Reviewing with River

Hmm . . . I can understand your pain, Quick-Quill! Personal struggles/sorrows expressed in poor writing are some of the trickiest things to review.

Most people take critiques of their writing very personally, so it takes a tremendous amount of tact and grace to tell someone how boring their life story is (when expressed on paper) without coming across as a heartless buffoon.

I'll be the first to admit I do NOT possess such stellar qualities, so my default strategy would be to avoid reviewing said piece at all costs! However, since that is not an option here, I'll do one of the following, depending on the situation at hand:


1) Writing is powerfully cathartic. So if the author is writing to unleash pent up emotions or bring dark memories to light, I'll consider their review request as (i) a need to talk, (ii) a desire to be understood, or (iii) a cry for help. So, I probably won't comment on their writing skills (or lack of it) at all.

Instead, my "review" would be of a more conversational nature. (Imagine yourself in a face-to-face situation with the author. How would you respond to them verbally if this were a social setting?) The author's thoughts would usually (and understandably) be all over the place, and the author's emotions might still be a little raw, so tread gently here.

If pressed for technical details (Should I publish this? Don't you think my story is inspiring/appealing? How's my writing?), I'd be honest but encourage them to seek a second opinion.


2) If I know for a fact (from prior interaction or observation) that the author doesn't appreciate honest feedback and only wants to be "encouraged", I'll give them my 2 cents' worth anyway! I'll point out both the commendable AND the not-so-commendable parts, and continue on my merry way.

Hey, I'd avoid reviewing them in the first place, remember? However, if that's unavoidable, the next best thing would be to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. (Why torment each other?)


3) If it's a friend or someone whom I believe is sincerely looking for feedback, I'll also give them my 2 cents' worth, but it would be accompanied by plenty of explanations and examples, and/or pertinent questions (seeking further clarification).

I'll spend a lot of time re-reading the piece and crafting my review so as to provide as much constructive feedback as possible (only to the best of my ability though ). And the process usually doesn't end with the review itself — there'll be lots of back and forth discussing various points long after the "formal review" has been submitted.


And that's how I handle "difficult" review situations in general. I'm curious though — how did you handle the particular scenario that sparked this discussion thread, Quick-Quill?