Why You Should Review
6 Nov
I think one of the hardest things for people to get over when they first join a writing site is the hesitance to critique someone else’s work.  The reason behind the hesitance varies from person to person of course, but it’s there all the same. And for some of us, it may continue for quite some time.
Yet, it’s important to review. Not necessarily for the author’s benefit, but for your benefit. When you review, you’re actively breaking down the elements of a literary work in your mind. Your dissecting the work, and in that process, assimilating it on an advanced cognitive level. This is all driven by the conscious thought of, “Why do I like/dislike this piece?”.
Through reviewing, you become an active reader. That is, you’re actively reading the work for what works and what doesn’t work. Subsequently, you go on to (subconsciously) apply these lessons into your own work. Simply put, reviewing someone else’s work will improve your own work.
And ultimately, that’s why you should review.
Completely agree. Greeters point this out when saying the benefits of the review ratio policy.
I’ve noticed this, in my writing. As I’ve learned to edit other people’s work, it becomes easier to figure out what I need to edit out in my own. Or, on a good day, what I need to be writing in the first place. ^^
So true, Nate. Great article.
Seeing techniques you may struggle with or excel in exemplified and working in other pieces really improves one’s writing, just as reading improves writing. Thanks for the great article!
~WD
I would review for the same reason I would write on my reading journal: To improve critical thinking.