S🤦‍♂️'s (steven-writer) Reviews

Review Requests: ON
2,779 Public Reviews Given
2,846 Total Reviews Given
Review Style
Minimalist. Focus on technical. I also look at how a work would fit into the traditional publishing landscape. I don't use a template. Warning: I am Australian, and so cultural differences may apply.
Favorite Genres
Most, really.
Least Favorite Genres
Fan-fiction
Favorite Item Types
Short stories and essays.
I will not review...
I will not review porn, fan-fiction or pro-religious/OTT-pro-USA essays. No interactives either, please.
Public Reviews
1
1

Review of The Final Sentence  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Interesting. The character harassing the writer is a trope I have used a few times, so I know how much fun it can be to write. What sets this apart is the fact it was the ending being written and then the ending was something mysterious for the reader.

Nice work, and good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
2
2

Review of Drabble activity 2025- 25 in 25  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Very Avengers of you in this story. The way Beverly is struggling and the stranger is just so blase about it all makes this feel like a scene from the post Endgame world.

At least, that's how I read it. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
3
3

Review of Drabbles '26  

for entry "#11 What's cooking?
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
It took me a few moments to work out this was Jeopardy, but that's cultural as it has not been on TV here for decades. And the 'you must answer in the form of a question' fits the prompt perfectly.

I like the way this one keeps the prompt and takes it down a very different path. Well done, and good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
4
4

Review of Short, sweet or scary  

for entry "Loving worms
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
The second person to try this prompt! I didn't think I'd get any. Inconsistent rhymes and rhythm is the way Seuss would have done it, and focusing on worms is certainly weird enough for him.

Fun little piece. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
5
5

Review of Short, sweet or scary  

for entry "Words on a postcard
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Well, that escalated quickly! The race across eight states, a sudden catastrophe, police involvement, hospitalisation... It's amazing how much can fit into 100 words!

Technically, there were verb tense jumps, present and past.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
6
6

Review of Short, sweet or scary  

for entry "I love animals
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
This reminds me of the joke: "Do you love animals? So do I! We must exchange recipes!" A goat in the kitchen being eaten is not where I saw the prompt going.

My only issue is the last line about the bear. It does not fit in with the rest of the story.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
7
7

Review of Short, sweet or scary  

for entry "Am I In It?
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
A situation too many writers find themselves in. I know when I'm writing in the pub I do. However, I have never hurled my laptop at someone, no matter how tempting that may be at times.

Fun little tale. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
8
8

Review of Short, sweet or scary  

for entry "Birthday
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (3.5)
While very sweet, this is barely a story. Only the fact something happens in the last line is this a tale. And the rules did state a work of fiction; this most certainly is not that.

I will let is slide for this first one, but the rules must be followed. Sorry. I am pedantic.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
9
9

Review of Drabble 1 — Birthday  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Nice twist, but that it happens halfway through the story sets this apart from most. I like the wish idea, and then not having another wish, indicating a satisfied life. Very cool for the prompt and for a drabble.

Good start. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
10
10

Review of Drabble activity 2025- 25 in 25  

for entry "Sept 5, 2026 - Julia
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
This is a far more intellectual conversation than I had in mind when I put the prompt into the list, but it is hardly surprising. I had in my head the human being full of emotion and the cat speaking with a complete deadpan. And the way the cats says her name at the end, I can almost imagine the sneer.

Nice work.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
11
11

Review of Drabble activity 2025- 25 in 25  

for entry "Sept 4 2026 - Ouch
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Well, this certainly went to a place I did not think it would go (I like it when that happens), and, as a male, I can very much attest to doing stupid things, especially as a pre-teen or younger teen, to get the attention of a crush.

All too realistic.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
12
12

Review of Drabbles '26  

for entry "#10 "Fire!"
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
I am going to make the guess that this had something to do with a chilli of the hottest level. I gathered that, didn't need it spelt out because you described what it is like well. I have done these contests in the past and, yes - this is it.

Interesting -shirt to win as well.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
13
13

Review of Drabbles '26  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Clever. Nice combination of the two characters (Alice and Sherlock) which I am surprised worked in the drabble format. Using Holmes' drug addiction and Alice's adventures being probably a dream is a good way to combine their tales.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
14
14

Review of Drabbles '26  

for entry "#8 The Top 10…
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
This confused me a little. I thought at first they were giving everything a rating of 10, but then 11 came up and that was bad, and then there was a top 10 list. Also, there was a jump from 1st to 3rd person PoV in there as well.

This could have done with a bit more clarity to me.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
15
15

Review of Drabbles '26  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
I am sure virtually no-one else here will get this, but I think poor Mr Calloway would go through this all the time. And my understanding is that, nowadays, he is actually a decent guy. The 'sign my tits' is something my friends on US wrestling TV still get, even today!

Subtle story-telling. Nicely done. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
16
16

Review of Drabbles '26  

for entry "#6 All A Dream
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
The 'it was all a dream' ending is one that I generally cannot stand, but you have started with it and then ended, and it makes perfect sense within the context of the tale you have told.

The tales works well on that level, and has the perfect twist for a drabble.

Nice job; good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
17
17

Review of Drabbles '26  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
I wondered how you were going to turn this into a story, but you managed it. Drac orders sunshine that he can use, but then it contains garlic. Just perfect for the character. The actual product was a nice bonus.

And VT - Vlad Tepes - clever.

Well done. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
18
18

Review of Drabbles '26  

for entry "#4 Lawnmower
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
If I hadn't seen a documentary on lawnmower racing, this would have confused me! Dragged along by his underwear... did he go for a ride in the spinning rotors of death?

Fun little drabble. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
19
19

Review of Drabbles '26  

for entry "#3 "I hurt myself"
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
This felt like something out of Star Trek or the like. Doctors, electronic or human, they always know best. the deactivation at the end was a nice touch.

Technically, 'she waved' should be 'She waved' and the comma after interrupted should be a full stop.

Good job. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
20
20

Review of Drabbles '26  

for entry "#2 "Writing"
Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.0)
I was a little confused by this one. I think it was the overuse of the pronoun 'he'. I was not sure who had written. It almost felt like a head hop. Sorry. And should 'he started' be 'he stated'?

The story was there, an old man reading a letter from a son not coming home from war, but there was some muddle, I think.

Still, okay. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
21
21

Review of Drabble activity 2025- 25 in 25  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Funny tale. It made me smile, so well done., I do like it when I don't see then ending coming. Talking just made it.

Technically, watch capital letters in direct speech tags.

Otherwise, a fun drabble. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
22
22

Review of Drabble activity 2025- 25 in 25  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Ooh, getting political! Of course, there have been many 2-term presidents, but my guess is something very recent. Nice little drabble; I was brought to think of Shaw (apocryphal): "I would have challenged him to a battle of wits, but he was unarmed."

Nice job. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
23
23

Review of Drabble activity 2025- 25 in 25  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Yeah, would AI even understand the concept of a birthday? What would it mean to a machine? So many philosophical questions from 100 words. Well done!

A fine way to start this activity. Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
24
24

Review of Inspired  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Oh, yes, the trusting gut instincts as a writer is the hardest part. Second-guessing and discarding makes everything so much worse.

Decent little drabble, technically clean, fine effort.

Good luck going forward.


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
25
25

Review of My Job at the Bank  

Review by steven-writerMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
This came up on 'Read & Review.'

Nope, I didn't get he was a bank robber until the end, so the surprise ending made me smile, especially the way he got caught with the cigarette, and then the denouement with the whole warning from the wife worked so well.

Nice little comedy flash with just the right amount of show v tell for the length.

Great little tale. Good luck going forward.


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