Why do editors make so many mistakes?

[Gerry Steen]

Hello, Claudia and everyone who has replied to this post. I read everyone's replies, and I share the same experiences as you. I have done over 30 reviews. My very first review recieved a 9% rating. I had not remembered the guideline about double spacing between paragraphs. I made the mistake of mentioning the title of the book several times without italics and lost 10% for each time I made the same mistake. I probably had a few misplaced commas as well. So, I had a lot to learn.

As time went on, I noticed that some editors would leave a short explanation about why they were noting an error. I appreciated that. I think that the editors should be obliged to leave a short explanation of the grammar rule for each error. This would prove that they know their stuff and cause them to pause and make sure that they themselves are not making an error.

I use grammarly to check my work. It is a good app for checking spelling mistakes, missed spaces, periods and capitals. But it is not reliable for checking commas. After I read my review 10 or more times to find errors or reword it, I jot down sentences that I am not sure of especially when it comes to commas. I will check each sentence by referring to two grammar books I found on Amazon kindle unlimited: "The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need" by Susan Thurman and "Actually the Comma Goes Here" by Lucy Cripps. They have been helpful. My reviewer rating has gone up gradually. Average is now 69%.

I have 3 questions.
1.Do any of you know of a book that has grammar quizzes and exercises in it so that I can test and improve my knowledge of grammar rules and sentence structure?

2. Would anyone like to participate in our own quizzes that we could submit to each other? That way we could practice and help each other.

3. Claudia, would it be okay to start these quizzes in this post which was your creation? If not, we could start it in another post.

In summary, I want to rid myself of the frustrations about editing that we all share. How about we have some fun and help each other get better? From reading all of the replies I feel that we are all positive people who want to get better at this and have fun doing so. Since the editors are anonymous, they might want to join in the fun and could help us all get better at this. Ciao for now fellow reviewers.

Hi, Claudia and fellow reviewers. I have thought about it for the past 24 hours. I will do my part to help. I will start a new topic in International Grammar. It will have the title: "How can we help each other become better reviewers?" I will copy and paste some of my comments from above. Feel free to join in and help with your knowledge, resources, and suggestions. Ciao for now fellow reviewers.

[Claudia Angelucci]

Hello, Claudia and everyone who has replied to this post. I read everyone's replies, and I share the same experiences as you. I have done over 30 reviews. My very first review recieved a 9% rating. I had not remembered the guideline about double spacing between paragraphs. I made the mistake of mentioning the title of the book several times without italics and lost 10% for each time I made the same mistake. I probably had a few misplaced commas as well. So, I had a lot to learn.

As time went on, I noticed that some editors would leave a short explanation about why they were noting an error. I appreciated that. I think that the editors should be obliged to leave a short explanation of the grammar rule for each error. This would prove that they know their stuff and cause them to pause and make sure that they themselves are not making an error.

I use grammarly to check my work. It is a good app for checking spelling mistakes, missed spaces, periods and capitals. But it is not reliable for checking commas. After I read my review 10 or more times to find errors or reword it, I jot down sentences that I am not sure of especially when it comes to commas. I will check each sentence by referring to two grammar books I found on Amazon kindle unlimited: "The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need" by Susan Thurman and "Actually the Comma Goes Here" by Lucy Cripps. They have been helpful. My reviewer rating has gone up gradually. Average is now 69%.

I have 3 questions.
1.Do any of you know of a book that has grammar quizzes and exercises in it so that I can test and improve my knowledge of grammar rules and sentence structure?

2. Would anyone like to participate in our own quizzes that we could submit to each other? That way we could practice and help each other.

3. Claudia, would it be okay to start these quizzes in this post which was your creation? If not, we could start it in another post.

In summary, I want to rid myself of the frustrations about editing that we all share. How about we have some fun and help each other get better? From reading all of the replies I feel that we are all positive people who want to get better at this and have fun doing so. Since the editors are anonymous, they might want to join in the fun and could help us all get better at this. Ciao for now fellow reviewers.

Ciao Gerry, that sounds great and thank you! I am definitely in, and yes, please use this thread as you see fit. I am a bit frustrated—I can't find the right word! I jist received a low score on a review that was completely error-free. The editor said I didn't follow the guidelines because I didn't justify my rating enough. I appealed to them but to no avail. Now, I'm unsure if I should take this issue to an administrator.

