My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE STORY
A woman brings home 3 rabbits from a conference and it causes a bunch of trouble.
WHAT I LIKED
I really appreciate it when a story can be told using only dialogue. That's a challenge. Well done here.
DIALOGUE
Dialogue drives the story. Good use of punctuation to communication inflection and tone of voice.
DESCRIPTIONS
Description is always a challenge with dialogue because it's implied, but here, there's enough to direction to let the scene play out in the reader's imagination. I especially liked: "What?!? You brought home a rabbit?" -- "Three." -- The reader can picture 3 rabbits coming home to a reluctant caretaker.
SETTING
TIME: Modern day
PLACE: house
This is something that is clarified for the reader.
CHARACTERS
A couple
You can understand one's love for the rabbits and the other's reluctance. Well done.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any punctuation/spelling mistakes.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The title fits the story, and the opening pulls the reader right into the dilemma. Well done!
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE STORY
Sprocket is a helpful apprentice and there's one more race to tackle.
WHAT I LIKED
I loved the undercurrent of respect Sprocket had for Mr. Alexander. Very well done considering the word count.
POV NARRATION/TENSE
This is told in the third person limited from Sprocket's perspective. Good job with narration. Past tense is used appropriately.
DIALOGUE
There's a good blend of dialogue and narration. I would suggest an edit for dialogue tags. Use only "he said" or "she replied" in tags to identify the speaker only, if you have to. Put action in a seperate sentence. Put the action first, then the dialogue.
FOR EXAMPLE, AS WRITTEN: "Check your pilot’s seat, Mr. Alexander,” she answered calmly, then scratched her cheek, surveying the beauty of what she hoped would carry her…her whatever he was, over the finish line first."
MY SUGGESTION: "Check your pilot's seat, Mr. Alexander." She scratched her check, surveying the beauty of what she hoped would carry her...her whatever he was, over the finish line first.
DESCRIPTIONS
There's enough to set the scenes. I liked: "Fearful tears filled his eyes." -- The author uses a good economy of words to convey a vivid picture in the reader's mind as well as communicate emotion. Mr. Alexander is afraid to race again.
SETTING
TIME: This is a steampunk fantasy which is an alternate past.
PLACE: airship race
This is something that is clarified for the reader.
CHARACTERS
Sprocket
Sprocket is dedicated to her craft, but she also knows a little about Mr. Alexander and how to motivate him. Great characterization for a small story.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any puncutation/spelling mistakes.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
This was an entry for the Daily Flash Fiction which had a strict word count, and set words to be used for the prompt. The author did a great job meeting the challenge. The title is representative of the story, and the opening places the reader right in the scene ready to go. Well done!
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE STORY
Tanner inherits a train ticket from his late great Uncle, but there's more than meets the eye. He just has to figure it out.
WHAT I LIKED
Maybe there's a reason the ticket was in a frame. The story plunks down several clues and the reader must piece them together. I liked it because the story made you think as a reader.
POV NARRATION/TENSE
This is told in the third person limited from Tanner's perspective. Good job with narration. Past tense is used appropriately.
DIALOGUE
The dialogue accents the narration.
DESCRIPTIONS
There's enough to set the scenes. I liked: "It was a small rectangular, paper object, faded orange in colour." It's a simple description, and it's easy to picture the ticket in the reader's mind, but, for me, reading with a more critical eye, it's almost too simple. There's something up with this ticket.
SETTING
TIME: modern day?
PLACE: Uncle Gregory's mansion mostly
This is something that is clarified for the reader.
CHARACTERS
Tanner
Tanner pays his respects and gets more than he bargained for.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any puncutation mistakes. I might suggest a minor edit for spelling. I think I spotted Gregory mis-spelled.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
This story was written for the Writer's Cramp and had a 1K word limit. I thought the story did a good job with the word limit and used a good economy of words. The title is the prompt which fits the story. The opening intrigues the reader. An interesting story that could be the seed of a longer story.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE STORY
It's April Fools and 2 young children work hard to play a trick on their parents.
