion that occurs since you mention the tasks that had priority in January and in the second paragraph update what you are doing in the moment. It's not easy to see the tie so it comes off almost too informal and the distraction may be seen as a deference from a reader's perspective, at least one who is someone else even though the intended person for the letter is the self. Nothing wrong with the approach but it may not be as appreciated with some readers.

It may also need a quick edit. Here is a sentence to consider for example: "My writing goal of completing my writing projects this year - aiming for publication can further be broken down to these aspects:" - The way it reads has an awkward sound with the repetition of "my writing" but that could just be me.

Technical aspects aside, you do have some really good goals. I wish you the best of luck with the contest and your goals for the year. There is a lot to do but at least we have the rest of the year to work towards things. And it doesn't have to be finishing everything, but as you said, focus on what you want to prioritize and grow.

Good luck!


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
52
52
for entry "The Magic Of Winter" 
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with I Write  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hello 💙 Carly

My name is Dawn and I'll be reviewing your item in connection with "Twenty-three in Eleven "  [13+]. These are just my thoughts and forgive me if I ramble. Thank you for sharing your writing.


Prompt/Contest:
This poem is written for a fun fantasy based contest Magic Poetry Contest. While I've never entered the poem one, I am fond of the prompts in the similar contest by the same Wdc member called Magic Words Contest. Here you've chosen to follow the music prompt, which is a challenge in itself. Music prompts can be hard to compete with because how people feel, react and interpret songs, in particular instrumentals, can vary. Having listened to the song after reading the poem, I can say that you did well with using the images and such from the video along with some of the experience one gets listening to the instrumental elements when you created the poem. It is a nice representation of the song in poetic form.


General Comments:
Overall, you have done well in this poem. It works in consideration for the prompt and the contest entered. It also has some elements that are very relatable for anyone who has gone for a walk late at night alone in the snow. I used to do that when I was young. Have music on, often instrumental music like anthems or big band type, or just go without the old CD players and walk down the long dirt road listening to my feet on the snow. There is an experience there that is so personal yet can be shared among anyone over the years.

I will admit that there is a little less of a poetic feel to the piece in general for me. Not that it's a bad thing. The sounds with the lines and how they feel just have less of a poetic beat in my head. The appearance is the usual of the poem but something is a little off for me. And I would almost go with less capital letters as it causes me to falter as I read the lines to understand which ones are part of a sentence and which something new. Then again, I either go full punctuation in my poems or none at all (some readers really don't like that). So, it's a very personal choice in how you do the first letters of each line and what you use to guide the reader for breathing and flow.

And for the first time, I would suggest that you consider putting the prompt link with the music at the start of the item instead of the bottom. Usually, I say any extra details (form, prompt, contest) don't need known as they might influence the reader in what to expect. With the particular influence of the song, it may help some to hear it first but it's not something that is necessary. Works fine at the end too as they can learn to appreciate it on a different level if they decide to follow the link.


Favorite Part:
Snow dances around me like a whirling dervish.
I can see only a short distance ahead.
It silences the world around me --
One that usually rings with constant chaos;
Now silence reigns supreme.



Final Thoughts:
It is a nice poem that has a clear connection to its purpose but also one that random readers can appreciate. Good luck with the contest and the many months of this writing/review challenge.



Sig I bought to put on my reviews.



*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
53
53
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with Team Weekly Quickie & Contest ...  
Rated: ASR | (3.0)
Hi there Angelica- House Florent B & W . I am reviewing your story as part of the Weekly Quickie Contest. I appreciated your taking the time to come up with an entry for the round.

First Impression: It's a good starting point for a story that could go well with a little more work and words to flesh things out for the potential readers.


Prompt: This week had two options for prompts to consider that both involved a character needing to learn a lesson. Could pick from either Last Holiday or a Christmas Carol. The carol with the need to change after being visited by a ghost or something similar was the more popular choice though the take a risk for romance is more Last Holiday. This story does work in relation to the prompts with room to develop even more.

Characters/Story: The story and characters are both elements that have potential but need further development. Even though Quickie is about keeping things short, having some levels of development and information for the reader will really help to make the story come together in a more complete fashion. We get a little insight into the main character and her struggles for love. Now show even more.


Other Notes: There are a few areas in the story that would benefit from further development in order to make it stronger and more complete for readers to enjoy.

The beginning - While it's common to start in the midst of action to get a readers attention, in this one it doesn't quite work because it puts the reader into the scene with no connection to character or story yet. Starting with dialogue can be tricky and since we don't get much detail in the beginning paragraphs about the set up, it's a little too reliant on the reader knowing and understanding what is going on. Without prompt or suggestion, a random reader may start off confused being put in so quick into things.

Reason for the flowers - While flowers are often used for females, there has to be a little something more in order to understand why Jose would want to be given flowers. Because we don't get any details about the characters, we don't get to see why those are the options and why the main character thought the petal was right to "nimble on". Since you weren't at the word count limit, giving some more details about the characters could help.

