Envy's Free Feedback Thread [Thread Closed]

MintiLime

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Hello! I humbly submit my offerings to the Queen of the Night!

warnings: first work, newbie author. First 7 parts are short snippets/scenes ~500 words to introduce a wide cast. First longer chapter is 2. Afia Hears Something She Shouldn’t Have.

If you only have time to read one chapter, I’d prefer if you read This Cult Lacks a Personality (2) ~500 words or 5. Silnarion Establishes New Leadership ~1000 as I feel like my writing is getting a little better as I progress.

thank you so much in advance!
 
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Please & thank you for any info you can share with me.
 

RepresentingEnvy

En-Chan Queen Vampy!
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May I have this opportunity as well? on thread, please. I'm thankful for any feedback.
The Story of my Cute Snek
🦇Preface 🦇
I am not a professional reviewer/author, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Writing Enjoyment: 🩸🩸(2/5)
I only finished the first chapter to start off, but I already noticed many flaws in the writing. There are tense swaps over multiple sentences that I am not sure if this is present tense or past tense. Most of the language used leads me to believe it is present tense. If that is the case sentences like "I couldn’t, for the life of me, make out the situation I am in" should match the tense being used. "I couldn't, for the life of me, make out the situation I was in"; "I can't, for the life of me, make out the situation I am in." Those are both more correct ways of rewriting the same sentence using past and present. "I don’t know if it was the confusing response given by the voice, or the lack of danger in my surroundings right now, but I did start calming down." This sentence is also incorrect usage of tense. "...if it was the confusing response...lack of danger in my surroundings right now (then)...I did start calming down." There are many instances of this throughout the same chapter. I have given you a more correct form that uses past tense, but you can also change the other two parts to present.

There are more issues, but I want to highlight how important it is to keep to one tense in the same sentence. The reader won't know if it is happening in the past or in the present. There are also other grammatical problems, but I think this is the most pressing concern. The grammar is good enough that it is coherent in all other aspects; however, I cannot give you more than 2 🩸. There is very little nuance in the writing. That being said, it is easily understood when you clean up the tenses.
Personal Enjoyment: 🦇🦇(2/5)
I want to start off this section by saying that I am biased against LitRPG's. I do like that your story actually uses the system, instead of relegating it to a window only. However, this is also my issue. A lot of the exposition is given through the system messages, and we are given conclusions that require little thinking from the reader. The main character is immediately given the answers to their questions without having to discover them on their own. Their internal monologues are answered by the system, and we are rushed through it. It is difficult to tell what kind of person the MC is. They feel inspired by Japanese MC's with their "Eh's..." and "Uwaa's...". That isn't a slight against your story or Japanese stories. Those tropes are enjoyable and successful to many people, and in those quotes, I see some character from your MC. Other than that, I can't really pinpoint a personality of your character.

There is no backstory given about the character before the transmigration. I don't know what type of person they were or what they did. I don't know why she goes through these internal monologues. She doesn't feel like a character that I can relate to. Of course, this is all coming from only reading one chapter, so maybe she gets better? The first chapter does not hook me into the story. It reads similar to many isekais on the same platform. She is transported to a world (no problems here). She is given a system (LitRPG's are usually not my cup of tea). She quickly adapts to the situation after passing out (this is where I run into the problem separate from the writing).

I would also recommend cutting out phrasings that aren't needed. “Oh, it doesn’t follow my sight like the other one, I guess.” Adding "I guess" doesn't add anything here. You could argue that it adds character, but I think it only serves to make her unsure of herself. It contradicts the fact that she witnessed it doing exactly that. She saw that it didn't follow her line of sight, so it is not a guess.
Appeal: 🧛‍♀️🧛‍♀️🧛‍♀️(3/5)
Despite everything I just said, this does appeal to the SH reader base. It is fast paced, and if you fix the issues of tense, you could have even more appeal. You must fix your upload schedule though. I realize you haven't written a chapter in months. Your tags are fine, but the upload schedule is very important to growth. Uploading consistently will give you more front page visibility, and your readers won't move on to someone else. Of course, I also suffer the problem of inconsistency, so I won't harp on about it.
🩸Conclusion🩸
Fix the many tense issues present within the first chapter for better reader comprehension, and you will have a more appealing story. I would have liked more character from the MC, but I also didn't read far enough to see if she changes. I am not a huge fan of LitRPG, but even then, I don't think having the questions answered so quickly makes me want to read further. With all of that said, if you fix your upload schedule (even without changing the aforementioned), you will be able to garner a sizeable reader count.
🧛‍♀️Bleh-Bleh, Bleh🧛‍♀️
🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
 
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RepresentingEnvy

En-Chan Queen Vampy!
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Thank you for your time. I don't visit these forums often, so if it suits you're welcome to also leave your feedback as a review/comment on the work.