WHAT I LIKED
I loved the tricks! Totally age appropriate. It's a warm, lighthearted read about a sweet family with a hint of comedy.
POV NARRATION/TENSE
This is told in the third person from Daniel's perspective. Good job with narration. Past tense is used appropriately.
DIALOGUE
There's a good blend of dialogue and narration. I would suggest an edit for dialogue tags.
FOR EXAMPLE, AS WRITTEN: “This isn’t an apple!” he moaned and collapsed to the floor.
MY SUGGESTION: "This isn't an apple!" He collapsed to the floor and moaned.
DESCRIPTIONS
There's enough to set the scenes. I liked: "Daniel squinted suspiciously at the cherubic faces of his twins. His daughter had caramel smeared across her forehead, her hands, and the tray of apples she presented to him. His son had his own tray, filled with cake pops. Flour was sprinkled through his red hair."
This is the opening paragraph, yet it accomplishes a lot. It uses a good economy of words to paint a paint a picture in the reader's mind of young children who have just tore up the kitchen prepping "April's Fools" for their parents. It lures you in as a reader and you want to learn if they are successful.
After using the opening paragraph to set the scene, the author can now focus on using the rest of the word count to tell the story.
SETTING
TIME: modern day
PLACE: in the kitchen
This is something that is clarified for the reader.
CHARACTERS
It's an ensemble cast with Mom, Dad, Emily, and Robbie
Each as their own unique roll to play in the story. Well done.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any punctuation/spelling mistakes. Good use of WDC ML to increase the font and make it easier on the eyes.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The title fits the vinyette well. This was an entry for the Daily Flash Fiction and the author did a great job working with the prompt and painting a funny family scene. It's a nice read and good chuckle.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POEM
A poem dedicated to the emotional challenges of making banana bread. It's the endless question - to bake or not to bake?
WHAT I LIKED
This is a fun, lighthearted poem that a lot of people can identify with.
STRUCTURE
This is free form poem. The 1st and 2nd and 3rd and 4th lines rythme in each stanza.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. The poem is easy to read and has a nice flow when read out loud.
DESCRIPTIONS
I liked: "A speckled friend sat on the kitchen shelf," It's playful and intriguing. It doesn't take the reader long to figure out it's a banana. It's a great visual that one can picture in their imagination and puts the reader in a curious mood.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The opening engages the reader, venting their curiousity and compelling them to keep reading. The title fits the poem well. The poem is lighthearted and fun.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POEM
A poem dedicated to the fleeting passage of time on New Year's Day.
WHAT I LIKED
I liked the word play in the poem. It was succinct and on point.
STRUCTURE
This an acrostic poem. The word used in the poem is "Ephemeral" which is also defined as a note at the end of the poem. It's the perfect word to use to capture the fleeting moment of the holiday. There is an AABB rythme scheme.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. The poem is easy to read. Good use of WDC ML to make it easy on the eyes.
DESCRIPTIONS
I liked: "Making memories without delay, Ere precious time slips away." Usually we all have something to do on New Year's Day. We ring in the New Year watching the ball drop. We go to a game, watch a parade, whatever it is, it's something we'll remember, but it's only for a day and it will slip alway. Something to ponder when you celebrate.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The opening draws in the reader and holds their attention. The title fits the poem well. Very nice expression.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POLL
A poll what type of musical instruments appeal to you.
WHAT I LIKED
It's an appealing question as just about everyone appreciates a live music presentation. I selected guitar, as I had lessons on the guitar myself when I was a kid, but I think as far as live music goes, drums is a close 2nd and then the flute.
ENGAGING
The introduction really sells the appeal for the question and engages the reader.
VARIETY
There was a good variety of choices of instruments. I like that other was an option.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes.
PARTING THOUGHTS
The introduction really set the tone for the question asked. If anything, you could offer a trinket as an incentive to take the poll? Suggestion only. I would also put this on the newsfeed to garner more attention. I think I think this is a great poll for the question presented.
Reviewed by StephBee for Best of the Rest at the Bee Hive .
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POLL
A poll about the appeal of the lesser houses of Game of Thrones.