[Gerry Steen]

Hi, Claudia. There is disarray regarding the guidelines. The editors are free to interpret them the way they feel fit. I just had the same experience. It feels like that some editors if they can't find enough grammar mistakes they will do their best to find a guideline infraction. In my case, the editor did not stick to the wording of the guideline. I sent my case to the administrator and am waiting for a result. It is thoroughly discouraging when you write a error free review and end up getting 51% instead of 100%. On the other hand, when I have made a grammar mistake and it is pointed out by the editor with a short enlightening explanation, I really appreciate it. This was the first time I have reached out to the administrator. On other occasions, the editors have agreed with me with a polite apology. I never complain until I recheck my grammar books and am sure. If you feel sure, go for it! Also, there is no way to thank an editor for good, constructive criticism. I think they, like us, need some praise. I will start another topic "Praise the Editor- No Negativity Please." That way we can cite the review or reviews we did where we felt the editor did a good job of pointing out an error with a good explanation based on a verifiable grammar rule. No one will know who the editor is, but the editor will know who they are and will appreciate the well-deserved praise. This praise might also encourage the editors, or some of them, to go the extra mile and provide a sensible explanation. Teaching should be part of the job.

I apologize for my rambling on. Have a fabulous day Claudia. Don't give up! I enjoy reading your reviews.

[Claudia Angelucci]

Exactly, I agree with what you said. I have had similar experiences, and I understand that this is a large site where things can get complicated. However, it is frustrating and upsetting when you are wrongly and unfairly marked down.

When I started, I read the guidelines but missed the part about quoting the entire sentence when citing an error. As a result, I kept receiving low scores for not adhering to the guidelines without understanding why. It wasn't until an editor clearly explained it to me that I understood the issue. Later, I asked here, and I believe it was Sherrie, a moderator, who explained it clearly again.

Yes, I agree we should stay positive and work together to find a solution.

[Claudia Angelucci]

This review received a low score because, although it is error-free, it was said I didn't follow the guidelines, particularly by not justifying the rating enough, especially the positive aspects.
viewtopic.php?p=2557572#p2557572

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but I found the plot and characters a bit superficial. That is, in summary, my opinion of the book. I provided a plot summary because I believe that with this genre, it's what readers want to know. I gave the book 4 stars and would recommend it to certain readers. It is a very well-written and polished work.

I'd like to ask Gerry and everyone reading this: is the editor right? I understand the editor's feedback, but I'm not sure how to proceed. Should I ask an administrator or leave it as is?

[Shirley Ann Riddern Labzentis]

I would definitely submit this to an administrator. Being an editor at one time, I would not have given this a low score. You have met all of the guidelines, explaining your reasons for the score that you gave it. You mentioned the writer's writing style, the great editing, the characters seeming real, etc. What more did they want? It wasn't the greatest book you ever read, so why sing its praises to the heavens? In my opinion, you did a great job of describing the good and bad aspects of the book, and no other comments need to be made.

[Alissa Nesson]

This review received a low score because, although it is error-free, it was said I didn't follow the guidelines, particularly by not justifying the rating enough, especially the positive aspects.
viewtopic.php?p=2557572#p2557572

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but I found the plot and characters a bit superficial. That is, in summary, my opinion of the book. I provided a plot summary because I believe that with this genre, it's what readers want to know. I gave the book 4 stars and would recommend it to certain readers. It is a very well-written and polished work.

I'd like to ask Gerry and everyone reading this: is the editor right? I understand the editor's feedback, but I'm not sure how to proceed. Should I ask an administrator or leave it as is?

I think your review is very good, but it does seem to focus on the negative aspects of the book. I expected your rating of the book to be lower based on that focus. However, I don’t think your review deserves a low score. I like the way you write. I wouldn’t say you didn’t follow the guidelines. You did mention the good aspects of the book as well. I would submit this to an admin

[Gerry Steen]

This review received a low score because, although it is error-free, it was said I didn't follow the guidelines, particularly by not justifying the rating enough, especially the positive aspects.
viewtopic.php?p=2557572#p2557572

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but I found the plot and characters a bit superficial. That is, in summary, my opinion of the book. I provided a plot summary because I believe that with this genre, it's what readers want to know. I gave the book 4 stars and would recommend it to certain readers. It is a very well-written and polished work.

