Why Do We Have Rules for Reviews?
What Difference Does it Make What I Say in a Review?
It makes a BIG difference to us. We do not condone any form of author harassment via reviews.
Flames and accusations of plagiarism or other rule violations are NOT ALLOWED in reviews. Site Administrators are the ones to contact if you have a complaint regarding any story posted on our site. PERIOD.
Reviews are for the purpose of sharing with an author what you did, or didn’t, like about a story. Still, when talking about what you didn’t like, you need to be tactful and kind. We are all here for our enjoyment. People who write do so for many reasons, but I can almost guarantee that none of them are because one wants to read about how awful their story seemed to someone else.
Offer constructive criticism if you must criticize (defined below). Any other criticism will be considered a flame (defined below). Try to let the author know what you found most enjoyable. Try to be as kind as possible when discussing what might have been off-putting.
Constructive Criticism
Constructive criticism is when you let the author know things that might help improve their writing. Whether it is plot advice, character development, grammar and spelling issues, you can let the author know this in a positive, friendly fashion. Try to phrase constructive criticism in positive ways, such as: “I really like so and so’s approach to whatever, but maybe such and such could have been done like this,” or “This character seems to have good intentions, but maybe they could have shown such and such better.” Phrase things in terms of “I think...” or “I feel...” rather than “You should...” or “You need to...”
None of us are perfect. We all know that we need to learn and grow, but there are ways to let people know this without engendering anger and hostility. Try to remember that one person’s vision of the characters and plot may not necessarily jive with yours. Try not to comment in a negative fashion on plot or characters unless you have something to say that might improve how it was portrayed. Please try to remember this when reviewing!
Flames
Flames are unnecessarily harsh comments, often seeking to incite drama, that do not help the author in any way. On our site, flames are NOT TOLERATED. Criticizing an author for their plot, saying its been “done a million times” or is “stale” can be construed as flaming. It adds nothing constructive that the author can use to improve. Telling an author that their story is stupid, not worth reading, a waste of time, etc., can also be viewed as a flame.
In short, any harsh criticism that does not offer anything constructive to help an author will be viewed as a flame. Flames are deleted when found. Members who have been found to be flaming will be warned ONCE, then will face profile deletion if they continue. Members who do not log in, yet leave a flame anonymously, will be tracked down via their IP address. This is not behavior that we tolerate here at Dokuga. Non-member flamers will have their IP addresses blocked so that they can no longer access our site.
Dokuga does NOT tolerate unnecessary drama and hostility.
What if the Author States That They Do Not Want “Concrit” or Constructive Criticism?
In that event, if an author has clearly stated that they do not wish reviews with “concrit” or constructive criticism, then:
Just. Don’t. Do. It. Do not offer it in spite, as that will get you a warning just as quickly as a flame.
Can I Warn An Author That They Committed a Rule Violation Via a Review?
Short answer: NO.
Definitely NOT. Do not use a review to point out any site violations that you believe the author has committed. Bring your accusations to a Site Administrator - it is OUR job to reprimand violations, NOT yours. Please let us do our jobs!!
~~Wiccan~~
Favoured: 1
