Story Reviews
Reviews by manddscott
About manddscott:
About me:
So I've thought about what it takes for me to give a story a 10. Another review I read gave a basic guidelines as follows:
A 6 is simply average, like getting a C in school.
A 7 is the equivalent of a B grade. Good, and above average.
An 8 would be the equivalent of an A, well above average. In technical score, this could indicate more than just one or two errors spotted per chapter.
A 9 would be like an A+, while a 10 is a story that I would read again. A 10 in technical score, to me, indicates a work that is virtually error-free.
I rarely give a perfect 10 in a review. I admit, I am a grammar nazi, and when I see too many grammatical errors in a story, it tends to distract me so much from the story itself that I can't force myself to keep reading. Every once in a while, an author will come along who, even with some grammatical mistakes, tells a story that is so moving, so compelling, that it overcomes the faults.
I truly enjoy a story that makes sense to me, and carries a true plot. For a longer story, character development is a must. Too many times an author worries about word count without worrying about what the words are. If I wanted to read bad writing, I could just copy and paste "they had sex" 100,000 times, and I could claim to have a 300,000 word novel, but goodness knows I would not expect anyone to read it.
Like another reviewer, my major dislike is lack of plot. I also accept that a stroke story is just that but I'd like to see a reason for two people to get it on. What I personally don't prefer to read is a story in which 80-90% of the writing are sex scenes. There are 24 hours in a day, 7 days in any given week. If people had sex 90% of that time, after only a week they would be dead. They have to eat, drink, use the facilities, often work or go to school, etc. Tell me what makes them tick. As boring as you may think their life is, perhaps others may find their reasoning thrilling. Or, even more possible, who they interact with is even more interesting.
If a story has, in my opinion, significant potential, I will mention it. Remember, however, that it is only an opinion. Likewise, if an author really needs to relook at his work to make it bearable, that will also be my opinion. You don't have to agree with me. I won't complete a wholly negative review, however. I find no pleasure in destroying an aspiring writer.
Hope you find my reviews meaningful to you. Please note that my first several reviews were of some of my all-time favorite stories on SOL, so the presence of those stories skews the number of 10s. Those are stories I have gone back an read more than once, and still find value in the reading.
Mike
P: Plot | Q: Technical Qualities | A: Appeal to Reviewer