I'd like to ask Gerry and everyone reading this: is the editor right? I understand the editor's feedback, but I'm not sure how to proceed. Should I ask an administrator or leave it as is?

Hi, Claudia. I loved your review. Let's see. I copied and pasted the following from your review:

"Additionally, the narrative is enriched with intense action.( positive comment #1)

In essence, 'Treacherous Pursuit' offers an enjoyable experience,(positive comment #2) yet it comes with certain drawbacks.(negative comment #1) The plot, while engaging,(positive comment #3) occasionally veers into chaos as numerous events unfold(negative comment #2). Both scenes and characters lack depth, leaving a yearning for more profound connections between them.(negative comment #3) A more comprehensive exploration of characters and detailed development could significantly elevate the book's impact.(constructive feed-back) The writing maintains a crisp flow,(positive comment #4) with dialogue that feels authentic.(positive comment #5) Moreover, the book exhibits professional editing, devoid of any objective mistakes.(positive comment#6) While this debut novel offers a pleasant experience,(Positive comment#7) I believe it could be enhanced with more fully developed characters and richer descriptions(negative comment #4). Considering its strengths and weaknesses, I would wholeheartedly give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Fans of suspense novels with intricate plots and unexpected twists would likely enjoy 'Treacherous Pursuit."( positive comment #8)

Well, Claudia.... You wrote 8 positive comments and only 4 negative comments. Plus the main body of your review described a good plot which makes it a given for a star at least.

Here are the OBC guidelines for writing a review, that pertain to our discussion:

- In your written review, you must include your rating of the book on a scale of one to five, one being the worst and five being the best.( YOU DID)

- You must sufficiently explain your rating. For instance, if you rated it less than five out of five stars, you would want to explain why you deducted the stars you did.(YOU DID) If you rated it full five out of five, you will want to thoroughly explain why it deserves such an exceptionally high rating.( does not apply to you because you did not rate it 5 out of 5)

- You must list the negatives about the book (e.g. what could be changed about the book to make it even better).( YOU DID) If there was absolutely nothing that (in your opinion) could be done better and you have no criticisms at all even slightly, then you must explain that somehow in your own words. (DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU)

In summary, from what I can see in an objective manner is that you followed the guidelines to a tee.

I feel for you. you should not have to feel this frustration. Ask for the administration to recheck. Enough is a very nebulous word when there is nothing in the guidelines describing what enough means quantitatively. But 66% of your comments were positive. In sum, overwhelmingly positive.

Ciao for now. Good luck!

[Claudia Angelucci]

I would definitely submit this to an administrator. Being an editor at one time, I would not have given this a low score. You have met all of the guidelines, explaining your reasons for the score that you gave it. You mentioned the writer's writing style, the great editing, the characters seeming real, etc. What more did they want? It wasn't the greatest book you ever read, so why sing its praises to the heavens? In my opinion, you did a great job of describing the good and bad aspects of the book, and no other comments need to be made.

Thank you very much, Shirley. I really value your opinion. I apologize for misspelling your name on a few occasions, writing "Sherrie" instead of "Shirley." The score was 43%, and I am a bit torn, afraid the administrator will side with the editor. However, I will try as you suggest. Thanks again!

[Claudia Angelucci]

This review received a low score because, although it is error-free, it was said I didn't follow the guidelines, particularly by not justifying the rating enough, especially the positive aspects.
viewtopic.php?p=2557572#p2557572

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but I found the plot and characters a bit superficial. That is, in summary, my opinion of the book. I provided a plot summary because I believe that with this genre, it's what readers want to know. I gave the book 4 stars and would recommend it to certain readers. It is a very well-written and polished work.

I'd like to ask Gerry and everyone reading this: is the editor right? I understand the editor's feedback, but I'm not sure how to proceed. Should I ask an administrator or leave it as is?