The end - this is also rushed. I know you were trying to put something together in time for the contest round while also doing other things so I understand that things can get rushed. However, a random reader is going to feel the end comes too quick and needs more development as a story. Not only does it just end quick with the Christmas lines, but she even just by saying hi talks about marriage someday. It's all kinds of fast at the end. Nothing wrong with that but the reader needs to know more for it to work that way.

While the story does need a bit of work and rewriting, it was still a good attempt with making a quickie romance scene from a movie based prompt. Keep on working the skills with writing and you'll get there in the future.

Thank you for entering the Weekly Quickie. Good Luck!


~~Image ID# 1850193's Content Rating Exceeds Item Content Rating~~


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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54
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with Team Weekly Quickie & Contest ...  
Rated: 13+ | (3.5)
Hi there Angelica- House Florent B & W

First of all, thank you for making the effort to enter the contest. I know it can be a challenge and might not be your usual type of contest to enter. I appreciated the attempt you made for this.


First Impression: It's a cute approach and start of a story. There isn't much to it because of the length and the focus for the brief amount shown is the start of them getting to communicate along with the reference of a date. It is a nice, pg approach to the start of something with lots of room to grow.

Prompt: The prompt for the week you entered was to focus on a non-verbal approach to romance/erotica and in this regard the story does fit well.Having the one character not be able to talk. While it does hit the boarder line a little against the prompt because she does talk to him for the first 2/3rd of the very short story even she does get to the sign language at the end. This can be a fun dynamic to work with between characters for a romance story if you ever want to explore it further.

Characters/Story: We get a slight insight into the two characters but could use more. It's just a taste to their story and could have used at least a few hundred words, if not more. But I like the idea behind the story and the different turns the two could take in their romance. The him almost asking but her really being the one to ask about things is fun.

Other Notes: One thing that seemed a little off for me was that she said she didn't read sign language but the very next paragraph they are communicating in sign language. Maybe that could be adjusted to say she doesn't read it well or is learning is slower still. Something to imply she isn't an expert but does know some because it's clear she can read a little sign language since they use it to communicate at the end of the story.

If you ever are interested in reading my approach to a similar duo, remind me some time on messenger or in IM as I've done a couple where one can't speak or hear and the other guy is a music major. I have some pg parts of their story written including the one trying to learn sign language. It can make for an interesting dynamic between characters, which is what draws me to the idea.


Thank you for entering the Weekly Quickie. Good Luck!


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
55
55
Review of The voice  
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with I Write  
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Hello Whiskerfacebythefireplace

My name is Dawn and I'll be reviewing your item in connection with "I Write: Enter the Second Decade"  [E]. These are just my thoughts and forgive me if I ramble. Thank you for sharing your writing. Hope you have enjoyed the challenge with the writing and reviewing to reach goals of a certain number of entries in the allotted time frame.


Initial Reaction: I'm guessing this is a blog type of entry based on the biographical aspect and writing style for the paragraphs. It sounded like an interesting situation with the beta reader role coming about. I've honestly, never seen the dragon movies but I've really wanted to with the originals. Can't imagine what all people who are creating with the fan fiction. But it sounds like you find some good things and enjoy the stories.


Other Notes: While this isn't a contest entry that I know and the technical side may not be a high priority, the last few paragraphs did stand out to me a little. The first couple of paragraphs had the layout with the space after each paragraph. The two near the end are lacking the space. It's a nit picky element but is something that caught my attention as I was reading it for the review part of the challenge.

While it sounds like you weren't expecting the beta reader role, it looks like you've got it. I know how you feel too as it can be hard to be on the same page when it comes to the role/expectations between writer and reader. I've done critique groups and some don't worry about major changes, sometimes a reader gets made when you don't follow their exact device, then others follow every change from every reader. But also sounds like it could be fun. Though I'm beta reading 160k novel and it's a challenge.

Good luck with the role and hopefully you'll enjoy the story as you read more.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
56
56
Review of Never Mind  
Review by Dawn Embers
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Greetings Words Whirling 'Round . I am reviewing your story today that I found doing a genre search for travel related items. It caught my attention with title and story so decided to send you a quick review.


Title: I like the title. It does grab attention because it makes the potential reader curious what reason the story is called "never mind". What is the possible reference? It is something they will wonder and makes it likely for them to click on the item from whatever search or source on the site they use. The description will help too while keeping it very short and to the point, which the micro fiction word count also does.

Initial Reaction: This was entertaining and a fun little story with a strong punchline to match the title (since it's the exact same and for good reason). It reminded me of an episode from an oldish sitcom called King of Queens. In the set of episodes the couple go on a little weekend vacation. It was during the time the male character had lost some weight and was getting more attention for it. He tried to surprise his wife with a wonderful vacation in a cabin like before. Same exact cabin, romantic room service and even same guy working at the location. However, not the same girl. He forgot who he had brought to the cabin. Oops.

A little different since the ones in your story are talking about a memory and not on a recreation of the trip but it was what came to mind when I read the micro story you created.

Story: It is short but a good story. You manage to do a lot in the very short amount of words, which is quite a challenge. The one big paragraph gives the right detail while they last few are shorter but bring everything to the main point of the last line. it is well done overall.

