Remember there's still an ongoing Summer RP Challenge: Taking Chances! Maybe you can check something off both lists—accepting and completing one task that applies for the Guild and RP challenges!

We've spent some time in previous months reflecting on and attempting to move past fear and failure. After all, when it comes to writing, most of the time the writer is his or her own most significant obstacle. For this month's Challenge, we'll be switching gears slightly and heading back into territory of trying something new and thinking about it differently when doing so. With what? With reviews!

For the purposes of this Challenge, we'll treat reviewing and providing feedback as within the same category. Writing a review—whether doing so for a product or of a piece of writing—requires that not only interacting with the topic to be reviewed, but considering the results of those interactions beyond the initial "I liked/didn't like it". Training a mind to provide a critique can be very useful—not only for the works of others, but for the reviewer's own works!

What is a challenge?
A challenge is an objective (or objectives) that a single Writing and Roleplaying Guild member strives to attain, based on the outlined criteria. This is not a competition against others—your only rival is yourself.
Find out more about Writing and Roleplaying Guild challenges: Guild Challenges, Contests, and Games!

What counts as "reviewing it" for this Challenge?
Write a review, aiming for something that is thorough and constructive.

For reviews of non-written products/services/etc., make sure it is specific and highlights where and how things go right as well as where and how things go wrong. If something could be done better, try to give a realistic suggestion. If there's an appropriate place to post this review, do so! (For example, reviewing an item purchased on Amazon.)

For reviews of written material, specificity is still key! Confront personal biases or preferences, and attempt to avoid layering them into the review. Focus on what's essential and offer suggestions for changes that could be made—with clear explanations of what problems those changes solve. For reviews of the writer's own work, try to distance yourself from it and really think about what you'd feel if someone else sent it to you. Be courteous and kind. If there's an appropriate way to share this review with the author (such as posting it on Fanfiction.net, replying to a thread where someone has indicated they want critique, or PMing it to an author who has stated that they are open to feedback), do so!

Here are some articles to consider when thinking about reviews:
• How to Write Interesting and Effective Reviews Online that People Will Actually Read
• How to Write a Good Book Review
• How to Give Writing Feedback that's Constructive, Not Crushing
• Give Your Students Better Writing Feedback

What are the requirements for this challenge?
Enhance your writing for September by reviewing it!

• Consider a writing project of your own; write a review or provide feedback as if it you were doing so for a stranger!
  
• Offer work of your own up for other Challengers to critique, and take a look at work that people have requested critiques on—provide some!
  
• Find a story that you love, perhaps a published book or a much-beloved fanfiction, and write and post a thorough review!
  
• Write a helpful review for a product or service on a website such as Amazon or Yelp!
  

How do I participate in the challenge?
There are several ways to participate!

• Post in this thread with potential reviews or feedback that you will attempt this month.
  
• Discuss the challenge in this thread.
  
• Request feedback on your own work in this thread.
  
• Provide feedback* on someone else's work (who has requested it) in this thread.
  *Do not provide feedback if the author has not requested it. Doing so will disqualify you from this challenge.
  

How do I complete the challenge?
Post in this thread with your plans and follow up before EOD Wednesday, October 31 Sunday, September 30th with your results!

XD I want to attempt this challenge but even with the great resources I am afraid to commit to it!! ;~; because I'm trying to finish up my own work I haven't read anything in forever @-@ because i found i am easily influenced, so what i read affects what and how i write >.< which isn't so great when I'm trying to finish somethiiiingggg (outside of roleplaying) and so picking a big 'ol thing isn't going to work for me ;n;

Would anyone want to swap shorts/one-shots to review in the spirit of this challenge? I think it's a great exercise! Maybe something around 5k or less? I've got a bunch of one-shots I can offer if anyone wants to offer something up for me!

I would totally take you up on this, Uranus! Shall we swap via PM?

Sure~!

As requested, Sailor Uranghost kindly sent me some feedback on a one-shot I wrote a few years ago!

Thank you so much!! <3

I wish I could edit it and send back to complete the cycle, as suggested but I sadly won't have time before the 31st ;_;. Maybe at some point in the future~.

For now I'd better get to reviewing yours!! Just thought I'd post here first so you can claim your prize :3.

XD you're so kind!!

I DID THE THING!!

*claws her way to bed*

I almost forgot to throw this note in, but I wrote a bunch of product reviews this month, and a few for books! XD I actually wasn't even thinking of this challenge, but heyyyyyyy that's just fine.

Lol what a happy coincidence!