I think your review is very good, but it does seem to focus on the negative aspects of the book. I expected your rating of the book to be lower based on that focus. However, I don’t think your review deserves a low score. I like the way you write. I wouldn’t say you didn’t follow the guidelines. You did mention the good aspects of the book as well. I would submit this to an admin

Thank you so much, Alissa. I really appreciate that. I have to say, I thought the same thing. At first, I was unsure about giving it 3 or 4 stars, but overall I liked it. I will ask the administrator and see. I am a bit torn because I understand the editor's perspective, but I felt it was too harsh. I'm at my last administrator check now,.I think I'll risk it! Thank you again.

[Claudia Angelucci]

This review received a low score because, although it is error-free, it was said I didn't follow the guidelines, particularly by not justifying the rating enough, especially the positive aspects.
viewtopic.php?p=2557572#p2557572

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but I found the plot and characters a bit superficial. That is, in summary, my opinion of the book. I provided a plot summary because I believe that with this genre, it's what readers want to know. I gave the book 4 stars and would recommend it to certain readers. It is a very well-written and polished work.

I'd like to ask Gerry and everyone reading this: is the editor right? I understand the editor's feedback, but I'm not sure how to proceed. Should I ask an administrator or leave it as is?

Hi, Claudia. I loved your review. Let's see. I copied and pasted the following from your review:

"Additionally, the narrative is enriched with intense action.( positive comment #1)

In essence, 'Treacherous Pursuit' offers an enjoyable experience,(positive comment #2) yet it comes with certain drawbacks.(negative comment #1) The plot, while engaging,(positive comment #3) occasionally veers into chaos as numerous events unfold(negative comment #2). Both scenes and characters lack depth, leaving a yearning for more profound connections between them.(negative comment #3) A more comprehensive exploration of characters and detailed development could significantly elevate the book's impact.(constructive feed-back) The writing maintains a crisp flow,(positive comment #4) with dialogue that feels authentic.(positive comment #5) Moreover, the book exhibits professional editing, devoid of any objective mistakes.(positive comment#6) While this debut novel offers a pleasant experience,(Positive comment#7) I believe it could be enhanced with more fully developed characters and richer descriptions(negative comment #4). Considering its strengths and weaknesses, I would wholeheartedly give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Fans of suspense novels with intricate plots and unexpected twists would likely enjoy 'Treacherous Pursuit."( positive comment #8)

Well, Claudia.... You wrote 8 positive comments and only 4 negative comments. Plus the main body of your review described a good plot which makes it a given for a star at least.

Here are the OBC guidelines for writing a review, that pertain to our discussion:

- In your written review, you must include your rating of the book on a scale of one to five, one being the worst and five being the best.( YOU DID)

- You must sufficiently explain your rating. For instance, if you rated it less than five out of five stars, you would want to explain why you deducted the stars you did.(YOU DID) If you rated it full five out of five, you will want to thoroughly explain why it deserves such an exceptionally high rating.( does not apply to you because you did not rate it 5 out of 5)

- You must list the negatives about the book (e.g. what could be changed about the book to make it even better).( YOU DID) If there was absolutely nothing that (in your opinion) could be done better and you have no criticisms at all even slightly, then you must explain that somehow in your own words. (DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU)

In summary, from what I can see in an objective manner is that you followed the guidelines to a tee.

I feel for you. you should not have to feel this frustration. Ask for the administration to recheck. Enough is a very nebulous word when there is nothing in the guidelines describing what enough means quantitatively. But 66% of your comments were positive. In sum, overwhelmingly positive.

Ciao for now. Good luck!

Wow, Gerry, thank you very much! This was the editor's comment after my recheck request: 'Like I said, you did well to provide a detailed summary of the book. However, readers are more interested in hearing your thoughts on the book rather than just the summary. Here's the only positive point you made in the review: "The writing maintains a crisp flow, with dialogue that feels authentic. Moreover, the book exhibits professional editing, devoid of any objective mistakes." For an official review (or any review, for that matter), you could have done more, in my opinion. However, you can ask an admin to weigh in on this. Thanks.'

Well, it's a shame I cannot respond to the editor a second time; otherwise, I would have sent them your message. Thank you very much; I really appreciate it. I am going to ask the administrator, as I am at my last recheck and feel a bit torn. Thank you again; I'll let you know the outcome!

