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Review of Nature's Beauty  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.5)
Lauren,

I love the imagery here. You cover a broad spectrum of nature's wonders.*Smile*

Look at this one again. All the commas make it read like a run-on sentence. The paragraph at the end takes from the flow. Try to set this into stanzas: two or three lines each. This will help your readers to actually see what you are showing in this piece.
They can savor each scene you set.

The words are very visual. They are fine. The only thing that needs work is structure.

Keep writing!
~Nikola
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Rated: E | (4.0)
Hi Lauren,

I so love winter! Your poem shows the lovely dance a snowflake does as it falls. Gorgeous imagery!

I have some comments:

"disapears" should be "disappears"

only to go start
I don't really understand this. Look at it and see if you can make it more clear for your readers.

Read this aloud. It feels to me that the repetition of "it" and "its" is too much. How do you feel about it?

This piece brought a peaceful feeling to me. That lovely feeling I get when I watch the snow fall. Nice!

~Nikola
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Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
Goddess,

I love this! It's reads like an anthem for women writers!*Smile*

I love all the themes you take me through as I read. I love the scenarios. I love the next to last stanza!

I really like that you come back to "I want to write."
This poem made me smile.

~Nikola
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Review of Letting Go  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Cindy,

I felt this perfectly! This is exactly what I do! *Smile*

There is something about being outside that brings peace to my soul. This poem speaks to me of this.

I love your description of evening turning to night. Of the feeling of connecting to the Divine.
An amazing poem!
~Nikola
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Rated: E | (5.0)
Cindy,

Now you knew I would love this poem!

I felt it had a rhythm to it almost like the dance itself. The excitement builds, the dance takes place, but there is no let down afterwards. Only the promise of the next dance. I really like that!

Wonderful!
~Nikola
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Review of The Anger Within  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Cindy,

This is powerful!

The words in this poem tell me that although the past still haunts, you have made those first steps toward healing.

As I read, I could feel the pain, anger and beginnings of release. You express yourself very well with poetry.

Hugs,
~Nikola
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Review of Giving Thanks  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Cindy,

This is beautiful! I hope that you shared this with your brother. It would mean the world to him.

I really enjoy your poetry. You say exactly what you need to in very few words. Your meaning/emotion comes through clearly. (It also makes it very difficult to find anything to gripe about! *Wink*)

~Nikola
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Rated: E | (4.0)
Cindy,

I couldn't agree with you more!

Music and meditation do wonders for me as well.

I would really love to see you expand on this piece. Make your readers feel as near as you can to the peace you feel when you do these things. I want to experience this with you (as a reader) as much as possible. *Smile*

Beautiful piece!
~Nikola
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Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Sneezy,

This piece rings so true! When I was in school, if you didn't drink, smoke or a few other things, you just weren't "cool." I wasn't cool.

I did those things after I graduated, but you know what? Years later, I've chosen to be uncool again. I treasure life more.

This is what I see in your poem. Someone who decided to go with the "in" crowd at the cost of a dear friend.

My only comment is:
In the fifth stanza, remove the period after the third line.

This is a well-written, thoughtful piece. Well Done!
~Nikola
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Review of The Green Cat  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Tim,

I really like this piece! You do an excellant job of describing the cat--I could picture it.

My only comment is that I wanted more. I want to know more about this cat. It is an unusual cat afterall. I just feel there is more to the story and it's begging to be told. Give that thought some consideration.

~Nikola
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Rated: E | (3.5)
Johnny,

This story has some really good elements! Your description helps to bring it to life. The storyline itself is compelling.

My comments:
A tribal headpiece held his long black hair that blew in the wind as he adjusted his feet for the uneven surface of the forest edge.
Separate this into two sentences. As it stands now, it doesn't make much sense.

"A tribal headpiece held his long black hair that blew in the wind...."
If his hair is blowing in the wind, exactly what is the headpiece holding? His hair out of his eyes? Help your readers see this.
For the second sentence, "He adjusted his feet for the uneven surface of the forest edge."

A spirit would not have torn these men to pieces, not all of the bodies could be found because of how much the animal *feed on the mens' flesh, the bite marks were wolf.
This also need broken up. Your reader will feel bombarded with information and may not absorb something important to the story.

"A spirit would not have torn these men to pieces." Try to remind the reader again that "these men" were Jacy's family.

"Not all of the bodies could be found because of how much the animal *feed on the men's flesh."
*feed should be *fed.

"The bite marks were wolf."

He needed to find its weakness and race back to the tribe, even if he injured it that would give the hunters some help finding it.
Place a period instead of the comma to make this two sentences.

His aim was true and it surprised him that the spirit howled, in what sounded like pain.
Omit the comma in this one.

In the one place, you write that a spirit would NOT have torn the men to pieces, yet later on, we find out it is, in fact, just that. Make your facts match.

I would like to see you take more time with this piece. Explain more about the hunting trip that ended in tragedy. Build on the relationship with Jacy's brother. Give more detail in the final confrontation.

It is a good story! Work with it some to draw it out for your readers and it will be great!

Keep writing!
~Nikola
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Review of Facing reality  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Frank,

This is a good "slice of life" story. I like the description you used. I could see the movement of the water.

My comments:
It takes a few rain drops to realize it's raining. Sometimes, only when we are soaked from the torrent do we know it's raining.
Using "it's raining" in back to back sentences reads a bit repetitive. Try rewording one or the other to add interest.

She sat in content...
Perhaps "She sat contentedly..."

