A thought occurred to me just now. What kind of manners or stylistic habits do you have when you write your reviews?

Everybody writes a certain way that is their style, so what do you consider as something that is habitual to your style; a structural approach, a certain mannerism that often repeats itself from review to review, the way you write... in essence what is your style? Or do you take each review individually ("I wouldn't write about a DVD like I would about a bath bomb"). Here's a chance for you to turn into yourself and analyse your own writing mannerisms.



I myself would say that I tend to write in my terminology "flowingly" in that I have a desire to make each review feel naturally enjoyable. This means that I often find myself changing minute details in sentences like wording, length and order to make it feel more comfortable for the mouth and to convey my idea with as much ease of thought as possible (i.e. stream of consciousness; whether I always succeed or not is up to the reader).

Otherwise I don't have that much of a structural coherency. Sometimes I use headers if I feel the review benefits from them, or not if they feel superfluous. At others I may start some running joke that will go through the entire review (such as the ol' gents in one Elgar review). I may write at length, or more to the point (depends). I may get all emotional at times and at other ultra-analytical. So in essence I take each review individually to fit the subject matter the best I see it.

So there's my analysis of my writing. How about you? (And yes, "i.e. stream of consciousness" sentence was an afterthought )

I think that I try to think in logical order when I write reviews. Sometimes, when I am angry or upset about a product, I distance myself from it and write when I am able to be objective. I tend to introduce the product, say why I bought it in comparison with others. I do tend to search around as I don't have limited resources. I think my thoughts when I write a review is "what would I ask if I were seeking information ?", read it again and again to see if it answers my questions. I like flow as well though not sure I achieve it every time. I do when it is something I feel passionately about.

I like writing under headings because it breaks down the review. I find it hard to stay focused while reading long paragraphs, so I find it hard to write them too.

I also like headings because it means I can cut back and forth while I'm writing, if a comment about packaging comes to me when I'm writing about cost, then I can just scroll back to the right heading and add it in. Heading also stop me getting off track and rambling on about something irrelevant instead.

I do try to keep the headings the same for most of my reviews, and in the same order, thats the closest thing I have to 'flow'

I basically try to keep my review in some sort of logical order like Rachel.
Also I think spacing it out into easy to read paragraphs is important, as it's easier on the eye. Lisa x

I think my style has changed as i have developed as a writer. i think for a while i wnated to write fun reviess but now i prefer it if they are consumer orientated.It depends on the product really. i was proud of my review of my DAB radio as that was extremly cusotmer focussed and it was technical. it's the one i am most proud of getting a crown for. I tnd to put don thoughts then flesh them out. I'm not one for headidngs nowadays.

i treat each revew as a mini essay with a beginning midlde and end. I like a good introduction as I find it draw me into a review.IdI like to set myself a question in my introduction as that feels natural due to all the essays I have written. I also like to have a good title and to play with the words there. I am never going to be a proper writer so my reviewing is a way to express myself

Picking up on Dusk's comment I wanted to add something on the importance of a good start.

Several newbies have asked me 'why don't more people read me?' and I advise them to put more effort into their intros.

On dooyoo they can get away with it - nobody sees the intro though sometimes I wish we could - but on Ciao it's absolutely essential that the first paragraph is a cracker.

Oldies can get away with a poor intro if they already have a good CoT and a reputation but when I see a newbie write 'I was bored so I thought I'd have a go at this challenge' I just don't want to read it.

Agreed. A good beginning is half the review written already.

Yep definitely. An introduction and conclusion/summary are two of the most important bits in any review.

I can't say the introduction is the part that makes me want to read a review. I find it the hardest part to write though, but usually once I get started the rest is not so troublesome.

Titles are more likely to pull me in, I'm tired of seeing titles like "Review of <insert product>".

Yeah, a nice witty title, or play on words is much more likely to get me to read it that just the product name

Sexual innuendo in your title always seems to get people flocking to your review, no idea why

Because people are