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Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews
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TOPIC: Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews
#51608
WiccanMethuselah
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Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 13 Years, 5 Months ago Karma: 277
Why Do We Have Rules for Reviews?



What Difference Does it Make What I Say in a Review?

It makes a BIG difference to us. We do not condone any form of author harassment via reviews. Flames and accusations of plagiarism or other rule violations are NOT ALLOWED in reviews. Site Administrators are the ones to contact if you have a complaint regarding any story posted on our site. PERIOD.

Reviews are for the purpose of sharing with an author what you did, or didn’t, like about a story. Still, when talking about what you didn’t like, you need to be tactful and kind. We are all here for our enjoyment. People who write do so for many reasons, but I can almost guarantee that none of them are because one wants to read about how awful their story seemed to someone else.

Offer constructive criticism if you must criticize (defined below). Any other criticism will be considered a flame (defined below). Try to let the author know what you found most enjoyable. Try to be as kind as possible when discussing what might have been off-putting.

Constructive Criticism

Constructive criticism is when you let the author know things that might help improve their writing. Whether it is plot advice, character development, grammar and spelling issues, you can let the author know this in a positive, friendly fashion. Try to phrase constructive criticism in positive ways, such as: “I really like so and so’s approach to whatever, but maybe such and such could have been done like this,” or “This character seems to have good intentions, but maybe they could have shown such and such better.” Phrase things in terms of “I think...” or “I feel...” rather than “You should...” or “You need to...”

None of us are perfect. We all know that we need to learn and grow, but there are ways to let people know this without engendering anger and hostility. Try to remember that one person’s vision of the characters and plot may not necessarily jive with yours. Try not to comment in a negative fashion on plot or characters unless you have something to say that might improve how it was portrayed. Please try to remember this when reviewing!

Flames

Flames are unnecessarily harsh comments, often seeking to incite drama, that do not help the author in any way. On our site, flames are NOT TOLERATED. Criticizing an author for their plot, saying its been “done a million times” or is “stale” can be construed as flaming. It adds nothing constructive that the author can use to improve. Telling an author that their story is stupid, not worth reading, a waste of time, etc., can also be viewed as a flame.

In short, any harsh criticism that does not offer anything constructive to help an author will be viewed as a flame. Flames are deleted when found. Members who have been found to be flaming will be warned ONCE, then will face profile deletion if they continue. Members who do not log in, yet leave a flame anonymously, will be tracked down via their IP address. This is not behavior that we tolerate here at Dokuga. Non-member flamers will have their IP addresses blocked so that they can no longer access our site.

Dokuga does NOT tolerate unnecessary drama and hostility.

What if the Author States That They Do Not Want “Concrit” or Constructive Criticism?

In that event, if an author has clearly stated that they do not wish reviews with “concrit” or constructive criticism, then: Just. Don’t. Do. It. Do not offer it in spite, as that will get you a warning just as quickly as a flame.

Can I Warn An Author That They Committed a Rule Violation Via a Review?

Short answer: NO.

Definitely NOT. Do not use a review to point out any site violations that you believe the author has committed. Bring your accusations to a Site Administrator - it is OUR job to reprimand violations, NOT yours. Please let us do our jobs!!

~~Wiccan~~
 
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Last Edit: 2012/03/30 01:03 By wiccanmethuselah.
 

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinion.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
- James Russell Lowell 1864


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#52126
Dragoness
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 13 Years, 5 Months ago Karma: 2
I have read and agree to abide by said rules.
 
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#53343
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 4
This is also an AN question...
Is welcoming flames also an "illegal activity" in posting fanfiction on this site? I've done this many times in the past... finding it rather hilarious, myself. Was I in the wrong for doing so?
 
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#54416
DeadlyCyanide
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 4
Took me some time Wiccan but I got around to reading this . Also omg you have a strong heart to allow flames. Since i dont think the review I got was i flame id have to say if got a flame I would Have the worst time writeing just over thinking everything I was putting into my story, followed with a sad panda face for a day or so. But anywho flames = a writers broken heart so I understand. lol
 
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~~CherrySakuras~~
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#54426
WiccanMethuselah
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 277
Riasha wrote:
This is also an AN question...
Is welcoming flames also an "illegal activity" in posting fanfiction on this site? I've done this many times in the past... finding it rather hilarious, myself. Was I in the wrong for doing so?


Sorry it took me so long to respond... just trying to get caught up now.

I wouldn't say that welcoming flames is an "illegal activity," but we really, REALLY don't want flames on this site. I know they're darn fun to poke at, and I, myself, sometimes get a kick out of baiting the loons that flame others - but we want this site to be a positive, welcoming place for our authors and our readers.

A lot of authors do not handle flames with the same sense of adventure that some of us share, y'know? I'd really rather not encourage, or otherwise feed, the trolls. So, I guess, short answer, I'd rather you didn't encourage the flamers. Yeah, I know it's fun, and darn funny, but please try to avoid it, 'k?

Thanks!

~~Wiccan~~
 
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\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinion.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
- James Russell Lowell 1864


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#54427
WiccanMethuselah
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 277
~CherrySakuras~ wrote:
Took me some time Wiccan but I got around to reading this . Also omg you have a strong heart to allow flames. Since i dont think the review I got was i flame id have to say if got a flame I would Have the worst time writeing just over thinking everything I was putting into my story, followed with a sad panda face for a day or so. But anywho flames = a writers broken heart so I understand. lol

As far as *I* was concerned, the "review" you got most certainly did NOT follow our site guidelines for reviews. In my book, that equals flaming. I don't care if they didn't get evil or anything, it was RUDE. And it didn't offer ANYTHING constructive.

In my humble opinion, the only reason for reviews is to offer something CONSTRUCTIVE to the author that will, hopefully, help them develop their writing. I just know that your mama told you the same thing I told my kids... "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything." Srsly. And that advice holds true for anyone who leaves a review on this site.

If a reviewer can't find even ONE thing to praise in a story, then they shouldn't have read the whole thing in the first place and, in the second place, they should not be leaving a review. I can't emphasize this strongly enough. There are too many stories on this site for someone to read through something they really hate.

Okay, off soapbox now!!

~~Wiccan~~
 
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\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinion.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\"
- James Russell Lowell 1864


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#54433
DeadlyCyanide
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 13 Years, 4 Months ago Karma: 4
Pure truth Wiccan.
 
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~~CherrySakuras~~
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#81599
Wunderberry
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 11 Years, 7 Months ago Karma: 17
This may seem like a stupid question but what do you contact a moderator to get a flame/troll review removed? Probably the answer I'm thinking but I was wondering.
 
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Last Edit: 2012/08/26 02:51 By Wunderberry.
 
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#81602
Chie
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 11 Years, 7 Months ago Karma: 156
Rin-Rin wrote:
what do you contact a moderator to get a flame/troll review removed?

I think that sending a private message would be the easiest way to contact the mods. At least that's what I would do.
 
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#81709
MoxyMikki
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Re:Dokuga Author's Tutorial: Reviews 11 Years, 7 Months ago Karma: 29
Rin-Rin, Chie's suggestion is sound. If you have any issue with other members, at any time, be it a flame or otherwise, please PM an Administrator. Myself, sugar0o, DemonQueen17 are the Admins for this site, and WiccanMethusela is our SR Administrator, whom we only like to trouble for issues the three of us can't handle on our own. Something such as this, you could contact any of the three of us to help you with.
 
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