In the third paragraph from the end, everything from Sam and Tiffany had spent the day... (to) ...in order to purchase clothes for Tiffany's new job. This is deadwood unless you plan to make this into a much longer story. The rest of the piece is focused on the moment they are at the wading pool. The part I point out takes off in a different direction, thus disturbing the feel of the story.

One thing I've also learned is to leave an extra space between paragraphs. This makes a story much easier to read! I found that out the hard way. *Smile*

This is a good piece, it just needs a little tightening up.
Keep writing!
~Nikola
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Review of A Duo Of Demons  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
W.D.,

Very cool! Do you read this to your kids when they act up? *Smile*

I like the way you jump right into the action with dialog. I laughed out loud at the names "Anal" and "Poot!" *Laugh*

I also loved the dialog between these two. What a fun pair of characters! Well, considering they are demons.

I found this to be a delightful read! I found nothing out of kilter.
Great work!
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Review of Reflection  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hi Briteyez!

I really like the emotion and the way this reads. The pain is clearly evident for the reader.

I have a few comments:

"stairing" should be "staring"

"erges" should be "urges"

My one other comment is that this doesn't read like poetry. That's not a bad thing. I feel this is well written and other than the spelling mistakes, I don't think I'd change a thing.
Consider putting this in the "prose" category instead.

Good job!
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Rated: E | (5.0)
Tharani,

What a wonderful poem! You have expressed perfectly what true friendship is all about.

This not only reminds me of the friendships I had when growing up, but the friendships I enjoy now. This is a timeless piece.

Very well done!

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Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Drama Queen,

This is an excellant prologue! It sets up what has happened and gives a hint of what is to come. As a reader, I care and want to know more!

A few comments:

I am a prisoner to the parchment and the ink
Love this line! Very nice!

The only errors I found had to do with possessive apostrophes.

it was fates wish (fate's)

fates hand (fate's)

the immortals circle (immortal's)

the humans soul (human's)

Keep an eye out for that and you'll do fine! *Smile*
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Review of Fallen Angel  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Genevieve,

This is a riveting piece! Your use of imagery breathes amazing life into the words and leaves the reader with a sense of peace.

A few comments:

I must focus better to maintain your attentions *don't I?
Try dropping the "s" on "attention." This will give the reader the feel that Ardeo is speaking only to them.
Replace "don't" with "shouldn't." I feel that this reads smoother.

man made is one word

"Halppy" is a typo--happy

You bring life to Ardeo. He feels very real. Wonderful character development!

Good work!
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Review of The Phone Call  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Mystic,

This is written with much emotion.

For a flash fiction piece, you got your story across very well. I ached for your character. Your description brought her pain to the front vividly.

Very nice!
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Review of The Devil and Me  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Mystic,

Wow! You have a way with a story!
Your use of imagery and description really brought this piece to life. I like the words choices you made.

My comments:
...nor the *taunt stretched lips...
Taut

*it was the same sick...
Capitalize "it."

This left me wanting a "Part Two." I would love to see what happens at the chess lesson!

Great work!
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Rated: E | (4.5)
Beautiful!
I love the way you use language here. I like the comparison of a love affair with the changes of dawn and dark.

This is really nice!

~Nikola
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Review of Just a Moment  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Incurable,

Nice work! Even though you don't name your characters,
I still felt an affinity with them. You provided enough background for them to do that.

The only comment:
He said they shouldn't see other...
"see *each other"

I liked this piece--well done!

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Review of Real  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
Dreamer,

This is well thought-out and well written.

These are just some of the questions I have dealt with during my lifetime. We all must find our own path to our conclusions.

I thoroughly enjoyed this!

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Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Julian,

Interesting tale you have here! Really good interaction between the characters. I found Eroll to be a character himself! *Wink*

First, you need to go into edit and list this as a Script/Play rather than a Short Story. That confused me at first, but the more I read, the more I realized this was written in play form.

Use a space between paragraphs and between quotations. This will make it so much easier to read.
Also, use a line break or an extra space between scene and action changes. This will allow anyone reading your play to better follow the action.

Make sure that when you are quoting you characters, that you begin the sentences with capital letters. There are several places where you didn't.

He has a certain *whit
wit

The *Third is *tom
The third is Tom

but he lacks *the Jules's intelligence
You can drop "the."

a servant to *the Lucifer
Drop "the."

too much to *bare
bear

coming *form the flames
from (I do this ALL the time!)

The man cried out what are you doing and Balboa said, what will you give me if I save you.
Do it this way:
The man cried out 'What are you doing?' and Balboa said, 'What will you give me if I save you?'

mesin' should be messin'

*H runs
He

The flames begin *form shapes
forming

drags him away *form the flame
from

This is basically what I see. Work with this and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to e-mail me.

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Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Sandra,
I really love the dialect you use in this! Along with the description, it brings this piece to life.

My only complaint is that I wanted more. I think you could add more details and more character interaction, etc., and this would be a wonderful story. Run with it, play with it, build on it. I think you'll be surprised at how much more you can do with this!

Nice work.
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Rated: 18+ | (4.5)
Melody,

This is some teaser! This sounds like a book I would buy and read.

I could relate to parts of this. I live in Oklahoma right now, about an hour south of the City.
And the agoraphobia thing jumped out at me. I've had 3 rather nasty bouts with that. No fun at all!

There are a few misspellings in this. You might want to check for those.
Other than that, I felt this is well written. It grabbed me and made me want more. You have a great writing style that makes your reader feel that you are talking directly to them.
Best of luck with this! I'm rooting for you!

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