18+ General Discussion Forum

I think the rating thing causes people difficulty because it really is totally subjective. I know what will get four, or five stars from me. I have no idea what will get it from you. When you rate someone else's work, give them something to go on that will clue them into your thinking.

I can tell you that nothing grates my skin worse than getting a glowing, superlative review, followed up by a 3.0, or 4.0, or a 4.5 rating. Unfortunately, as I do have a belly button, the very first thing I think is, "What did I miss?" After a wonderful review, and words that surely sound five-star: "Perfect!" "I wouldn't change a thing!", and then to see a 4.5 just makes me crazy stupid nuts! What did I miss?

If you are going to review a piece, rate it. If you rate it, at least leave a breadcrumb trail. Otherwise, you leave no hope for getting the work right! As much as I wish to know what your reaction is to my writing, I even moreso want to know why that was your reaction. "I just don't give 5.0 ratings!" is truly, to me, a mark of mediocrity.