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[bananaaddict]

This sounds like a really great idea.  I have a question though, would the stories being submitted need to be finished, or could someone submit a work in progress that they are having difficulty with?  Just wondering.

Also, I know I don't post alot in here, but I read alot and would be willing to help out if needed.

[mare]

I posted this in the stars thread but if kind of fits in here so i'm posting it in here lol

I tend to ignore mechanics when I read, unless i'm proofing for people and I have stopped doing that, for fanfics anyway. When I critique it is mainly plot and storyline. I take into account a few things when I read a story and one of them is the age of the writer and if English is their first language or not.

It might not be fair to pigeon hole with age but if you are 16 and this is your first fic, i'm going to ignore a lot of the grammar errors and plot problems because they are young and it's their first. If you are 30 and this is your 40th story, it's a little different.

A good story is a good story though, so if it's lacking on grammar and has a lot of weird things in it I can easily overlook that if it's a great story that draws me in.

That being said I think on this rubric we should include age and english as a second language or something because if this is going to be used as a guide to best of the best, some of those type things need to be taken into account, at least I think so.

[nicksgal]

Well, maybe he just needed a break or something. He'll be back in no time.

I think that's a good thing to note also, Mare. There are lots of really good writers who have learned English... I'm always jealous. I totally wish I knew French and Japanese that well.

[LenniluvsBrian]

I'll help out as best I can. Hehe.

~Lenni~

[RokofAges75]

I agree that things like age and native language should come into play too, Mare.  I ask about age from potential hosted authors on my site for just that reason.  If the story is kinda crappy, but the author is 14, then that's okay - you have to start somewhere!  But like you said, if they're 30, then I'm like "uhh..."  I don't ask about language, but I can usually tell when English isn't someone's first language.  The mistakes they make are just a little different.

[RokofAges75]

This sounds like a really great idea.  I have a question though, would the stories being submitted need to be finished, or could someone submit a work in progress that they are having difficulty with?  Just wondering.

Also, I know I don't post alot in here, but I read alot and would be willing to help out if needed.

That's a good question...  This is my take on that:  On one hand, I can see how it would be helpful to have the story critiqued as you're writing it so that you can maybe make some changes as you're going.  But on the other hand, it's hard to review a story that isn't complete... cause then you can't really look at the full picture; you can only critique it on some levels.

The other thing is, who would we really be doing this for, the writers or the readers?  If it's more for the writers, then I could see reviewing an unfinished story, but if it's for the readers too, I think they need to be complete.  Especially since if the writers are having difficulty with them, who knows if they'll ever finish?

I guess I'm looking at this kind of thing more like a movie or album review.  You don't see critics reviewing movies and albums that aren't done yet.  So I would lean more towards only reviewing finished stories.

[mare]

That's a good question...  This is my take on that:  On one hand, I can see how it would be helpful to have the story critiqued as you're writing it so that you can maybe make some changes as you're going.  But on the other hand, it's hard to review a story that isn't complete... cause then you can't really look at the full picture; you can only critique it on some levels.

The other thing is, who would we really be doing this for, the writers or the readers?  If it's more for the writers, then I could see reviewing an unfinished story, but if it's for the readers too, I think they need to be complete.  Especially since if the writers are having difficulty with them, who knows if they'll ever finish?

I guess I'm looking at this kind of thing more like a movie or album review.  You don't see critics reviewing movies and albums that aren't done yet.  So I would lean more towards only reviewing finished stories.

Yes I agree.

[nicksgal]

Though I guess some of us could volunteer ourselves out to be beta readers from time to time.

If it's "My Imortal" you're asking about, I've read all of it, so... If you want some help, Rose....

[RokofAges75]

I don't have time to beta read.  I don't mind doing it for some stories, but if you get the kind that REALLY needs it, it takes FOREVER.

[Nijntje]

I'll try to review romance and suspense/angst kind of stories.
With that being said, I have no idea if I'm the right person to review though..

[julilly]

LOL I can try but Chaos hasn't answered any of my emails in a gabillion years. He is MIA

He is, but I don't think he would be opposed to us at least claiming to be an AC affiliate even if it's not right on the site right away. If someone has a domain they can put it on for now until we get the chance to talk to him, it might still work as an AC subdivision.

[bananaaddict]

If it's "My Imortal" you're asking about, I've read all of it, so... If you want some help, Rose....

I may take you up on that.  I've been kind of stuck.  I hope to have the next chapter done soon.  I've rewritten it several times.  

[mare]

I don't have time to beta read.  I don't mind doing it for some stories, but if you get the kind that REALLY needs it, it takes FOREVER.

That's why I stopped doing it. I found myself beta-ing more than working on my own stuff lol

[RokofAges75]

I can put it up on my domain.

And I have an idea... once we come up with a sort of rubric to use, maybe everyone who wants to review should review the same story as sort of a trial run (maybe a story outside of AC) just to 1) make sure we're all on the same page with how we're rating things, 2) test out the rubric; see if anything else should be added, and 3) get a feel for reviewing and see if we like doing it.

[Purpura Lipstick]

The thing about not pointing out the grammatical errors though is that they won't learn how to correctly use the language. Sure maybe not make it a HUGE deal with the rubric but it still needs to be a part of it. The whole point of a review site (in my opinion) is to help the authors grow as authors and if you don't take the grammar into consideration they'll never change it.

I do get what you mean though about not making it something that could drag the story's "score" down if it's not perfect. 

I might confuse myself and you all (something I find I do easily now) but point out grammar corrections/errors so the authors can improve but don't give a scoring if you'd like ... but grammar is in most writing rubrics but it can be weighted lighter. That might make sense to the other teachers in the forum, I hope at least. :-D

Was this discussed. Make the AUTHOR submit their story because it would be sucky to have your story submitted for review and it to get reviewed when maybe you weren't ready for that step yet.