WHAT I LIKED
I thought this was a very creative and interesting question to ask. Game of Thrones was a great show and those who played here at WDC embraced the challenge. I think I picked Greyjoy - We Do Not Sow.
ENGAGING
The poll offers a lot of well thought out minor houses options.
VARIETY
There was a good variety of mottos.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. Good use of WDC ML.
PARTING THOUGHTS
The introduction really set the tone for the question asked and had a lot of Games of Thrones appeal. I thought the question was fun and the poll was engaging.
Reviewed by StephBee for Best of the Rest at the Bee Hive .
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POLL
A poll what type of prompts community members like on WDC.
WHAT I LIKED
I thought this was a great question and it makes the poll taker stop and think for a bit. I selected: I like prompt banks and a variety of forms, but I just got done taking Game of Thrones which I think used a lot of prompt banks. Honestly, I like a variety. I like short phrases that you have to weave into a prompt (that sometimes the Daily Flash Fiction uses) or a picture prompt. I don't mind a quote prompt, but it's not a favorite and I struggled to come up with a story for last month's Official site contest. For the Bard's Hall, while we have set themes like the Cop Shop, Something Horror and Cupid Slam, Webbie and I strive to keep things as original as we can while sticking to broad themes.
ENGAGING
The poll offers a lot of well thought out choices.
VARIETY
There was a good variety of choices that pretty much covered every option available.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes.
PARTING THOUGHTS
The introduction really set the tone for the question asked. If anything, you could offer a trinket as an incentive to take the poll? Suggestion only. I think I think this is a great poll for the question presented.
Reviewed by StephBee for Best of the Rest at the Bee Hive .
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POLL
A poll about how well you like Writing.com
WHAT I LIKED
I think the poll gives great feedback on how the community likes the website.
ENGAGING
Well, if anything, you could really jazz up the introduction. There is so much you could to do it - add a graphic, play with WDC, gify's - make it really appealing.
VARIETY
The answers range from your stand to "I love it" to "I hate it."
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes.
PARTING THOUGHTS
I might suggest jazzing up the introduction and touch on some of the added features that make it a website which the community loves. Show me a hint of what the website does.
Other than that, it's a great question to ask and get feedback on. Construction criticism only helps to make the website better.
Reviewed by StephBee for the Best of the Rest at the Bee Hive.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POLL
This poll questions your outlook on life and challenges you to consider your own destiny.
WHAT I LIKED
The introduction really set the tone for the poll, which asks a question that most people really don't want to think about. Maybe it's something we consider as we get older. It's a conversation starter for an uncomfortable conversation.
ENGAGING
The introduction really explains the reasons for the choices offered and invites people to select a choice.
VARIETY
There were a lot of of different "ways to go" to choose from.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. Good use of WDC ML.
PARTING THOUGHTS
The Introduction really sold the poll. I liked the use of a trinket, too as further incentive to take the poll. I chose in my bed, peacefully which had scored well.
Reviewed by StephBee for the Best of the Rest at the Bee Hive.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POLL
A poll about Gardening.
WHAT I LIKED
The introduction really set the tone for the poll which I liked. Sometimes polls are great to give the author feedback as to what to cook up next in their port, and I think that is what is done here.
ENGAGING
The introduction really explains the reasons for the choices offered and invites people to select a choice.
VARIETY
There were a lot of of different activities to choose from.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes.
PARTING THOUGHTS
The Introduction really sold the poll. I'm looking forward to seeing what the author cooks up when the poll closes.
Reviewed by StephBee for the Best of the Rest at the Bee Hive.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POEM
This is a poem about the symbolic nature of the flowers when used in a circle.
WHAT I LIKED
I liked how each stanza started with "A ring of flowers," and then went on to describe a different of that part of life, or the circle, if you would. It's a nice progression of the circle of the life.
STRUCTURE
This is free form poem. There is no set rythme scheme.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. The poem is easy to read and has a nice flow when read out loud. Good use of WDC ML to increase the font and make it easy on the eyes.
