Jeff's (jeff) Reviews

Review Requests: OFF

4,259 Public Reviews Given

4,388 Total Reviews Given

Review Style

I believe in constructive criticism and honesty. I can adapt my review style to fit the kind of feedback an author is looking for (e.g., developmental suggestions, fine-tuning, proofreading, etc.), but will always try to be as encouraging and helpful as possible.

I'm good at...

Plotting, characterization, dialogue, structure/pacing, and professional considerations. I can also do serviceable technical editing/proofreading, but I'm much better with developmental/creative feedback.

Favorite Genres

I read almost everything. I particularly love genre fiction (mystery/thriller and science fiction/fantasy especially) and nonfiction of all kinds.

276

Only reviews from the past
14 days may be credited.

#4622498

Review of The First Summer of My New Life

Review by Jeff

Rated: 18+

| (3.0)

OFFICIAL CONTEST JUDGE'S REVIEW

Hello PureSciFiPlus

Thank you for taking the time to enter the June 2021 round of the "Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest"

. Enclosed please find the following review, for your consideration.

Premise.

Interesting take on the prompt.

Story.

There were several points where the story made jarring, inconsistent jumps. From Mitch and Tina on the beach jumping immediately to Tina screaming at her parents, and again when the doctors repeatedly saying "We don't know what's wrong with Tina" going right into Victoria saying Tina is going to be okay a few paragraphs later because "Now we know what is wrong with her."

Characters.

Jackson and Victoria were interesting, well-developed characters. Tina felt a little like a plot device more than a fully-realized character, but all three of them were compelling and enjoyable to read about.

Dialogue.

The dialogue felt a little on the nose and expository. Each character says exactly and fully what they're thinking in any given moment, and provides a lot of backstory that feels written more for the benefit of the reader, or for drawing out the narrative, than something a person would naturally say in that situation.`

Technical.

No technical errors that I could find.

Overall.

I found the characters compelling, and the premise interesting, but execution-wise I think there's some work to be done to refine the dialogue and smooth out the progression of the narrative. This is definitely a good start, though!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WDC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

| "Rating & Reviewing Philosophy"

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

277

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14 days may be credited.

#4622497

Review of Camila and Francisco

Review by Jeff

Rated: 13+

| (4.0)

OFFICIAL CONTEST JUDGE'S REVIEW

Hello LightinMind

Thank you for taking the time to enter the June 2021 round of the "Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest"

. Enclosed please find the following review, for your consideration.

Premise.

Good take on the prompt.

Story.

The worldbuilding is excellent. The location you picked, especially once the story got to the mountains, felt vibrant and alive. The narrative of these two characters finding one another was compelling.

Characters.

Camila and Francisco were both unique, compelling characters.

Dialogue.

The dialogue felt a little flat for me. Especially the conversation with the young sisters at the mountain home about what Francisco looks like, when Francisco is describing himself it Camila is consoling him, the back and forth feels a little forced and expository, as did the part at the lake where Francisco is telling her his backstory.

Technical.

No technical errors that I could find.

Overall.

I enjoyed this story. I thought it was a good take on the prompt, and the characters were compelling enough to keep the reader's interest throughout.

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WDC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

| "Rating & Reviewing Philosophy"

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

278

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14 days may be credited.

#4577429

Review of Belfast Time

Review by Jeff

In affiliation with I Write

Rated: 13+ | N/A (Review only item.)

Hello ♥tHiNg♥

I'm sending this review in connection with "I Write in 2020"

.

Premise.

I really enjoyed your take on the prompt, and think you fulfilled all of the requirements for this round of the contest.

Imagery.

I like the fact that your poem focused on the genre of death without being too obvious about it. You do a great job of referring to the concept of death with imagery which makes this piece really stand out.

Structure.

Thanks to this piece, I learned a new form!

I had no idea what a Coronach poem was before reading this item, and it was a pleasure to research the form and see how you applied it to your particular piece. I could find no issues with the form.

Technical.

No technical errors that I could find.

Overall.

I thought you did a really great job with this poem. It's well written, impeccably structured, and flows really well from line to line. The imagery was excellent and it's an all-around solid take on the prompt. Well done!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WDC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

| "Rating & Reviewing Philosophy"

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

279

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14 days may be credited.

