A little slow on the news and commentary front this week but it’s given me the time I need to get ready for Fan Expo this weekend. While finishing up some reviews, I got to thinking about how readers like having reviews set-up. Thoughts were spurred by a post by Brigid , and the following comments, about what it is about reviews that readers like and dislike.
On my site, I write my reviews with generally the same structure: Short synopsis, thoughts on the story and characters, opinions on the art, publisher and then a closing paragraphs that rounds up all my thoughts. But should I have something more? Would readers prefer a rating system along with the write up? I’ve tried the number rating system before but I find it hard to pinpoint something down to a number and I agonize too much over the 4.5s, 3.8s and 6/10s.
I’m thinking, if you my readers believe it’d be beneficial to you, of having a thumbs up, thumbs down, no thumbs system: a yes, no or meh set-up. It’ll be a simple image addition to my usual layout but will act as an instant like-it-loath-it-or-indifferent overview of my thoughts.
So, what I’m getting at is, what do people think? Is this a good idea? Is there a better idea? Please, share your thoughts!
Hmmmm, you know part of what I like about your reviews is that you don’t try to translate your opinion into numbers, so I don’t miss that at all. The thumbs up or down doesn’t seem quite as arbitrary, but honestly, I don’t think you *need* it.
I only have 2 options for my reviews. Titles i think are the best, and thus go on my essential read list. In other words titles i think everyone should read. THen there’s the junk pile, fairly straight forward, its where the garbage that shouldn’t be touched with a barge pole goes.
Everything else i leave upto the reader. I think most fans are intelligent enough to take a review and decide for themselves whether they should read a series or not.
Setting things as numbers really dosent work. To many times i’ve seen series that others have rated as 2 or 3, that i’ve loved.
Better IMO to just lay everything out and let people make their own decision on it.
[...] Lissa Pattillo wonders if she should add ratings to her reviews at Kuriousity and takes a look at vol. 1 of Silver Diamond [...]
I personally rate along a letter grade scale that I swiped wholesale from Television Without Pity. There’s a particular thought or feeling behind each grade, so that makes it a lot easier for me to do. I wouldn’t even know where to begin on some kind of numbering system.
Anyway, I don’t think ratings are required at all. I like seeing the different reviewing styles folks employ.
[...] Also, from the comments on my post Thumbs Up? Thumbs Down?, I’ve decided to leave my reviews as is for now. Maybe in the future I’ll apply some sort [...]