DESCRIPTIONS
I liked: "a lei, a welcome waxy plumeria for endurance, vibrant orchids an ode to your beauty," -- For me, a saw a woman in the prime of her life, enjoying the fruits of maturity and being appreciated for it. Nice expression using succinct word play.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The opening engages the reader, drawing them effortlessly into the poem and keeps them reading. The title fits the poem well. Nice expression.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE POEM
Love as seen through the colors of the seasons.
WHAT I LIKED
I liked the word play; it deepened the expression of the poem. I especially liked how the beginning of the line of each stanza started with "Paint my Heart with" and changed with the seasons. Nice repetition.
STRUCTURE
This is free form poem. There was no set rthyming patterns.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. The poem is easy to read.
DESCRIPTIONS
I liked: "Paint my heart with all the seasons, all the colors of a kaleidoscope." It's a vivid description which suggests a rich display of love.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
I really enjoyed how the first line repeated itself and just changed the season. The poem evokes a sensual experience by taping into the uniqueness of each season. The opening pulls the reader in and keeps them reading. The title fits the poem well. Well done! Nice expression.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE STORY
It's time for the spring campout and JR is coming prepared for fun, but not for a mountain lion.
WHAT I LIKED
I liked how the author captured the fun of a campout.
POV NARRATION/TENSE
This is told in the first person by JR. Good job with narration. Past tense is used appropriately.
DESCRIPTIONS
There's enough to set the scene. I liked: "Then there he was swaggering into the scene like a hero from some tipsy tale." -- It's a great description and reminds me of the swagger from Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean.
SETTING
TIME: modern day
PLACE: rural/campsite.
This is something that is clarified for the reader.
CHARACTERS
JR
JR brough the fun to camp, but the mountain lion had a trick for him.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any punctuation/spelling mistakes. Good use of WDC ML.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The opening intrigues the reader. The title is appropriate for the story. The ending will sneak up on the reader. Word count was listed in accordance with the rules. Good luck in the Bard's Hall contest.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE STORY
Joyce dared Jerry to climb a tree drunk. When he woke up a mountain lion was staring at him from below. So... how was Jerry going to get down?
WHAT I LIKED
Jerry can sure tell a tale. Nice character voice eases the reader into the story and the ending sneaks up on you.
POV NARRATION/TENSE
This is told in the first person by Jerry. Good job with narration. Past tense is used appropriately.
DIALOGUE
Jerry's dialogue is telling the story.
DESCRIPTIONS
There's enough to set the scene. I liked: "After waking up wedged in the crook of two big limbs without any idea how I got up there." -- It sets the scene up well and put the reader in the moment with the narrator.
SETTING
TIME: modern day
PLACE: rural/campsite
This is something that is clarified for the reader.
CHARACTERS
Jerry
Jerry has to use some old-fashioned ingenuity to get out of the tree.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any punctuation/spelling mistakes. The story was a nice, quick read and I could follow along with it. Good use of WDC ML to make the font bigger so it was easy on the reading eyes.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The opening engages the reader and draws them in. The title catches its wind and brings it home when the reader gets to the end. Word count was listed in accordance with the rules. Good luck in the Bard's Hall contest.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE STORY
A magical Mary is caught on a tree branch with a mountain lion below. What's next?
WHAT I LIKED
I enjoyed the quirkiness of the moment. Good job capturing the essence of the character with a tight word count requirement.
POV NARRATION/TENSE
This is told in the third person by Mary. Good job with narration. Past tense is used appropriately.
DIALOGUE
The dialogue occurs when the character talks to themselves out loud. Good job with dialogue tags.
DESCRIPTIONS
There's enough to set the scenes. I liked: "Another blind plunge, a bite of the lip, and her eyes gleamed in triumph as she carefully and slowly tugged out a raw steak."
How anyone finds a raw steak in their purse is wild! It's a great visual I can picture in my imagination.
SETTING
TIME: modern day
PLACE: rural/campsite
This is something that is clarified for the reader.