#4574169

Review of Come Out and Play

Review by Jeff

Rated: E

| (4.0)

Hello tj ~ HiLo Silver - Away!

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

This was a really sweet poem, and I definitely connected with the underlying inspiration drawn from reconnecting with childhood friends via social media. Overall, the poem was well-structured, with great imagery and word selection, and it read very quickly and smoothly. I particularly liked the way the first stanza came around for a refrain at the very end. Nice job!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

280

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14 days may be credited.

#4574166

Review of I Read Romance. Why?

Review by Jeff

Rated: 13+

| (3.5)

Hello Voxxylady

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

I really enjoyed reading this piece. I think it's unfortunate that many genres get lumped into the same category. Romance and erotica are two entirely different genres, with different tropes and reader expectations, just as science fiction and fantasy are entirely different, albeit often being lumped together on bookstore shelves. I'm a fan of much more specific, targeted genres so that people know exactly what they're getting in each book. My wife is the same way; she loves romance, but not so much the erotica stuff... and sometimes she has no idea which book she's getting until she's already reading it! Anyway, great job on this piece; it was very well thought-out and inspiring!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

281

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14 days may be credited.

#4574140

Review of Whale Candy Recipe

Review by Jeff

Rated: 18+

| (1.0)

Hello wdwilcox

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

As far as "holiday foods you hope you won't have to eat," I think whale candy is probably way up there, especially as described! Overall, I found this poem amusing and well-structured. It was a fun read and there were some great, memorable rhymes in many of the stanzas. As requested, I'm rating it at one star.

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

282

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14 days may be credited.

#4574137

Review of Confessions of an Ex Sports Fan

Review by Jeff

Rated: E

| (4.0)

Hello Kenzie

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

I enjoyed this item as a whole, and think there's a very powerful and important message in putting God before all else when it comes to one's praises, cheers, excitement level, etc. I have to admit that based on the title and the intro I was thinking it would be a little more focused on your experiences with sports, but that said I thought this piece was well-written and engaging.

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

283

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14 days may be credited.

#4574045

Review of A peek into poverty

Review by Jeff

Rated: E

| (4.0)

Hello Soh ~ Luminousa

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

Nice job on this poem. I appreciated the way you articulated your own personal point of view on poverty and the life of the poor, and did so eloquently and clearly. Your word choice and the structure of your poem was excellent, making for an effortless read full of good imagery and concise thoughts. All in all, I think this is a very successful piece. Well done!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

284

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14 days may be credited.

#4574044

Review of Destruction on the Highway

Review by Jeff

Rated: E

| (4.0)

Hello Espero

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

I really enjoyed this piece. I can definitely identify with the feelings of the cost of progress sometimes being quite high, and always needing to be aware of not just what progress can bring, but what it can cost as well. Your piece was well-written, with excellent structure and word choice. You did a great job with the imagery of the piece. Well done!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

285

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14 days may be credited.

#4574043

Review of Who Am I

Review by Jeff

Rated: 18+

| (3.5)

Hello PureSciFi

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

I'll confess that I'm not terribly familiar with Doctor Who in the first place, but I enjoyed this item. I think it was informative, imaginative, and kept my interest throughout. I'm not sure what the specific prompt was that encouraged this item in the April Raid, but it sounds like you did a good job with it.

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

286

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14 days may be credited.

#4574041

Review of The Long & Winding Moo

Review by Jeff

Rated: 13+

| (4.5)

Hello ♥tHiNg♥

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

I can't believe that after all these years of crossing paths, I've never reviewed this actual intro item with all of the personal details. I love the summary of your activities on the site, as well as the background info that lets visitors get to know you a little better. You also provide a good sample of all the activities you've been involved with and enjoy on the site. It's a great one-stop-shop to get to know more about you and the site as a whole. Keep up the great work!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

287

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14 days may be credited.

#4574040

Review of Georgia Smiles

Review by Jeff

Rated: E | N/A (Review only item.)

Hello Carol St.Ann

Congratulations on your Writing.com account anniversary this month! I'm sending this review in honor of the occasion.

This was a really beautiful acrostic. I thought you did a great job with the imagery in this piece, and your line breaks in particular kept the poem moving quickly and effortlessly. Excellent word choice as well. All in all, a very enjoyable poem.

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

288

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14 days may be credited.

#4573807

Review of That's How It Crumbles!

