Friday, August 17, 2007@9:42 PM

Title: Winter’s Fantasia
Author: WZ
Link: http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/winter
Reviewed by: Ting

Criteria Breakdown:
1* Title – 5/5

I really liked the title. It sounded lovely and whimsical, which is always a great draw for readers in my opinion. It also lent an air of mystery to the story, which made me want to read the story without even knowing what the plot was about. Great job!
2* Forwards – 8/10

‘Camford’ was a great touch – I had a good chuckle over that! You described the characters well, and it was easy to differentiate between the different characters. I thought that the introductory paragraph at the end of the forewords was well-done too; I could almost imagine the piano scene as you described it. On first reading, I felt that some of the characters were a little bit clichéd, but sometimes sticking to the tried and tested route is a good thing. The way you crafted your characters contained aspects that made them sound too perfect, which detracted from my enjoyment of the story a little. It might be good to spend a little more time on your characters and make them a little more ‘rounded’.
3* Appearance - 7/10

Font colour and background were nice and striking, so it was easy to read your story, especially because it was in teal (which I love!). A poster and/or background would have helped add to the completeness of the story, but it was by no means essential. I appreciated the simplicity of your layout, and thought that it was adequate, although a little more attention to packaging would have made a considerable difference.
4* Originality and Creativity – 13/15

There were quite a few musical references in the story, which is lovely because not many stories have this feature. It clearly reflected the fact that you have some knowledge in the area and that you put some thought in incorporating the references into your story. Also, the winter reference along with the title of the musical piece tied in perfectly with the title. I liked the ideas that you placed subtly in your writing, which will hopefully unfold as the story progresses. .
5* Plot – 13/15 Marks

One thing I really enjoyed about your story was the relationship between the characters. Not only was it clearly defined, the dialogue was very well crafted, and was very enjoyable to read. You didn’t dwell too long on unimportant things, which made the plot easy to understand because it left those bits to the reader’s imagination. The plot moves quickly, with every chapter coming to a cliffhanger or poignant ending with the promise of continuation. It was almost like watching a TV series episode! Goodness, now even I want to know what Selina read!
6* Story Flow – 9/10

Story flow was smooth and each chapter ran quickly into successive chapters without any discrepancy.
7* Language: (Spelling, Grammar) – 13/15
Overall, spelling and grammar were good. I couldn’t find any major mistakes that needed attention. Sometimes the phrasing was a little odd, but that could be sorted out with a couple of minutes at the editing table.

8* Writing Style: 9/10

Your writing style is easy for readers to read and relate to, which is a big credit to your story. It makes people want to read on, and doesn’t contain riddles or any other complex devices that can make reading tiresome. Your language is simple and uncomplicated which works to your advantage in this story because the ideas being put forth are uncomplicated. This gives a very light, carefree feel to your writing, which is a really good style to have.
9* Reader Friendly: 9/10

You’ve replied periodically to your readers’ comments, even the slightly rude ones, and maintained a very good manner towards your audience, which is good. Also, the notes you placed before/after your chapters was pretty good as well, because it filled in some of the missing gaps in your narrative. Total: 86/100Bonus: 3/3