CHARACTERS
Mary
She has to work through a pu-erh tea hang over and manage to get out of the tea and avoid the mountain lion. The good thing is she has quite an imagination.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any punctuation/spelling mistakes. The story is easy to read. Good use of WDC ML to make the font bigger.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The opening intrigues the reader and keeps them reading. The title is appropriate for the story. Word count was listed in accordance with the rules. Good luck in the Bard's Hall contest.
My review is based on professional editing points. It is meant to be honest, encouraging, and respectful in accordance with WDC guidelines.
THE STORY
An unnamed narrator finds themselves hung over in a tree and a mountain lion is watching their every move.
WHAT I LIKED
Great character voice! I felt like I was a fly on the tree. hehe. The internal dialogue really drives the story well.
POV NARRATION/TENSE
This is told in the first person by our narrator. Good job with narration. Past tense is used appropriately.
DESCRIPTIONS
There was enough to set the scene. I liked: "I peered down, warily, through the clump of leaves at what was supposed to be a campsite. Empty beer cans and snack bags lay littered around the dying embers of a fire. The camp chairs were still there, but in different states of disarray; as if the people once sitting on them had left in haste."
The author uses a good economy of words to paint a vivid scene in the reader's imagination.
SETTING
TIME: modern day
PLACE: rural/campsite
This is something that is clarified for the reader.
CHARACTERS
Narrator
The narrator has to find a creative way to get down from the tree and avoid the mountain lion.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any punctuation/spelling mistakes. The story is easy to read. Good use of WDC ML to make easy on the reader's eyes.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The opening engages the reader and keep them reading. The title is unique and fits the story well. The author followed the prompt well. Word count was listed in accordance with the rules. A fun, lighthearted story with nice comedic elements. Good luck in the Bard's Hall contest.
The views and opinions on this review are mainly the things discovered by the reader and therefore, do not reflect necessarily to the group, activity and/or event being affiliated herein. This is only the opinion and suggestions of the reviewer and it is still up to the author of this piece to consider this review as a corrective action or otherwise.
contest. This a contest that focuses on animals and creatures and accepts poetry, prose, and short stories.
WHAT I LIKED
I loved the theme of the contest. Animals touch our hearts in such a positive way. I also liked how the contest gave one the option to enter using poetry, prose, or a short story.
THE RULES
The rules are clearly listed and easy to understand. I liked use of dropnotes to help organize the rules and keep the Introduction less cluttered.
JUDGES
While there is a dropnote for judges, it says "user" which I assume is the forum host.
PRIZES
Prizes are clearly listed. If anything, I might suggest creating a separate BITEM where previous winners are listed. I think it helps in establishing a proven history with the contest.
ENGAGING
While the contest appeared activ.
VARIETY
Variety would come with the prompt. There is a dropnote for the prompt and there were a couple of options listed
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. I liked the use of the graphic in the Introduction as it helps to set a nice tone for the contest. Good use of WDC ML and dropnotes.
PARTING THOUGHTS
I think it's a good contest for newer members to the community to try out. The contest itself is not overly complicated and is pretty straightforward. I would most definately recommend you bookmark it!
The views and opinions on this review are mainly the things discovered by the reader and therefore, do not reflect necessarily to the group, activity and/or event being affiliated herein. This is only the opinion and suggestions of the reviewer and it is still up to the author of this piece to consider this review as a corrective action or otherwise.
contest. This is a monthly contest that has a military theme and honors Veterans.
WHAT I LIKED
I love the patriotic spirit of the forum. Having served myself, this forum warms my heart. I love the reverence and respect for all who have served and this is a great forum to highlight our military writing.
THE RULES
The rules are clearly listed and easy to understand. I liked that we can use old bitems if unawarded.
JUDGES
The Judges are clearly listed.
PRIZES
Prizes are clearly listed. Winners are announced in the forum for everyone to see.
ENGAGING
I thought the forum was active and there was a fair amount of engagement from community members.
VARIETY
Variety would come when the new month starts, as it's an open prompt with a broad military theme.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. I liked the use of the graphic in the Introduction as it helps to set a nice tone for the contest. Good use of WDC ML as well.