Other Notes and Final Thoughts: I liked the story enough from my random read to send a review and my comments so that is a good start. The only thing I would suggest to consider might be changing the end of the sentence connected to her dialogue. It's not wrong to use the adverb in that way and it makes sense to put the description for her tone. Something about the word comes off a little less powerful. The way the "I" and the "l" look in the word. I can't quite pinpoint it to an exact degree but there may be a stronger way to format that sentence with the same concept kept in tact. Just something to consider. Other than that you did well. I hope you won the round of that contest.



Sig I bought to put on my reviews./center}


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
57
57
Review of Contest Entries  
Review by Dawn Embers
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Hi there Angelica- House Florent B & W

I'm reviewing your item in connection with "I Write: Enter the Second Decade"  [E] again since right now it's mostly us two posting after each other, lol. These are just my thoughts and forgive me if I ramble. Good luck with the last couple of items to reach your goal for the challenge.


Title: The title is nice because it is a direct connection to the prompt used for the contest. This can be both good and bad. Good in that it is easy to connect for the judge, it is straight forward and lets the reader know what to expect. The "bad"-ish part is that it's almost too focused on the prompt and comes off a little less creative. I like the knowing what is going to be in the poem. However, I would almost want something else, maybe a little bit taken from the poem to stand out a little more and let the contest part be noted in the bottom section where you have line count and all of that detail.

General Comments: I like the poem. It is fun, friendly and presents a good message while paying homage to the group it is directed towards. The family members for those in the military are affected by what happens to those serving on many different levels. It is a topic many people can relate and find a touch of joy from with your approach.


Imagery: One thing this poem does that wouldn't come to mind much at first from the title is how it creates images with the focus on the family and some of the word choices. It does well to bring things to the readers mind so they can imagine what the short lines suggest with different families being together or going out to a lake to have fun.


Other Notes: Just a couple of things stand out to me after reading the poem over a couple of times that you could maybe look into come here in this section. So, I'm not the biggest fan when it comes to repetition (part of why I don't do a lot of it in my own poems if I can avoid such), but the stanzas ending with the line about family was a nice point and it almost seemed like it should have continued. Not that it needs to, but there is that change part way that can draw someone's attention to that fact. Yet, I like the last two stanzas without the word family in the last line. From my perspective, I wonder how it would sound if you switched the last stanza with the one before it. Go for family to the talk of colors brightening the home and end it with the comments about the month and to spend it well. Just an idea, nothing wrong with the current layout either.


Good luck with the contest and all of the writing you get done this week.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.
58
58
Review of Contest Entries  
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with I Write  
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Hi there Angelica- House Florent B & W

I get to review your item in connection with "I Write: Enter the Second Decade"  [E] and the challenge of writing so many times along with reviews. You have done so well in keeping up and writing here on the site. Happy to get the chance to review your poem. These are just my thoughts and forgive me if I ramble and sorry for any typos as I cut a finger on my right hand making lunch today, oops. Thank you for sharing your writing.


Title: The title is to the point and related to the contest entered. Since I have entered one poem in the same contest under a different topic of awareness, I was familiar with where this was entered and the inspiration before making it to the notes at the end that explain for readers who aren't aware of the initial source.


Overall Notes and Comments: While the poem doesn't have the focus of a particular form or rhythm compared to other styles of poetry, it has a particular focus that remains at the forefront of importance. It has a flow itself and is something different readers should give a chance to help with the reminder of this aspect in some people's lives. It isn't an easy topic to put into words and might make some uncomfortable but that is okay.

The single lines were the strong points that give the poem an increased impact beyond just the focus of the words related to the topic. It isn't an easy one to discuss, with the harsh reality that comes with the existence of domestic violence. Some aspects are hard to discuss or difficult for some but very much a real aspect people face. The short lines and the specific words give the impact desired for the poem.


Nice work with the writing of the poem. Good luck with the contest.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
59
59
for entry "October Writing" 
Review by Dawn Embers
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hello there. I'm sending you this comment for the October Writing entry in connection with "I Write: Enter the Second Decade"   by Aennaytte: Free & Wild in GoT as the person who posted an entry after you. It was interesting to read the journal entry so I just have some general comments since it's not something to offer in the way of edits or those types of suggestions.

I'm not even quite sure what Chessboard writing roulette is but that sounds very interesting. I've had my blog for so many years on this site but rarely make a post. So, I can relate to your comment about how it might be a common item for the roulette but the time passes fast when it comes to keeping a journal and how the days go so fast. It's a challenge to keep up any writing, even about the self with other obligations like work. Having writing activity events and I Write does really help but it's also easy to get behind too.

Regroup is a great option. I've had a monthly challenge group where members would post monthly goals to help focus for the short time on what they wanted to accomplish. I still try to do it from time to time, some months more successful than others. It looks like a good set of regrouping for you. I hope you are able to get everything you want done or at least worked on to your satisfaction.

I haven't had a chance to watch Wheel of Time but do hope to some day. I also want to finish reading the series too.

