So this week, as I understand it, I am supposed to blog on the expectations and standards I have for the reviewing process that we are doing for class. To begin with, I hope that the reviewers of my memoir first draft will not pull any punches. I have been through a couple of writing workshop classes now, and I feel that I have developed a pretty thick skin. I know that I will improve as a writer more from things that are pointed out to me that just aren't working for the reader. It's nice to get praise and compliments, but then, how do you improve if you think everything you write is gold? I just expect that the reviewers will let me know when a joke falls flat, when a scene is not set up well enough, or a character is not completely fleshed out. In short, I just want to know if the reader is "getting it."

As far as what my standards are for the memoirs I will be looking at, I will be as fair and honest as possible. I will try to balance the negatives with the positives. I will be looking at the overall effect of the narrative aspect of the memoirs. I will try to cite specific examples of things that aren't working for me. This might be an image that doesn't work. It might be an awkwarrd sentence that leaves me wondering what is meant. Overall, I will be looking to see if I got anything out of the memoir, even if it's just entertainment value.