Review by Jeff

In affiliation with I Write

Rated: 18+

| (4.0)

Hello Mastiff

I'm sending this review in connection with "I Write in 2020"

.

I thought you did a great job with this entry. The conversational tone really moves things along nicely, and your opening paragraph hooks the reader easily and effortlessly. As a huge fan of cookies, myself, I appreciate all the thought you put into detailing the different types and including them in your piece. I don't have any real suggestions for improvement as I thought you did a great job as is. Well done!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

289

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14 days may be credited.

#4573403

Review of Days of Future Past

Review by Jeff

In affiliation with The Soundtrackers Group

Rated: 18+

| (3.5)

Hello Kåre Enga in Montana

I'm sending this review in connection with "Musicology Anthology"

.

Thank you for taking the time to enter Musicology Anthology and apologies for taking so long to get around to the judging!

Overall, I think your pieces all made good use of imagery, were well paced, and were interesting. The inspiration from the songs was clear in each entry.

If there were one area to suggest for improvement, it would be that the pieces themselves didn't feel so much like stories that had a defined beginning, middle, and end, as much as they felt like short vignettes or standalone scenes that lacked a narrative arc.

That said, though, they were enjoyable to read and I'm glad you took the time to enter the contest. Good work!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

290

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14 days may be credited.

#4569293

Review of The blue vessel

Review by Jeff

In affiliation with I Write

Rated: E

| (4.0)

Hello Sumojo

I'm sending this review in connection with "I Write in 2020"

.

It's nice to be able to return the favor of doing an I Write review for one of your items, and I'm even more pleased that it's an actual story rather than a poem!

I thought you did a good job setting up the disparate and yet interconnected events that all related to the spread of a virus. You really showed how simple interactions that are initially perceived to be harmless can actually, in total, add up to something truly problematic.

You included a level of detail that made it easy to imagine the scenes you were setting, without weighing down the pacing or slowing the narrative. Overall, I thought you did a good job with this entry and I wish you the best of luck in the contest!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

291

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14 days may be credited.

#4568258

Review of A Long Way Home

Review by Jeff

Rated: 13+

| (4.5)

Hello debmiller1

This is an official judges' review for the July 2020 round of "Rhythms & Writing: Official WDC Contest"

This was one of my favorite entries of the contest. I thought you did a great job with the prompt, and creating a vibrant setting full of interesting characters. I wish I had some suggestions for improvement, but honestly I wouldn't change a thing about the story. I loved it just the way it is.

Thank you for the undertaking the time and effort to enter one of the site's official contests. I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

292

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14 days may be credited.

#4568257

Review of Finding Home

Review by Jeff

Rated: E

| (4.0)

Hello fyn

This is an official judges' review for the July 2020 round of "Rhythms & Writing: Official WDC Contest"

It's always a pleasure to read your work, and this story is certainly no exception. Good characterization, entertaining storytelling, and your writing style captures the reader's attention and doesn't let go until the very end. I also enjoyed your take on the prompt. I wish I had some suggestions for improvement, but you did great with it just the way it is!

Thank you for the undertaking the time and effort to enter one of the site's official contests. I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

293

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14 days may be credited.

#4568253

Review of Following A Dream

Review by Jeff

Rated: 18+

| (4.0)

Hello 💙 Carly - aka Joan Watson

This is an official judges' review for the July 2020 round of "Rhythms & Writing: Official WDC Contest"

Great job on this story. I really enjoyed the characterization and your take on the prompt, in particular. It's always a pleasure to read your work, and this story was certainly no exception. Well done and keep up the good work!

Thank you for the undertaking the time and effort to enter one of the site's official contests. I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

294

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14 days may be credited.

#4568249

Review of I Did It My Way

Review by Jeff

Rated: 13+

| (3.0)

Hello Odessa Molinari

This is an official judges' review for the July 2020 round of "Rhythms & Writing: Official WDC Contest"

I thought you did a good job with the dialogue in this story, but at only a quarter of the allowable word count and without much description, I thought there was room to expand the story a little with some additional details and context, but it was otherwise a good take on the prompt. Nice work!

Thank you for the undertaking the time and effort to enter one of the site's official contests. I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

295

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14 days may be credited.