Halloween theme is fun and it's almost the holiday. Feels a little strange to have it be on a Monday, but oh well. Having a goal to write something themed with Halloween sounds like fun and so many different possibilities. You could go horror or scary if that's what you prefer or you could do something else. Many options.

Good luck to you and it was fun getting a little insight into your life and goals with the journal post. *Smile*
60
60
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.


Overall: The story has a good approach with the very beginning able to grab the reader's attention with the voice and character presented. It has a voice and uses the character influenced by the contest prompt well to provide a story about a stage magician who comes upon something different than his usual. It also took a different approach with the inclusion of a time travel character element. However, it also feels the story was limited by the contest word count and needs more development in order to feel more complete.


Prompt: For the contest, it had a set of particular prompts that had both character and conflict focuses. The main one involved the character since it was for a character contest. However, this time around included a story element that was also required. This time it was one that was relevant to the character, so made things easy enough for writers and readers. As a judge and general reader, this was easy enough to find within the story and it qualified the story for the contest. Overall, the approach with the stage magician and the interesting other character that comes into his world.


Other Notes: Nice work with the story and entering the contest. Just have a few things to offer for you to consider if you decide to rewrite or edit the story. You could consider giving the story a skim over with some checking on technical points and minor things that have the potential to cause a reader to stumble. The spacing of sentences in particular might be a place to take note. Near the beginning, for example, there is a small paragraph with dialogue where part of the sentences has been moved down to the next line when it needs to stay up with the rest of the sentence. Just check for those minor details as it happens more than once.

Another minor thing you could consider would be to put the word count at the very end of the story since it is only relevant when it comes to the contest since it had the 2k word limit. The focus tends to be on the story, so having that first and extra details like contests, prompts, side notes and such kept to the end is often preferred.

While I enjoyed the story, it was a little difficult to follow. The part near the end almost goes by too fast because it's just quick dialogue with a lot of very short sentences so that the reader ends of going quick through that part. It felt like there was some developing that could be done to make it stronger. Felt like there needs to be more involved in that section. Now that there isn't a word count limit you could push things further and longer for the story.

Thank you for taking the time to enter the contest for August with the character focused prompts. I hope you enjoyed the challenge and the story you were able to create.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
61
61
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.


Overall: This has a good approach with being able to draw the reader in from the very first, short paragraph. The story in particular does well with the showcasing of the voice and the main character point of view. Even the dialogue between the characters worked well with the voice and entertaining factor, helping to draw the reader into the story. Once he gets shaken and the rest of the story moves forward, it was fun with the addition of the other part of the prompt from the contest. Should be enjoyed by many different readers.


Prompt: From the start of the first couple of sentences, there is the connection of the character to the prompt from the contest. Since it is a character based contest that element is important but was also one this time around easy for different people to interpret. For this one we get the stage magician and the relation to the classic "trick" with the sawing in half and the discussion over how things work. Towards the end, we get to the real magic element, which was the other half of the set of prompt requirements, making it work the this round.


Other Notes: Overall, the story is well done and enjoyable to read. Not much stood out or caused a distraction during the different times I read over the story. You could maybe consider a minor edit to consider a couple of points but either way it's a good story. If you do want to consider an edit, consider trimming out a few of the -ly ending words. Not incorrect but there are a fair number within the small word count required for the contest. A couple could be trimmed out and that will make the sentence stronger. You could also look at a few parts where you just have a couple words then have a comma. Again, it's not incorrect but it's something I do too where I rely on the same thing often so it becomes overdone and having variety in sentence structures and lengths just help with the flow. Just something to think about.

Nice work with the contest entry. Thank you for taking the time to create this story for the August official site contest. Keep writing.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
62
62
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: 18+ | (4.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.


Overall: A different approach with the use of present tense in the story. Not my favorite as a reader but something that can work at least in short fiction. Some may not like that aspect but there are also going to be other readers who enjoy the use to bring the action into the moment instead of the typical usage of past tense. It was interesting to use the approach of the stage "fake" magician as the secondary character instead of the point of view one but still works well to fit with the required prompt. However, with having to fit into the word count requirements necessary for the contest, it does feel like the story jumps around and the amount of dialogue made it a little difficult to follow (for me at least).


Prompt: This time around the contest did come with a couple different requirements that needed met but they were easy enough to find within the entry. There is the stage magician character that is being interviewed, so that works for the character part of the prompt. Then there is real magic from the main character, so the necessary points are met and easy enough for different readers to interpret.


Other Notes: You definitely have an interesting story here with a lot of potential. However, I do feel that the story is hindered by the word count of the contest because you had to jump from section to section in order to get all of the story put into under 2,000 words. Some of the sections are mostly dialogue and while they give important information at times, it starts to come across as too much dialogue and lacks some of the details that would really help to give the reader a real sense of the world around those talking. Now that the contest is over, I would suggest developing things further and putting more words into each section to even out the pace, so it doesn't jump around too much. Having a few different sections is fine, we don't need every minute of their conversation and story, just keep developing some parts more to help with the transitions and to keep the reader from losing what is happening in the story. If you enjoyed the story, putting more in will be a benefit and bring even more to the story for any reader who comes upon it.


Thank you for taking the time to develop this story following the prompts of the contest. We appreciated your entry and hope you enjoyed the challenge from the August site contest. Good luck with the story if you decide to continue working on it more in the future.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
63
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Review of The Last Miracle  
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.


Overall: A touching story that used the character based prompt to create a story about a stage magician on the verge of giving up the chance for a change. While at time when reading I had a minor struggle to follow the story, overall it's a good approach that other readers will enjoy.


Prompt: The contest had a specific set of details that were required for the story. While a character aspect as expected from the prompt since it is a character based contest, the addition of the conflict issue to include the real magic one time in relation to the fake magic character, there were some definite expectations. It was easy to see the prompts inspiration in the story with the main character being a stage magician and the development of the story towards the end.


Other Notes: Nice work with the story. The addition of the girl as the secondary character pestering the MC about the apprentice angle before bringing out later the aspects that develop to fit the story part of the prompt was a good choice. While the story is interesting, as I mentioned in the overall section, I did have a little bit of a struggle to follow the story after about the half way mark. It may need some more development or might just be my own personal struggles since we don't always understand stories in the same way. The technical side looks pretty good from the times I glanced over the story with nothing really standing out as a distraction from the nitpicky side of things.

Thank you for entering the official contest in August. I hope you enjoyed the challenge of the prompt and the story you created with the stage magician main character.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review of The Good Witch  
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.


Overall: An interesting approach to a story through the use of magic, entertainment and character. It has a nice beginning with focus on the point of view character, giving the reader a chance to dip into the world, to get to know some things before stepping towards what will become the conflict. The general story and use of the contest prompt created something that will entertain different readers that come across the story.


Prompt: The contest did have some specifics that were required with the character being the focus but also the plot point that was important. While many took the approach of the fake magic character being the viewpoint/main character. It was nice to have the different approach that gave a different twist. This can be helpful when it comes to a contest that can get around 20 entries. The character stood out because she was the source of the real magic that was required in the prompt but that she enjoyed watching stage (fake) magicians and that showed during the story. The real magic was the focus of the story and made things interesting for the reader.


Other Notes: Overall, you did well in the creation of the story. The conflict and characters were well created with limited things that stood out on the technical side. One thing to consider would be to work on the consistency of spacing between paragraphs. Things look fine in the beginning but when we get to where there are other characters and interactions it starts to get a little off with the spacing as some paragraphs have a couple sections kept together and others have spaces between them. In one, right after we meet Ambrose, it seems like there was an enter after a sentence when it wasn't needed and maybe it was supposed to be a single paragraph. Might want to do a quick read/edit check to make sure things are set up to avoid tripping any readers or distract from focus on the story. And maybe consider cutting back on one of the long paragraphs in the beginning. I found them interesting but some people might be less tempted to see longer paragraphs in the very beginning. If it makes sense, bring split one of them up but don't worry too much about them as the overall setting that part creates is working. Nothing else stands out and you created an interesting story that people will enjoy.

Thank you for taking the time to enter the site's official contest in August. Hope that you enjoyed writing the story and the challenge that the prompt created.



Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review of Darlene  
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.


Overall: This is a good story that used a character pretending to be a fortune teller who experiences a change of pace and struggle from a doubting client. It has a nice approach with the character, showing just enough in the beginning in order to set the scene and give a starting point for Darlene, the point of view character. From there, the reader can follow the journey of having to struggle in the small time circus venue and the use of the crystal ball for the prediction along with what becomes the conflict.


Prompt: The characters and plot for the story work in relation to the contest requirements from the character focused prompt. It was a bit of a challenge this time around since it was more than just using a specific type of character in a story. You had to use the character and add the plot element of fake and real magic in a way that both made sense but also would stand out in competition. Darlene works with her being a fortune teller that uses fake predictions in order to survive and the way the story develops provides the change with the conflict rising to the magic at the end of the story.



Other Notes: Overall, the writing is well done. One minor thing to consider with the look for the reader would be to maybe put the information about the contest and the word count at the end of the story instead of the beginning. While this isn't wrong or incorrect to place it at the top, it may be better to have the focus be the story and anyone who needs the extra details can get to it at the end. Speaking of ending... I'd also recommend removing "the end" at the end of the story because it's not really needed. In fact, while it does give that "this is done" influence for the reader, it actually detracts from the impact of the last line for the story.

The story itself works with the way you have developed the conflict and characters. While I could have used even more information and details, at the same time it's fine in the current length. It can be a challenge to get the balance of description, details, character and action within first person without it becoming forced sounding or going overboard. If you add to this it could bring another layer to the story, if not then this works well already.

Thank you for taking the time to create this story and entering the official contest from August. I hope that it was a fun challenge for you and that you enjoy the story created here.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.

Overall: A different approach created with the prompt of character and plot point involving magic, both fake and real. Don't often see the usage of present tense (since past tense is far more common) in a story. While I'm not a fan of the tense as a reader for most stories, it is something that other readers may really appreciate. I like the link with the loss the character has experienced, the source of the stage magic supplies and the way the conflict develops at the end. Everything ties together quite well.


Prompt: The contest did have a couple of specific requirements, even with the focus being character due to the name of the contest. Having the character and plot requirement can be a challenge at times but this round it worked in a way that made it easy for most to interpret in different ways. The story here has both elements that are easy for any reader to find. The main character attempting the sort of stage magic and usage of the wand along with the influence of the other character worked well together. The end (I won't say what for people who read the review first) is a nice touch connecting the other requirement of the prompt. Nicely done.


Other Notes: One minor thing to consider that is the location of the prompt information. While it's not a part of the story, it can be an element that needs work or editing. I say this because right now it's right at the very end of the story and looks like it might be part of it. I would drop it down at least a few spaces to give the reader a reason to pause after the very last line from the main character. Even better would be to use a drop note so the readers don't see the note about the contest and prompt unless they click on the link to drop it down, but just having space would be enough.

The writing is well done within the use of the point of view and tense. I don't see many who use the tense and I do appreciate that consistency, which can be a challenge at times. It is a good story and also see that even a little more development could bring things further. Or perhaps a little edit run, maybe check for pauses and places to put in commas just to make sure everything is set up well for the reader.

Thank you for taking the time to write this story for the site official contest in August. I hope that you enjoyed the challenge of the prompt and are happy with the story you created.



Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review of A Touch of Magic  
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: ASR | (5.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.


Overall: This is a very touching story that you've created with the stage magician using the magic tricks to help children in the hospital. It presented a main character who was easy to follow and showcased empathy while dealing with a difficult situation. The conflict developed in a way that made sense with the touching addition and result brought on from the contest prompt. Nicely written and sentimental story here.


Prompt: The prompt from the official contest was an easy to find concept within this particular story. The requirement included the use of a particular character along with a specific approach to the story. The main character is a stage magician, so someone that uses fake magic and tricks, which is the character part of the prompt. The magic instance at the end is the final piece for the prompt and worked well to create the story.


Other Notes: Overall, you did a good job with the story. It is well written and I didn't notice much that stands out in a distracting way with the story. Only thing really that I could maybe point out is to cut down on a couple of exclamation points. Nothing wrong with them but of punctuation it is one that does better limited in order to give the usage even more impact. But they could also remain in the story if that is what you prefer.

Thank you for taking the time to enter the official site contest in August. I hope you enjoyed the challenge of the prompt when creating this story.



Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt.


Overall: This took an interesting approach with the "psychic" main character. While I'm not the biggest fan of first person point of view as a reader, it made sense for this story and I could in some ways relate to the main character. I've been in a psychic chatroom online back when msn had chat rooms in the early 2000's and can say even online some that seek out these readings are in part just looking for someone to talk to about their struggles in order to work it out and psychologists cost more money. Can see where things were going and it was believable with how the main character was presented in the story. I also find crystal balls to be way too expensive. And I will say, you created a good twist with the "fake" reader getting her own future read by someone else at the climax of the story.


Prompt: When it comes to the character, can definitely find elements of the prompt since it had to be someone who was either a magician or fortune teller, someone of that nature/"vocation" as the central focus in the story. Near the beginning of the story, I wasn't sure in relation to the prompt because the character is supposed to be fake but near the beginning she has a "true" prediction with the pregnancy creating the character to take the path to use psychic as a way to interact. With this particular prompt, expected more false from the start with the one instance of true magic alone. Not that it made for a bad story or anything, it does work with the character, but in relation to the prompt it did stand out a little for me.


Other Notes: One aspect to consider for the technical side for the story is the paragraph spacing. The beginning was a little difficult to read and get through, which makes it a challenge because you want people to keep reading to get to the interesting character and situation in the second half of the story. The tab in most of the new paragraphs might not be necessary because some of the short sentences look a little odd with the small words hanging at the end on a second line. And having the very first sentence not having the tab makes it look out of place. The beginning needs a little work with which sentences are grouped together in paragraphs and when to separate with space. Extra space between paragraphs to show jumps in time or focus (several, like 4-7 spaces) will help to give readers indication of the change going on during those parts.

Overall, nice work and with a little development, this story could really stand out. Thank you for taking the time to enter the official WDC contest in August. I hope you enjoyed the challenge and the story you have created. Keep having fun and writing.



Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Greetings. I am reviewing your story today for the official contest, "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the contest and making the attempt at the character presented by the prompt. Hope the reviews help and that you enjoyed writing.


Overall: I did like the approach to the story with the usage of prompt and creative elements used in picking the type of magic to bring into the story. While I have a personal preference for a main point of view character that I can like or have more empathy towards, I can also appreciate the approach you took with this one.


Prompt: The prompt was an easy aspect to interpret in the story with the use of the "fortune teller" main character. Even having it as the title makes the aspect of the character a forefront element for the reader to expect where the focus will remain. Your story fits the bill, using the character and the aspect required for the plot that will be easy for readers to find if they are aware of the prompt that inspired the end result. Those who don't know the prompt can also enjoy the storyline that came from the requirements.


Other Notes: On the technical side, it might be helpful to find a different way to do the inner dialogue so that it doesn't get mixed up with spoken words between characters. When you get to the part in the beginning with her thinking about how the other woman is a sucker and falling for her trick, it reads almost as if she says it out loud with the quotation marks. It's also in italics, which is often used for inner thoughts. I would suggest doing just the italics on her inner thoughts and not use the " marks when it's the main point of view character thinking things that the other characters in the story wouldn't be able to hear.

For an edit, you could consider doing a quick search through the story for words that end in -ly, in particular in the beginning. Nothing wrong with adverbs like that in general, but it does lose a little impact for the language when done often. I would suggest picking the paragraphs that get the most boost from the words and cutting out a few of the others in order to make the writing a little stronger.

Also, while not necessary, you could consider maybe using a different title. While the current one is straightforward and tells the reader what type of character to expect, it isn't the most attention catching. Outside of the contest, for anyone browsing for things to read it will be the title and item description that have to make them interested to click the link in order to read.


Thank you for taking the time to enter the site official contest for August. I hope you enjoyed the challenge and had fun creating the story from a character based prompt.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review by Dawn Embers
Rated: E | (5.0)
Hi there.

Considering this review is for a blog post, I'm not sure if it will link to the exact post or be put as a review for the blog overall. If it doesn't show, this review is connected to "I Write Round 3 and WDC Birthday Week" and that makes for a different style of review.

Have to say, while it's a challenge to consider my review, I also enjoy that element of difference. While it's fun to review poems and stories, it's also a nice change of pace to look at something else and give some comments with a different focus.

I have to admit that I've slacked on WDC birthday events for the last 5 years or so. It's such a fun time and a worthy cause for events, yet it always seems to hit at a time when I'm distracted or struggling. It is near my anniversary on the site as well, so one would think I'd take part more but something about end of August and start of September hits odd. This year, I was sick. Last year was busy with work. However, I'm glad to see other people talking about the events and promoting things. I've been on the site almost as long as you but still can appreciate the tips provided with the post here. Thank you.

The discussion of the I Write challenge is also interesting. I haven't taken part in the activity for a while, even though I've always been a fan. I know it can be difficult and to take part more than once a year is very challenging. Well done so far. Even when you scramble (I often do during rounds in previous years) you still can make progress and get things done. I hope you enjoy this time around as well. Good luck to you.
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Review of Free Montana  
Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hello QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham .

My name is Dawn and I'm reviewing your item as a judge for "Journey Through Genres: Official Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the official contest with the genre based prompt. My apologies for the review delay. Life is still busy offline and I'm doing my best to get time on the site for contests/other activities.


First Impression: The title caught my attention from the beginning and it had an interesting approach to an alternative fiction option. It's got the twist that we can relate to with the pandemic but draws back to the past instead of making one out of the current struggles. It has character and story, which will draw people to read it.


Prompt: For this contest, it was somewhat simple because the entry just had to be found within the genre of alternative history. This is both easier and difficult because of the open nature but also made it fun for the judge/readers to see where each writer took their story. In this case, we have a "free state" of Montana. Works for the prompt and set well in regards to judgement for the contest.


Story Thoughts: This was a creative and interesting approach. I am familiar with the state of Montana in general having grown up south of it. We did a vacation one summer there. It's a nice, very big state. The idea of independence of state is interesting too. While most think of Texas or the South, it made sense to consider a state like Montana as one that could go on its own and have a specific climate of situations. I liked the approach and it read much like a story with the characters along with how the dialogue worked.


Final Comments: Nice work overall with this story. Nothing glaring stood out in relation to the technical side of writing. There is a fair amount of stuff involved within the story and I think if you wanted, it is something that could be expanded even further to a longer story. It has potential and I'd be curious to see where things go if you did work on it more in the future.

Thank you again for entering the site's official contest months ago. I hope you enjoyed the challenge of the genre and coming up with this Montana story.

Good job and keep writing.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hello Graham Muad'dib .

My name is Dawn and I'm reviewing your item as a judge for "Journey Through Genres: Official Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the official contest with the genre based prompt. My apologies for the long delay in the review. Between work and everything going on, I've had less time to spend on the site. Thank you for your patience.


First Impression: An interesting approach to the alternate history story that focuses on creating a story that has a fantastical/fictional feel in a way that will draw readers down the page. There are some elements that are different but the way they are spun together helps to develop a story people will enjoy to read.


Prompt: This time around, the journey through the genres involved taking a look at the world of alternative history stories. In some ways the prompt could be seen as easy and other aspects make it a challenge. While this story in particular doesn't have, for me, and obvious connection to a particular point in history, it comes with a style and approach that gives the feel of creating a history.


Story Thoughts: I liked the approach you took with the story. Even though it feels a little dialogue heavy at times, those areas and conversations are obviously important. They help move the reader along while giving information needed. The bits of song are nice touches that pull things together. Even with the different names, it wasn't difficult to get used to things since I often read fantasy or sci-fi. Some readers may struggle at first but they will get over it as they get further into the story. You did a great job in creating a struggle and realistic character, putting a lot into the limited word count for the contest.