[Gerry Steen]

This review received a low score because, although it is error-free, it was said I didn't follow the guidelines, particularly by not justifying the rating enough, especially the positive aspects.
viewtopic.php?p=2557572#p2557572

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, but I found the plot and characters a bit superficial. That is, in summary, my opinion of the book. I provided a plot summary because I believe that with this genre, it's what readers want to know. I gave the book 4 stars and would recommend it to certain readers. It is a very well-written and polished work.

I'd like to ask Gerry and everyone reading this: is the editor right? I understand the editor's feedback, but I'm not sure how to proceed. Should I ask an administrator or leave it as is?

Hi, Claudia. I loved your review. Let's see. I copied and pasted the following from your review:

"Additionally, the narrative is enriched with intense action.( positive comment #1)

In essence, 'Treacherous Pursuit' offers an enjoyable experience,(positive comment #2) yet it comes with certain drawbacks.(negative comment #1) The plot, while engaging,(positive comment #3) occasionally veers into chaos as numerous events unfold(negative comment #2). Both scenes and characters lack depth, leaving a yearning for more profound connections between them.(negative comment #3) A more comprehensive exploration of characters and detailed development could significantly elevate the book's impact.(constructive feed-back) The writing maintains a crisp flow,(positive comment #4) with dialogue that feels authentic.(positive comment #5) Moreover, the book exhibits professional editing, devoid of any objective mistakes.(positive comment#6) While this debut novel offers a pleasant experience,(Positive comment#7) I believe it could be enhanced with more fully developed characters and richer descriptions(negative comment #4). Considering its strengths and weaknesses, I would wholeheartedly give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Fans of suspense novels with intricate plots and unexpected twists would likely enjoy 'Treacherous Pursuit."( positive comment #8)

Well, Claudia.... You wrote 8 positive comments and only 4 negative comments. Plus the main body of your review described a good plot which makes it a given for a star at least.

Here are the OBC guidelines for writing a review, that pertain to our discussion:

- In your written review, you must include your rating of the book on a scale of one to five, one being the worst and five being the best.( YOU DID)

- You must sufficiently explain your rating. For instance, if you rated it less than five out of five stars, you would want to explain why you deducted the stars you did.(YOU DID) If you rated it full five out of five, you will want to thoroughly explain why it deserves such an exceptionally high rating.( does not apply to you because you did not rate it 5 out of 5)

- You must list the negatives about the book (e.g. what could be changed about the book to make it even better).( YOU DID) If there was absolutely nothing that (in your opinion) could be done better and you have no criticisms at all even slightly, then you must explain that somehow in your own words. (DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU)

In summary, from what I can see in an objective manner is that you followed the guidelines to a tee.

I feel for you. you should not have to feel this frustration. Ask for the administration to recheck. Enough is a very nebulous word when there is nothing in the guidelines describing what enough means quantitatively. But 66% of your comments were positive. In sum, overwhelmingly positive.

Ciao for now. Good luck!

Wow, Gerry, thank you very much! This was the editor's comment after my recheck request: 'Like I said, you did well to provide a detailed summary of the book. However, readers are more interested in hearing your thoughts on the book rather than just the summary. Here's the only positive point you made in the review: "The writing maintains a crisp flow, with dialogue that feels authentic. Moreover, the book exhibits professional editing, devoid of any objective mistakes." For an official review (or any review, for that matter), you could have done more, in my opinion. However, you can ask an admin to weigh in on this. Thanks.'

Well, it's a shame I cannot respond to the editor a second time; otherwise, I would have sent them your message. Thank you very much; I really appreciate it. I am going to ask the administrator, as I am at my last recheck and feel a bit torn. Thank you again; I'll let you know the outcome!

Claudia, the more I think about it, and the more I go over the guidelines, I see that some of the guidelines are NEBULOUS to most people including the poor editors. For clarity, NEBULOUS means unclear, vague, or ill-defined. This leaves the guidelines open to wide interpretation and creates confusion. I cringe to hear how many people will get nabbed by the newest guidelines:

- Do not specify the author's gender or use gendered pronouns unless you are certain of the author's gender. When in doubt, use gender neutral terms (e.g. "The author does a great job at..." instead of "She did a great job at...).

- Please consider the above two guidelines as specific examples of this more important and much broader overall rule: Do not write objectively false statements in your review. Do not present information as objectively accurate and absolutely true if you are not certain that it is objectively true and accurate.

In my humble opinion, we can never be certain of the author's gender in today's world. Therefore, we should never be given the option of deciding that we are certain of their gender. It should be written like this: Do not specify the author's gender or use gendered pronouns. Use gender neutral terms (e.g. "The author does a great job at..." instead of "She did a great job at...).

It would have been nice if it was stipulated that we can use "their" instead of "his" or "her". Also, "they" instead of "he" or "she".

Isn't that clearer? There is less room for error and interpretation. The only way we can truly know how an author identifies their gender is if they stipulate it in the Reviewer page book summary and details that we recieve when we select a book.

And, what about this rule? "Do not write objectively false statements in your review. Do not present information as objectively accurate and absolutely true if you are not certain that it is objectively true and accurate." This was written as an addition to the new guideline about avoiding mentioning a book's page count due to differing formats. This rule sounds very philosophical to me. There is a lot of room for interpretation in philosophy. No examples are given to show exactly what is meant by this rule in terms of writing reviews. Other than page counts, what else could they mean? Is this up to the editors to decide on their own? This is not fair to them or us. OBJECTIVELY means not influenced by personal feelings or opinions. Aren't reviews subjective? Different reviewers will assess and rate a book differently. Are the editors being asked to be the judge?

What do you think?

Also, one more thing. In my very first review, I was penalized for not double-spacing between paragraphs. I was told that it looked sloppy and that I had not followed the guidelines. I agree with the editor that it that it did look sloppy, but I could never find anything about double-spacing paragraphs in the guidelines. Are you able to find it?

[Chi Chiu Michael Mak]

Hi Claudia, Matt, Gerry, and everyone! I used Grammerly for my reviews but my latest review got 4 errors. 1 is a dash/em-dash issue. I guess grammar checkers have holes after all. -.-

[Alissa Nesson]

I had the same issue with the dashes, but once an admin jumped in, she said that my dash was acceptable as long as it had spaces on both sides of it. In any case, I’ve been careful to use the correct kind of dash in the future. I didn’t really understand how they all differed before that, so I learned from it anyway, without having those points taken away.

[Claudia Angelucci]

Hi, Claudia. I loved your review. Let's see. I copied and pasted the following from your review:

"Additionally, the narrative is enriched with intense action.( positive comment #1)

In essence, 'Treacherous Pursuit' offers an enjoyable experience,(positive comment #2) yet it comes with certain drawbacks.(negative comment #1) The plot, while engaging,(positive comment #3) occasionally veers into chaos as numerous events unfold(negative comment #2). Both scenes and characters lack depth, leaving a yearning for more profound connections between them.(negative comment #3) A more comprehensive exploration of characters and detailed development could significantly elevate the book's impact.(constructive feed-back) The writing maintains a crisp flow,(positive comment #4) with dialogue that feels authentic.(positive comment #5) Moreover, the book exhibits professional editing, devoid of any objective mistakes.(positive comment#6) While this debut novel offers a pleasant experience,(Positive comment#7) I believe it could be enhanced with more fully developed characters and richer descriptions(negative comment #4). Considering its strengths and weaknesses, I would wholeheartedly give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Fans of suspense novels with intricate plots and unexpected twists would likely enjoy 'Treacherous Pursuit."( positive comment #8)

Well, Claudia.... You wrote 8 positive comments and only 4 negative comments. Plus the main body of your review described a good plot which makes it a given for a star at least.

Here are the OBC guidelines for writing a review, that pertain to our discussion:

- In your written review, you must include your rating of the book on a scale of one to five, one being the worst and five being the best.( YOU DID)

- You must sufficiently explain your rating. For instance, if you rated it less than five out of five stars, you would want to explain why you deducted the stars you did.(YOU DID) If you rated it full five out of five, you will want to thoroughly explain why it deserves such an exceptionally high rating.( does not apply to you because you did not rate it 5 out of 5)

- You must list the negatives about the book (e.g. what could be changed about the book to make it even better).( YOU DID) If there was absolutely nothing that (in your opinion) could be done better and you have no criticisms at all even slightly, then you must explain that somehow in your own words. (DOES NOT APPLY TO YOU)

In summary, from what I can see in an objective manner is that you followed the guidelines to a tee.

I feel for you. you should not have to feel this frustration. Ask for the administration to recheck. Enough is a very nebulous word when there is nothing in the guidelines describing what enough means quantitatively. But 66% of your comments were positive. In sum, overwhelmingly positive.

Ciao for now. Good luck!

Wow, Gerry, thank you very much! This was the editor's comment after my recheck request: 'Like I said, you did well to provide a detailed summary of the book. However, readers are more interested in hearing your thoughts on the book rather than just the summary. Here's the only positive point you made in the review: "The writing maintains a crisp flow, with dialogue that feels authentic. Moreover, the book exhibits professional editing, devoid of any objective mistakes." For an official review (or any review, for that matter), you could have done more, in my opinion. However, you can ask an admin to weigh in on this. Thanks.'

Well, it's a shame I cannot respond to the editor a second time; otherwise, I would have sent them your message. Thank you very much; I really appreciate it. I am going to ask the administrator, as I am at my last recheck and feel a bit torn. Thank you again; I'll let you know the outcome!

Claudia, the more I think about it, and the more I go over the guidelines, I see that some of the guidelines are NEBULOUS to most people including the poor editors. For clarity, NEBULOUS means unclear, vague, or ill-defined. This leaves the guidelines open to wide interpretation and creates confusion. I cringe to hear how many people will get nabbed by the newest guidelines:

- Do not specify the author's gender or use gendered pronouns unless you are certain of the author's gender. When in doubt, use gender neutral terms (e.g. "The author does a great job at..." instead of "She did a great job at...).

- Please consider the above two guidelines as specific examples of this more important and much broader overall rule: Do not write objectively false statements in your review. Do not present information as objectively accurate and absolutely true if you are not certain that it is objectively true and accurate.

In my humble opinion, we can never be certain of the author's gender in today's world. Therefore, we should never be given the option of deciding that we are certain of their gender. It should be written like this: Do not specify the author's gender or use gendered pronouns. Use gender neutral terms (e.g. "The author does a great job at..." instead of "She did a great job at...).

It would have been nice if it was stipulated that we can use "their" instead of "his" or "her". Also, "they" instead of "he" or "she".

Isn't that clearer? There is less room for error and interpretation. The only way we can truly know how an author identifies their gender is if they stipulate it in the Reviewer page book summary and details that we recieve when we select a book.

And, what about this rule? "Do not write objectively false statements in your review. Do not present information as objectively accurate and absolutely true if you are not certain that it is objectively true and accurate." This was written as an addition to the new guideline about avoiding mentioning a book's page count due to differing formats. This rule sounds very philosophical to me. There is a lot of room for interpretation in philosophy. No examples are given to show exactly what is meant by this rule in terms of writing reviews. Other than page counts, what else could they mean? Is this up to the editors to decide on their own? This is not fair to them or us. OBJECTIVELY means not influenced by personal feelings or opinions. Aren't reviews subjective? Different reviewers will assess and rate a book differently. Are the editors being asked to be the judge?

What do you think?

Also, one more thing. In my very first review, I was penalized for not double-spacing between paragraphs. I was told that it looked sloppy and that I had not followed the guidelines. I agree with the editor that it that it did look sloppy, but I could never find anything about double-spacing paragraphs in the guidelines. Are you able to find it?

I completely agree with you.
Yes, the guidelines are indeed a bit unclear! I use the author's gender pronoun after double-checking online or in the book bio. If I am completely unsure, I use the neutral they/them.

Regarding writing factual information in reviews, I understand its importance, but I'm not sure how it fits into the guidelines. I think most reviewers understand this anyway. Besides, who is going to check? Editors don't necessarily read the books being reviewed.
I've noticed many published reviews that are completely AI-generated and the reviewer never read the book. I know this because I've read the book; otherwise, I wouldn't be able to tell.

And no, I've never read anything about spacing in the guidelines. Frankly, I see reviews without any spacing, and I don't mind. Everyone has their own style, and editors shouldn't judge based on that.