#4568248

Review of Lone Wolf

Review by Jeff

Rated: 18+

| (3.5)

Hello Christopher Roy Denton

This is an official judges' review for the July 2020 round of "Rhythms & Writing: Official WDC Contest"

I liked your take on the prompt. I thought you did a good job with the characterization and providing vivid imagery and details of the setting. The one issue I did notice was that early on in the car buying process, Marta tells Bob that she only has $5,000 to spend (and then tells him to half it), but then Bob tells her he can let the VW bus go for six grand. And then they negotiate and she agrees to buy it for five thousand (which is twice what she said she could afford). I think that element threw me because the numbers were so far off from the information that Marta initially conveyed she was able to pay. Otherwise, I enjoyed reading this story and thought you did a good job.

Thank you for the undertaking the time and effort to enter one of the site's official contests. I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

296

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14 days may be credited.

#4552819

Review of ruwth is writing...

for entry "~ Blog for Bard's June 6 ~"

Review by Jeff

In affiliation with I Write

Rated: 18+

| (4.5)

Hello ruwth

I'm sending this review in connection with "I Write in 2020"

.

We're trading reviews and alternating posts in the I Write forum, it seems!

I really enjoyed the fact that you connected several blog posts together and gave the reader a sense of a continuing journey. It really helps add context and appreciation to the moving day story that you communicated in this blog post. I thought this entry was well written, paced effectively, and kept my interest throughout.

Overall, you did a great job!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

297

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14 days may be credited.

#4552649

Review of ruwth is writing...

for entry "~ Blog for Bard's June 5 ~"

Review by Jeff

In affiliation with I Write

Rated: 18+

| (4.0)

Hello ruwth

I'm sending this review in connection with "I Write in 2020"

.

As someone who just finished a month-long challenge to blog every day, I wish you the best of luck! It's a time consuming test of your endurance, but can be really rewarding if you're able to see it through to the end. Even if you end up missing a day or completing an entry late, keep at it!

I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

298

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14 days may be credited.

#4552250

Review of Pacific

Review by Jeff

Rated: E

| (4.0)

Hello Toffeeman1957

This is an official judges' review for the April 2020 round of "Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest"

Premise.

The premise was interesting and I enjoyed the take on the prompt.

Story.

The story was well-developed and moved along at a brisk pace.

Characters.

The characters were well-developed and interesting.

Dialogue.

You made good use of dialogue to keep the story moving forward.

Technical.

No technical issues that I could find.

Overall.

Overall, I enjoyed this entry and thought you did a good job with the prompt.

Thank you for the undertaking the time and effort to enter one of the site's official contests. I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

299

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14 days may be credited.

#4552245

Review of Friends in High Places

Review by Jeff

Rated: E

| (4.0)

Hello Roberts89

This is an official judges' review for the April 2020 round of "Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest"

Premise.

I liked your take on the prompt. I thought it was original and interesting.

Story.

The story was compelling and had me engaged throughout.

Characters.

Your character development was excellent; both Marie and Sharon felt like fully-realized, intriguing characters.

Dialogue.

The dialogue was okay; it mostly served its purpose of moving the narrative along efficiently, but for me it didn't really stand out or shine beyond being functional.

Technical.

No technical errors that I could find.

Overall.

Overall, I enjoyed this entry. I think you had a good take on the prompt, and you executed it well.

Thank you for the undertaking the time and effort to enter one of the site's official contests. I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .

300

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14 days may be credited.

#4552243

Review of The Road to Wolfrend

Review by Jeff

Rated: ASR

| (4.0)

Hello Graham B.

This is an official judges' review for the April 2020 round of "Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest"

Premise.

I liked your premise and your take on the prompt.

Story.

Overall, I found the story to be compelling and really liked the level of detail and imagery you infused into the piece.

Characters.

Both of your characters were really well-developed and interesting.

Dialogue.

Some of the back-and-forth dialogue early on in the piece slowed down the read a bit because it felt at times like banter that wasn't really moving the story forward. That said, you did a good job with the dialogue toward the end of the story and dealing with the really emotional ending between the two.

Technical.

No technical issues that I could find.

Overall.

Overall, this was a solid entry. It was a good take on the prompt and well-written. Nice work!

Thank you for the undertaking the time and effort to enter one of the site's official contests. I hope you've found this review helpful. If so, please consider paying it forward by reviewing the work of another WdC author!

Respectfully,

Jeff

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .