***Why should I come to MS for product reviews or movie reviews when there are so many other sites which provide the same?***
***What makes reviews on MS stand apart from the reviews on a rediff or a indiafm?***
These were the questions I asked myself before coming to MS.
There is a difference between what **professional critics** write and what has been written by the **Consumers**.Professional critics write because they have to or that it is their Job.where as a consumer writes because he/she is either fully satisfied with the product in question or he/she has some complaints or has noticed some shortcomings which one wishes to convey to others.
Note: By ’product’, I mean all topics that are available on MS!
Point is consumer written reviews will have that personal touch, the sense of experiencing the product over a period of time or that emotional portrayal of one’s feelings.which we dont find it much in professional critics.
That much for the introduction.coming straight to the topic.
**1. There should be a little bit of YOU(the consumer) in the review**
I don’t wish to read reviews which provide just the complete specifications of the product, or just the story and cast of the movie, or just the lyrics and musical beat in case of the songs.
*How do all these relate to you as a reviewer?.what do you feel?.What makes you think that so and so feature in this particular product is outstanding or standing out?.*
In short, a review should express one’s feelings, one’s experience when a product is put to use rather than just a dry write up.
I think the above point should be given high priority before writing a review.
***Be original, be your own’good’ self***
While writing with the above point in mind.the following points need to be taken care of.
**2. Sometimes an intended humor is better**
Everybody loves to laugh, smile and be merry.Intended humor is required to bring smile on the readers face.However there has to be a limit.Humor should not turn into a satire or a complete sarcasm making the review a’cheap’ one.
**3. A review need not be long to be effective**
One should not write a review just to make it look long.Some times the essence of the review may be lost while writing a long review.If the minimum words criteria is satisfied and if you feel that the review appeals to you, then its okay.
Ofcourse before submitting do ask yourself *’ If I were a reader, would this review of mine look nice to me?’. *If the answer to this question is a yes, then go ahead!
As an example. stories such as the Aesop’s fables are short, yet they are quite effective.
**4. The formatting and the title**
This point is stressed time and again.If you feel that most of your reviews though very good are going unnoticed.Dont blame it much on MS community.check the formatting and title of the review.
Most of the times it is the case that your review is noticed and clicked but it is not read.If there is no highlighted part, a bold or italicised part in the review.The normal
tendency is to go through the review which many people will not do for the lack of time or for the want of reading other reviews.
When a review is formatted with highlighting of some points.The reader reads the highlighted part first and then thinks whether to go ahead with reading or not.
As a sidenote, think on which line/phrase to highlight and which one not to.
And the title has to be catchy, yet not misleading.
***Many a reviews go un-noticed for the want of better formatting and a better title***
**5. Of research and controversy **
A review should not be so complete and well researched that it goes on and on to the comments section.
Well researched review is very good to read.However, when the review is complete along with all the related links, articles mentioned and included in the review.There is nothing left for the readers to comment on the review except saying a very good review/excellent review.
Research in the review sometimes needs to be limited so that a further discussion can be achieved in the comments section to take into account what readers feel.
Many a times, I come across so nice and complete a review and so long too that I find it hard to comment.I want a little bit of me to be noticed too!.
*So much to yourself and nothing to me!*
Controversy is the tough part.yet it has become the easiest to write.Controversial reviews are the ones which needs complete research along with all the related references included so that for the people who are eager to press that NU button, they got to think thrice before doing so.When a person makes his/her opinion sound solid in a controversial review, then people will be eager to press the VU button!
**6. Other aspects**
There are other aspects like good english.By good english, I mean the review should convey its meaning and it should not be open to being misinterpreted or it should not become ambiguous.If the review achieves this, then even if there are some structural errors, it can be ignored as long as the review appeals.
However some reviews require the use of other languages, mostly Hindi either by the nature of the subject or to make the review more appealing.It is okay as long as the subject demands so.
A note for the new writers:
If you are still asking yourself, the question in the review title.
Do remember one thing
***Every writer was new and unknown before they became old and known!***
PS: Most points covered here were discussed elsewhere on MS.The review is just a
re-inforcement of the same.
Regards,
Amaresh