Little Bamboo
🦇Preface🦇
I am not a professional reviewer/author, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Writing Enjoyment: 🩸🩸🩸(3/5)
Your grammar and spelling are great, but there are some run-on sentences I noticed throughout the first three chapters. I read the prologue, prelude, and chapter one. I can follow along with what is going on, but that is also why I lowered your score. The prologue and the prelude were more interesting than the first chapter, but they suffer the same problem. I can't get invested into the story.

The perspective swaps too many times. Just as I find myself caring about the events happening, there is a swap in perspective. I want to be up front and say I don't enjoy most cultivation novels, but that is another point entirely. There are too many things happening at once for readers to remember. The prologue starts the story off with the ascension of a cultivator. The prelude introduces two new characters who could also be MC's in their own right. Then this all gets thrown away in the first chapter. For a second I thought I was reading a Warrior Cats book. There are far too many characters introduced, and I have no idea what type of story this is.
Personal Enjoyment: 🦇🦇(2/5)
Even with their problems, I enjoyed the prologue and prelude far more than the first chapter. I am genuinely confused about the direction of the story. The prelude and prologue made me think it was going to be a cultivation novel with humans trying to ascend. The sects are brought into the picture making me think about the potential politics of everything. Then the first chapter pulls a bait and switch.

I genuinely thought that this was a Warrior Cats fanfic. So much so, that I went back to look at the tags. At the very least, I can tell it is highly inspired by Warrior Cats. If you want to write something like that, what was the point of the prologue and prelude? Just write that story.
Appeal: 🧛‍♀️(1/5)
This story does not appeal to a large audience. You could raise the appeal by making the cultivation story. You could raise the appeal by simply making a Warrior Cats fanfic, but this story does neither of those. You might be able to capture people who also like Warrior Cats if you just write that story. I think this story will just irritate anyone looking for cultivation, and anyone looking for something in the vein of Warrior Cats won't be able to tell. The prologue and prelude don't shout Warrior Cats, and neither does the cover. Your synopsis also does not.
🩸Conclusion🩸
The grammar is fine besides a few run-on sentences, but I do not enjoy the rapid perspective swaps. I would much prefer reading any of the stories started in the prelude and prologue than the switch to something heavily inspired by Warrior Cats. I would even prefer if you went full Warrior Cats fanfic, but I still wouldn't enjoy that.
🧛‍♀️Bleh-Bleh, Bleh🧛‍♀️
🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
 
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RepresentingEnvy

En-Chan Queen Vampy!
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Could you do mine, it is quite experimental.
https://www.scribblehub.com/series/778889/an-interactive-alchemy-textbook-on-planar-travel/
You can do the review here
🦇Preface 🦇
I am not a professional reviewer/author, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Writing Enjoyment: 🩸🩸🩸🩸(4/5)
This is not even a story. It is a textbook, and the first couple of chapters are nothing burgers. That being said, it is actually well-written. This is not a story. It is an alchemy textbook from the lens of an otherworldly being. I enjoyed it enough to read all of the chapters. This should be taken as a very serious guide. It is an interactive textbook from an otherworldly author.
Personal Enjoyment: 🦇🦇🦇🦇(4/5)
This is unlike anything I have read on the site. Is it a shitpost? Is it a genuine otherworldly author creating an interactive textbook? I don't know if it is either of these, but it is fun.
Appeal: 🧛‍♀️(5/5)
Yep, this appeals to me. No, it doesn't have mass appeal. @Prince_Azmiran_Myrian should add this otherworldly thing to his hoard.
🩸Conclusion🩸
Bruh. :blob_hmm_two:
🧛‍♀️Bleh-Bleh, Bleh 🧛‍♀️
🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
 
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🦇Welcome to the resident vampire's feedback thread 🦇
RepresentingEnvy here to give all of the mortals feedback on their novels. If you have stumbled across a feedback thread before, then you should understand. Still, I am here to give you the obligatory explanation. I will provide feedback on the first chapter of your novel, and if I enjoy it I might read further. Keep in mind that this will all be my subjective opinion as a reader first.
🦇Disclaimer🦇
I am not a professional Reviewer/author. All of this will be my own subjective opinion. If you don't agree with my review/rating, you are free to dismiss it entirely. I am just a biased vampy.
🦇Rules🦇
  1. I will provide feedback on at least the first chapter of your novel.​
  2. You will put the link to the novel you want reviewed.​
  3. You will tell me if you want the review in the thread or in a PM (If neither is specified the review will go in thread).​
  4. Stories I won't read: Mind break, Mind Control, R*pe (Basically anything that doesn't involve consent in sexual acts. PS: This includes the sexualization of lolis.)​
  5. The first score provided will be writing enjoyment (how much I enjoy your prose/style) on a scale of 1/5 🩸. Example: Writing Enjoyment: 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸(Max Score)​
  6. The second score will be how much I personally enjoyed the story. This will be on a scale of 1/5 🦇. Example: Personal Enjoyment: 🦇🦇🦇🦇🦇(Max Score)​
  7. The last rating will be how much I think your story will appeal to a general audience. This will be on a scale of 1/5 🧛‍♀️. Example: Appeal: 🧛‍♀️🧛‍♀️🧛‍♀️🧛‍♀️🧛‍♀️(Max Score)​
🧛‍♀️Bleh-Bleh, Bleh 🧛‍♀️
Be patient if you want feedback.
Don't take my review as gospel.
🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
Be as blunt as you want, I'd like to publish one day. My book is called MARS.
 

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Rivertalon

Well-known member
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Please review this book. You can just post on the thread.
 

RepresentingEnvy

En-Chan Queen Vampy!
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I'm always curious about people's opinion; so cook me to your heart's content.

In thread is fine, thanks. I need more people to know of my works so that I can get some more one star reviews. :cool:
🦇Preface🦇
I am not a professional reviewer/author, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Writing Enjoyment: 🩸(1/5)
I read through the prologue and chapter 1. Your prologue is completely unnecessary. It is just the MC introducing himself, and it doesn't actually add anything to the story. I do not like the first chapter either. The first four people that get introduced aside from the MC are all similar, and I cannot tell who is talking for the most part. The dialogue tags and action tags are off. They should be after someone is speaking (usually). Example: "I am tired," bob said.

There are also many spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes. "No. I'm skiving." (Skipping)
"Ah, man." , I grumble, "I took too long to leave." ("Ah, man," I grumble. "I took too long to leave.") -
Even that version reads weird. That brings me to the next point. You are trying to use too many different words for your dialogue tags when you actually use them. Muttering darkly to myself... How does someone mutter darkly to themselves?

The writing is very basic, and there is no nuance. The way you introduce the characters is frankly not great, and the MCs internal monologue is also uninspired.

"And your kouhai has already planned to have to talk with you once you get home." , Akai adds.

Riveting.
He could have said nothing here and that would even be better than "riveting".
Personal Enjoyment: 🦇 (1/5)
The story itself makes no sense. Things are just randomly happening to him. It doesn't feel like there is even a goal of this first chapter, and he is randomly good at fighting? Why? Why are people robbing him randomly? Then he goes home and lays on his bed to sulk and call his dad. His actions do not make any sense to me. Neither do the actions of other characters. His dad had the shortest amount of time in the chapter, and he was the character I liked the most. He actually gave the MC good advice.

That being said, what was the point of anything? We move from one thing to the next, and nothing gets explored. Why does the MC not turn the people in? Also, the fight literally ends with *Whack* and *Wham*. It is far too rushed.
Appeal: 🧛‍♀️🧛‍♀️(2/5)
This story has very little appeal on the platform. It isn't because the genres or tags. This is a rare case where the writing is hurting the story a lot from gaining appeal. The prologue could be cut entirely. The first chapter alone will make many readers drop it. The only reason I am giving you 2 🧛‍♀️ is that it has many of the tags that could propel it with better writing, and the name of the story is admittedly great! However, the story itself doesn't scream enigmatic too me.
🩸Conclusion🩸
There are far too many spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes to enjoy the writing. I do not like the prose, and the story itself has no tangible direction. The prologue could be cut. It would not change anything. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if you disagree with any of my feedback.
🧛‍♀️Bleh-Bleh, Bleh 🧛‍♀️
🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
 
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TheMonotonePuppet

A Writer With Enthusiasm & A Jester of Christmas!
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🦇Preface 🦇
I am not a professional reviewer/author, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Writing Enjoyment: 🩸🩸🩸🩸(4/5)
This is not even a story. It is a textbook, and the first couple of chapters are nothing burgers. That being said, it is actually well-written. This is not a story. It is an alchemy textbook from the lens of an otherworldly being. I enjoyed it enough to read all of the chapters. This should be taken as a very serious guide. It is an interactive textbook from an otherworldly author.
Personal Enjoyment: 🦇🦇🦇🦇(4/5)
This is unlike anything I have read on the site. Is it a shitpost? Is it a genuine otherworldly author creating an interactive textbook? I don't know if it is either of these, but it is fun.
Appeal: 🧛‍♀️(5/5)
Yep, this appeals to me. No, it doesn't have mass appeal. @Prince_Azmiran_Myrian should add this otherworldly thing to his hoard.
🩸Conclusion🩸
Bruh. :blob_hmm_two:
🧛‍♀️Bleh-Bleh, Bleh 🧛‍♀️
🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
@RepresentingEnvy Why are you so quiet in class?
You are leaving this extrovert to become the teacher's pet and do all the talking?!?! Betrayal!:blob_no::blob_no::blob_no::blob_catflip::blob_catflip::blob_catflip:
 

RyujiSakamata

Member
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Aug 13, 2023
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I would like to offer my work for this free advise. You can post this in thread. THank you very much.
 

Cloudee77

New member
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Jul 28, 2023
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Hi, a new author here. Would be glad to get any kind of feedback on my novel, if you decided to pick it up. Thanks
 
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