PARTING THOUGHTS
I think it's a great contest and I would encourage more community members to enter. The contest theme is one close to the heart. I highly encourage community members to visit the contest and try it out!
I also liked the "Tributes" at the end as I remember COUNTRYMOM-JUST REMEMBER ME and how she just loved to support veterans.
I also see the contest is a Quill Award winner and it's not easy to win a Quill! Well done. I highly recommend this forum/contest.
The views and opinions on this review are mainly the things discovered by the reader and therefore, do not reflect necessarily to the group, activity and/or event being affiliated herein. This is only the opinion and suggestions of the reviewer and it is still up to the author of this piece to consider this review as a corrective action or otherwise.
which encourages community members to stop on by and notice the "newbies" who have recently joined Writing.com.
WHAT I LIKED
I think this is a great idea as a "first stop" for Newbies to the site who want to acquaint themselves with Writing.com and meet community members. I liked the message Forum tips that were listed. "The Writer's Cramp" and "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" are two writing activities that will help challenge new writers and ease them into the community.
THE INTRODUCTION
The introduction lists a bunch of options and activities. Good use of a graphic to set the tone, and there are a bunch of links to other active groups/forums that newbies can check out.
ENGAGING
The forum appears very active with several posts welcoming new members.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. Good use of WDC ML.
PARTING THOUGHTS
This is a great "first stop" for new members to the Writing.com community. It's a place to mingle, ask questions, give directions and find new friends who have writing in common. It's very welcoming and I highly recommend it.
The views and opinions on this review are mainly the things discovered by the reader and therefore, do not reflect necessarily to the group, activity and/or event being affiliated herein. This is only the opinion and suggestions of the reviewer and it is still up to the author of this piece to consider this review as a corrective action or otherwise.
which encourages community members to submit their portfolio and show off just how organized they could be!
WHAT I LIKED
I loved the idea of making a contest that focused on organization, especially here on WDC. The more organized a portfolio is, the more appealing it is for me to pop on it and check it out.
THE RULES
The rules are clearly stated, such as you must have at least 20 items in your port to enter, how you can enter the contest, and when the contest ends. Also, a points system is listed as to how the judges will judge the contest.
THE JUDGES
The guest judges are clearly listed.
THE PRIZES
The prizes (and their winners) are clearly listed and generous.
DONATIONS
The donors are listed. I can't help but notice that I'm listed as one of "The Generous Ones."
ENGAGING
There are 1 out of 3 pages, so I can tell the contest engaged the community and it appeared active.
VARIETY
The variety would come in the nominations of the portfolios.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. The Introduction is really appealing with a graphic that sets the tone/mood as well as WDC ML which varies color and font to keep it easy on the eyes.
PARTING THOUGHTS
This lost treasure was last active 18 years ago!! BUT there's a couple messages recalling what an awesome contest this was about a month ago.
I think this activity has A LOT of potential if it was to be restarted. Now, if I was on a desert island and I came across this lost treasure, I would most definitely dust this treasure off, give it a restoration and maybe make it a seasonal activity.
The views and opinions on this review are mainly the things discovered by the reader and therefore, do not reflect necessarily to the group, activity and/or event being affiliated herein. This is only the opinion and suggestions of the reviewer and it is still up to the author of this piece to consider this review as a corrective action or otherwise.
Is a forum that dared writers to take a look at a picture then spend 15 minutes a day for 15 days writing something based on the picture.
WHAT I LIKED
I liked the idea of using a short amount of time to create a story. Writing shorts is an art, from 500 words to 2k words. A prompt like this would develop the following skills in writers: how to use a good economy of words in a short period of time to communicate a story.
RULES
The rules were listed in a dropnote link, which I thought was a good idea as it didn't clutter up the Introduction. However, when I clicked on the dropnote, I discovered there was a lot of rules, which led to the complexity of the contest. For me, when something appears too complex, I tend to shy away from it.
JUDGES
The guest judges were clearly listed., i.e., "theckenast" and drboris
AWARDS
I saw there were awards and grand prize winners listed in the body of the forum, but nothing in the Introduction. I would also posthumously suggest to create a separate BITEM that archived previous awards winners and have it linked in the Introduction. I like having a feature as this because it displays the history of the contest.