Final Comments: Overall, the writing is strong. Nothing stood out in particular to make the reader struggle to read or move along. Nothing hindered or tripped the reading. Even the use of italics makes sense considering the style and approach done for the story. We appreciated the entry for the contest months ago. I hope you enjoyed the challenge of the prompt and what you were able to create in this story.

Keep Writing!



Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hello Pernell Rogers .

My name is Dawn and I'm reviewing your item as a judge for "Journey Through Genres: Official Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the official contest with the genre based prompt. My apologies for the delay in the review.


First Impression: The title is an attention grabber and brought some interest with the description of the item, getting things off to a good start. The characters stand out in particular. Having strong characters followed the story developed, helps to pull the reader through the story.


Prompt: This time around the genre focus was to create an alternative history story. In some ways it can be seen as an easy prompt because an entire genre is allowed but then you have to find a way to narrow things down in order to create a single story. Some histories are easier to see as alternative, depending on the choice made. For this one, even though my history knowledge is waning, I could see the historical side and go from there as we follow through to the alternative approach taken. Nice work.


Story Thoughts: You have a strong story that focuses on a particular story that came a little unexpected. While not obvious it also was a choice that made a lot of sense considering the prompt. You created a character with interest that will bring the reader through the story with curiosity in wondering where things are going to go from the title until the very ent.


Final Comments: I didn't see anything to note on the technical side. You did a good job writing the story and developing both the characters and plot for the short amount of word count allowed. We appreciated the entry months ago for the official site contest. I hope you enjoyed the challenge of the prompt and coming up with the story.

Have fun and keep writing.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hello Espero .

My name is Dawn and I'm reviewing your item as a judge for {ritem:}. Thank you for entering the official contest with the genre focused prompt. Sorry for the delay in this review.


First Impression: I had a good connection to the prompt and the possible situation from the beginning of the story with the title. From there, we get a character who is in our time but then we get to see something of the past with the chance that a change could be made. Even though my history knowledge has become quite lacking over the years I could still understand where things were going and didn't mind the dream aspect.


Prompt: This time around the genre contest gave the challenge for the writer to create an alternate history story. The genre contest can be fun since just having to fit within a genre gives lots of options for creativity in stories or poems. That open aspect can also be a challenge in picking what to write and it has to be done in a way the readers/judges can see without having to stretch too hard to fit it within the expectations. With this particular entry, the connection starts off from the title and continues from there making things easy for the judge to tell how the story fits within the prompt for the contest.


Story Thoughts: Interesting approach with the story. The "dream" or character sleeps and goes into a different world/the past isn't as surprising but it's also done really well in your story. A big factor in making a somewhat used or known concept is in the execution. For this one, the way you create the show the character in the beginning and end are what help to make your approach to the story work. I could have used even more but the contest does have word count limits.


Final Comments: The story was easy to read over in general and nothing in particular stood out in regards to the technical side of writing. You took a nice approach in how you created characters, built a conflict and showed a story within a limited framework of a short story. Nice work.

Thank you for taking the time and entering the official site contest. We appreciated the entry and hope you enjoyed the challenge the prompt provided.

Keep Writing.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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Review by Dawn Embers
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Hello Aurthor .

My name is Dawn and I'm reviewing your item as a judge for "Journey Through Genres: Official Contest"  [E]. Thank you for entering the official contest with the genre based prompt.

First Impression: This entry had a strong story feel with how it is written. The way it reads gives that almost fictional feel but we still can also see the history with the choice of main point of view character for most of the story. There is a good sense of both character and conflict, which will interest random readers on the site.


Prompt: For this contest it is somewhat simple since the requirement only specifies the genre and that allows many possibilities for what you can create in a story. This time around, the challenge came in writing an alternate history. That does have its own challenges. You never know what the reader will know on the history side and there has to be some connection in order to see what makes it alternate. The approach you took was easy to see with where you took the story and the end. Nice work in putting everything together.


Story Thoughts: This is a strong story with a known, historical figure at the center. We get the character along with a strong sense of conflict with the situation found on this second journey. Things don't go quite as well as one might first think when coming up to a story involving Columbus.


Final Comments: You did a good job in the creation of this story. There was thought and creativity that went into this story, which is evident for the reader. Nothing stands out or trips things up on the technical side. Nice work.

Only suggestion I have that doesn't really affect the impact of the story or the rating is where you place the word count. We appreciate having it available as the judge but most of the time, readers won't be as interested. You want them to get to the story since that is what they click on the item for in the long run. I'd suggest putting word counts at the bottom of items. You can include things like prompts if you want to people know what inspired the story. If you don't want them standing out at the bottom there are options like creating a drop down so only those interested in extra details will have the option to click on it. Something for you to consider.

Thank you for taking the time to come up with this story and entering it in the official site contest for November taking us on a journey through the genres. We hope you enjoyed the challenge with the contest and coming up with this entry.

Keep writing.


Sig I bought to put on my reviews.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .
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