I think all of my unhelpful ratings come from my reviews on Quotes, so I might be going about them wrong.

When I see a fundamental flaw (faulty logic, obvious misuse of a word, etc.) in such a short item, I think it is constructive to point this out. If a quote is naive, shouldn’t the reviewer point this out? Quotes are something that the reviewer is forced to agree or disagree with. Isn’t it constructive to tell the author why you disagree so that the author consider his statement from another perspective?

I just got another PM from a pissed-off adolescent. Apparently I was rude, and according to the user’s mother “If you can’t say something nice . . .” In my book, if you can’t say something nice, at least say something mean. :) Just joking. How could someone think I’m rude??

Seriously, I want some feedback. What is the best way to review quotes?

I’m still trying to figure this out myself, it’s difficult indeed. I’ve Google several universities lessons on line where examples of how to punctuate and proper use of quotes. Took me awhile to realize this form of quoting was different than say just outlining a direct quote of a character speaking within a story. These are profound statements with humor, philosophies and more.

You raise a good point and I quote you ” Isn’t it constructive to tell the author why you disagree so that the author consider his statement from another perspective?” I wish more of us understood this concept.

Also, what do you do when there’s nothing constructive to add such as changes?

I generally say if I agreed/disagreed with the quote and explain why for either POV. Then I correct any typo’s etc.

That’s what I do as well, but I tend to piss some folks off, more so on reviews of quotes than anything else.

DC, I suspect it is because you give them a decent long review, but that their mentallity is ‘well I only typed twenty words and this reviewer has typed 50’ lol. We can’t really win as reviewers, we can do it with the best intentions and spend good time on it and still be voted unhelpful. It’s Urbis life unfortunately.

Normally, my review is 40-60 words. I come to the point, tell them why I have a problem with this or that, and get out of there. I just don’t start it with “What a wonderful idea!” I might start putting a bit of honey on the toast just to prevent the 16-year-olds hunting me down.

“What a wonderful idea!” (I’m quoting DCAllen since we are on the subject).

“I might start putting a bit of honey on the toast just to prevent the 16-year-olds hunting me down.”

Now THIS is a story I would read. So many possibilities. I bet if several members were to draft one paragraph incorporating the quote storylines would be wildly varied. Not to mention the potential for hilarity.

Maybe I need more coffee, but it sure made me start out my day with a smile.

Hi Goatfish1!
I’m in the middle of In Cold Blood and I love it. The multitude of voices that Capote masters in this novel is amazing. That said, it does, after a while begin to sound like just that: an exercise in various voices. With all the quotation marks and italics, the mannerisms and the accents. A bit distracting, but I do it too in my writing. :)

I wonder if changing the category from ‘quotes’ to ‘aphorisms’ would help. I agree with DC about the proportion of negative votes I’ve received in that area. The most heated and ridiculous debates I’ve had (outside of this forum) have come from that category. A ‘quote’ could mean anything. Was that the intent for that category? Aphorism has a definition, though no hard and fast rules. It might get teens and twentysomethings to think twice before posting their quotes about ‘wisdom’ and ‘life’ there.

Actually DC I feel guilty for having given you a hard time over a couple of you’re reviews that I got, but maybe its because I know you a bit better from the forum though. I suppose we are all prone to frustration and arguements sometimes. its called passion/ and being annoyed for not acheiving our goals in writing, on the other hand though I’m on the cusp of acheiving one of my singing goals (still unpaid of couse, like everything seems to be with me these days lol). so I guess we can’t all be equally as good at writing as you are(especially with punctuation, thats a compliment BTW)

Quotes we like, from someone else, are fine.

But isn’t the concept of a self claimed quotable quote just a little…..

Unless I was trying to be humorous, if I put up a quote I’d be ready to see all hell break loose, and figure I deserved it.

I hear ya, DCAllen, but that novel sticks to the senses long after the last page. I didn’t read it for years because of the subject matter, but the subject matter, in an unexpected way, is what makes it so compelling. I’d love to hear your thoughts when you finish.

It’s been years since I’ve read it but the material is unforgettable. The recent films on Capote focus on his writing of In Cold Blood, the last book he’d ever complete. It’s speculated that the years devoted to writing that story destroyed him emotionally and his life fell into an abusive cycle of alcohol and drugs that continued to his death.