DONATIONS
There is a place to list donations and donors.
ENGAGING
The lost treasure had many contestants which are listed in the introduction and looked very active.
VARIETY
Variety would come in the way of the pictures offered on a daily basis.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. Good use of WDC ML to vary the colors and font to make it easier on the eyes. I did like the graphic in the Introduction as it helped to set a mood/tone for the forum/contest.
PARTING THOUGHTS
This Lost Treasure was last active 12 years ago! I think the premise of the Forum /Contest is one that is a tad complex and if carried over/re-opened, I might suggest trying to simplify it a little.
POTENTIAL
This is a lost treasure that if I found it on a deserted island, I'd put it in my back pocket and would tinker with it at the evening campfire before I went to bed.
The views and opinions on this review are mainly the things discovered by the reader and therefore, do not reflect necessarily to the group, activity and/or event being affiliated herein. This is only the opinion and suggestions of the reviewer and it is still up to the author of this piece to consider this review as a corrective action or otherwise.
Is a forum that was meant to stir a writer's imagination and creativity by having the contestant write a poem or short story using a least ten words from the Imagination Alphabet.
WHAT I LIKED
I liked the concept of it. Find at least ten words and build a story around it. It invites one to take their time in developing a creative and imaginative story.
RULES
The rules were clearly listed. Use a min. of ten words; write on any topic, keep it PG or under, keep it short, and one entry per person. There was a due date, but I couldn't tell if this was a monthly contest or perhaps a seasonal contest?
JUDGES
The judges were clearly listed.
AWARDS
The awards were also clearly listed. There was also a separate BITEM that archived previous awards winners. I like this feature as it displays the history of the contest.
DONATIONS
There is a place to list donations and donors, but it doesn't list any incentives, such as receive a merit badge, etc.
ENGAGING
The lost treasure had several contestants and looked active.
VARIETY
Variety would come in the way of the word choices in the Imagination Alphabet.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. Good use of WDC ML to vary the colors to make it easier on the eyes.
PARTING THOUGHTS
This Lost Treasure was last active 21 years ago! I think the premise of the Forum /Contest is one that could carry over today, as tapping into creativity and the imagination never goes out of style for a writer.
POTENTIAL
This contest has A LOT potential if it was to be restarted. It might need a slight overhaul such a graphic to set the mood/tone of the contest, increasing font size, more use of color, emoji's, and fix any broken links.
This is a lost treasure that I wouldn't mind finding on a deserted island, dusting it off, and putting it out there again.
The views and opinions on this review are mainly the things discovered by the reader and therefore, do not reflect necessarily to the group, activity and/or event being affiliated herein. This is only the opinion and suggestions of the reviewer and it is still up to the author of this piece to consider this review as a corrective action or otherwise.
THE POEM
A poem that brings out the kid in us all. While raking leaves is an autumn chore, there is a reward in the end if you don't mind raking more leaves.
WHAT I LIKED
I loved the memories that this poem conjured up. I remember growing up, bunching up leaves into a big pile just so I can jump in them. It's happy, dirty, memory. I tried to make a leaf pile for my son when he was that magical age to appreciate jumping in a leaf pile, but in SoCal, there's just not enough leaves.
STRUCTURE
This is a five stanza poem comprised of quatrains. The 1st and 3rd lines along with the 2nd and 4th lines rythme. The poem has a nice beat when read out loud.
MECHANICS
I did not spot any spelling/punctuation mistakes. Good use of WDC ML to increase the font and make it easier to read on WDC. The poem is easy to read.
DESCRIPTIONS
I liked: "He watched the leaves fall from the tree; their arcane dance was neglected." - It's a nice, warm visual of leaves on the ground fluttering around in a haphazard way. Good use of the word arcane here.
PARTING THOUGHTS/SUGGESTIONS
The title paints a nice emotional description/expectation of the poem, and the opening teases the reader to keep reading. This is a lighthearted poem that stirs up pleasant childhood memories well.
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