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A written critical evaluation and retrospective view on Lunch.
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Over the years, I've managed to come across great books as well as teachers that would teach me valuable lessons in writing. Although I've managed to take poetic license with quite a bit of my work, their wisdom meant a great deal to me & actually has helped me tremendously through the years whenever I've composed any piece of writing. Although there is always something new to be learned in the world of the creative arts, there are some common elements I believe which stand the test of time.
+5
Although I do not consider my review to be a list of guidelines or rules per se, I do believe these ARE splendid recommendations for anyone interested in writing for personal enrichment or even those that may have publication in mind. While my list will not be complete or inclusive of all helpful hints, hopefully you will find what you need here to be successful in your endeavors. Best of luck to you!
1. Know Your Voice-From the moment you were born, you've had this inner creativity which courses through your veins. It's time to sound off & let everyone hear this booming voice of yours. Most importantly, understand your style(s) of writing & what you intend to convey. First, hear the conviction in your voice & then project this energy into your work. If you feel strongly about something, then by all means share it! Believe it or not, someone else out there will be glad you did. Know that you will have an audience if you aren't afraid of your voice.
2. Just Write-I think most people call this free writing & there is certainly nothing wrong with that. You can always go back in & cross every I or dot every T later on. Don't worry about the grammatical errors nor spelling as these are merely cosmetic errors & can easily be remedied at any given time. When you feel the need the express something, jot it down as I can almost guarantee that you'll not have this burst of creative energy later on. Carry around a pad if you must & make notes for yourself on things that interest you or things that you would like to research. Gather your tools & just write.
3. Intended Audience-Keep in mind who you're audience is & what they will be looking for when they read your work. Perhaps make a list of the questions they will have for you & be prepared to have some answers readily available. Although it's virtually impossible to think of every angle you're readers will take when deciphering your piece of literature, you should have at least a basic idea of what discussion questions will arise & how you will address them. Your audience should be fully aware of your intentions & will be quick to judge just how well you executed your project when the work is submitted for public access.
4. Give Specifics-Consider yourself a subject matter expert if you will. Be sure to give your readers enough information about your topic so that they can make solid decisions about the product or service you are reviewing. Think about the discussions you have with friends regarding new products or items which you fancy. You can be passionate about your idea but the idea should still speak for itself. If you give detailed descriptions, people can decide whether or not they are interested in your idea or product based upon the actual information provided.
5. Sweet & Simple-Don't beat a dead horse. Descriptions of anything can be exhausting to your readers. I, personally, hate reading novels that seem to display nothing but text-heavy descriptions which seem to be perfectly irrelevant to the plot development or overall story. Who wants to sit back during their free time only to read three pages on all the colors in someones wardrobe? Sometimes less is more. Make your point but don't beat a dead horse. Your audience will thank you.
6. Write What You Know-Mark Twain said it best when he advised that we should write about what we know. I can't say it any better myself. You are more likely to describe something well if you are cognizant of how it works in the grand scheme of things. If you are feeling passionate about something, you will convey this passion & want to make it sound appealing to those who may not be familiar. Naturally, I find it extremely challenging & frighteningly difficult when tackling material that goes way beyond the scope of my expertise. If you are able to share factual info with others, you are truly a source that readers can rely time after time.
7. Don't Be Afraid To Share-Sometimes we can all be our own worst critic. Perhaps our own evaluations are either too harsh or not nearly critical enough when critiquing our rough drafts. Even worse, a critic can often be in love with their own voice & this could jeopardize a potentially excellent piece of writing. We don't want to come across too smug, do we? May I suggest something? Have a friend or close family member read these rough drafts for you & then wait for their earnest opinion. You'd be surprised how much insight they could lend to your projects & how much you will benefit from their wisdom. Although time may be of the essence, it never hurts to let a second or third pair of eyes glance at your work.
8. Universal Appeal-Often, our writings seem to be a bit cold or indifferent towards our subjects which can be a definite turn off to our potential readers. When writing anything, I cannot stress enough to project your personal touch. Blogs that revolve around the usual suspects such as family, friendship, & finding oneself through soul searching are enlightening & usually entertaining for the most part. Any timeless ideas or topics conveyed in your writing palette are great tools when it comes to grabbing your reader's undivided attention.
9. Don't Fear Rejection-Contrary to what most believe, rejection is actually quite good. Don't take criticism too personally & be open to all kinds of feedback whenever you receive it. A wise man knows when to speak but he should also know when to listen. Keep in mind the real reason for your blog, column, etc. & do not lose sight of your goals. You are writing because you feel the inevitable need to share your wealth of knowledge & there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. People will respect your vision if you stand your ground & continue to plug away at what you do best.
10. Pictures-Painting a picture with words can be all kinds of fun when you're writing. Have a visual representation of your topic in front of you while you construct your piece of writing. This will help you concentrate & keep your thoughts on track. It's very easy to become sidetracked when you are in the process of jotting things down. I recommend silencing your phone & turning off all forms of noise if at all possible. I can't begin to tell the number of times I'm distracted by the things around me through the course of one day.
Above all, keep writing! Once you submit your finished product for public access, be well on your way to composing something else. In fact, have a rough outline of your very next subject before you submit the last finished project. In order to be a prolific writer, always have plenty of subjects to write about on hand & you will be successful in all that you do.
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More Reviews on Lunch reviews
Prior to joining Lunch I used to post reviews of books and movies. The reason I started doing these reviews was that I read so many books (about one a week) and saw so many movies (I usually go to a theater once or twice a month) that I could never remember plots or whether or not I actually had read a book or saw a movie. The review was a way to reinforce my memory and provide a place I could search to give me just enough of a memory jog that I could remember a plot. … more
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Teddy Roosevelt (Apr. 23, 1910, France): "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great … more
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review by Sean_Rhodes.
October 26, 2009
I'm going to do a little something different with this data point, if only because it gets a chance to welcome those who might be new to Lunch to the experience. It's also a good chance for those unfamiliar with Lunch to really learn what the experience of it is all about. So let me preface this by saying this isn't a review about the website itself. If you must know, Lunch has it's own datapoint which you can find. So this is more of a welcome, and a way to talk about one … more
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Honestly, I really don’t think I should be writing something about “reviewing” in this site; not that I think that it isn’t necessary but because I feel that I am not exactly qualified seeing as 1) I am not a professional movie critic 2) I believe reviews are a reflection of one’s personal taste 3) I believe there are better writers than I am 4) I don’t think anyone would care what I think of reviewing. My friends Sean Rhodes and Cenobite7 both … more
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The reviewing format in this lunch is one of the best I've worked with and provides total freedom. I love it that I can add photos, links (to my other reviews), and all the tools that can make reviews look much more fancy and professional looking. It is also nice that the 'unhelpful' button has been eliminated since the goal of the site is not competition but rather sharing and learning from one another with similar interests. While I usually stick … more
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review by deanbarry.
November 14, 2009
Oh what fun Lunch is providing me. Years ago as a kid, I would take my mothers typewriter and get busy clacking away my thoughts on a movie I had just watched. Showing no real journalistic ability, I kept my little "critiques" folded away in a little book for my own private viewings. I would break it out, occasionally, when I would have some friends over for a movie night. Having quite the extensive collection of video tape, (that's … more
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review by Dekeboo.
October 23, 2009
As I have just joined Lunch I thought that I would attemt to write a review. The thing is that I am rubbish at making decisions, even given a choice of only two things I can um and err for eternity. So when I am given the opportunity to rant and rave about absolutely anything I like, surprisingly I still cant choose. I like this site because of being able to review anything - but I am not a writer and puttig into words what goes on in my head is well, if you have read … more
Comments (11)
Compliments (47)
When you can talk about anything from cereal to obscure CDs and even different makes of Pizza, it's great.
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Quick Tip by Sharrie.
December 29, 2009
A micro review on Reviews? Simply follow your heart & write to your heart's content! Share it, baby, share it! ;-)
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Quick Tip by deanbarry.
November 14, 2009
Random thoughts from an overcrowed mind.
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About the reviewer
Brian (cenobite7)
I've spent years trying to make others happy & not really focusing on what's most important in my own life. Having said that, my own health & security are paramount so now I'm more … more
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Lunch is the place to share your opinions about almost anything. You can review people, places, products, media (photos, video, and audio), creative work (original writing and artwork), and even events and ideas. We give you the tools to express your likes, loves and loathes in a thoughtful review and in turn, connect you to people who share your interests.
In your day to day, you consume and experience a wide range of different things, from the sneakers you jog in and the video game you played last night, to the news show you listen to on the way to work. Lunch is the place to share your thoughts and experiences about the world around you. When choosing a review topic, pick something that strikes your passion or something you'd like to learn more about. Your reviews help Lunch determine who and what kind of content you'll like. The more you review, the better Lunch can connect you to the right people and information.
To spark review ideas, check out the Lunch homepage to see what other people are talking about. In the activity feed, check out the most recent reviews, comments and popular tags. Also, play our speed rating games in ExhilaRATE. They're the fastest way to build up your Similarity Network, compare interests with people in the community, and get ideas for new reviews.
A great Lunch review is helpful to the community and inspires curiosity and exploration of a topic. An inspiring review can be many things – we know everyone is different and what's ...
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In your day to day, you consume and experience a wide range of different things, from the sneakers you jog in and the video game you played last night, to the news show you listen to on the way to work. Lunch is the place to share your thoughts and experiences about the world around you. When choosing a review topic, pick something that strikes your passion or something you'd like to learn more about. Your reviews help Lunch determine who and what kind of content you'll like. The more you review, the better Lunch can connect you to the right people and information.
To spark review ideas, check out the Lunch homepage to see what other people are talking about. In the activity feed, check out the most recent reviews, comments and popular tags. Also, play our speed rating games in ExhilaRATE. They're the fastest way to build up your Similarity Network, compare interests with people in the community, and get ideas for new reviews.
A great Lunch review is helpful to the community and inspires curiosity and exploration of a topic. An inspiring review can be many things – we know everyone is different and what's ...
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I like your title. I often wring my hands when I write!
#1 don't argue with fans of horror films.
#2 don't post reviews that aren't liberal-minded.
#3 don't write about things that other people aren't interested in.
You know, go for a self-satirical angle. Totally irreverent. Could be funny.