"How to Review" by Juno Magic

How to Review

By Juno Magic

Resources for Reviewing and Revising

Online

"How to Critique Fiction" by Victory Crayne
http://www.crayne.com/howcrit.html
"How to do a short critique", approach of Maureen F. McHugh
http://www.critters.org/mcq.txt
"The Diplomatic Critiquer" by Alan Burt
http://www.critters.org/diplomacy.html

Offline

Browne, Renni and King, Dave. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print. New York: HarperPerennial, 1994.
Cheney, Theodore A. Rees. Getting the Words Right: How to Rewrite, Edit & Revise. Cincinnati. Writer's Digest Books, 2005.
Kaplan, David Michael. Revision: a Creative Approach to Writing and Rewriting Fiction. Cincinnati: Writer's Digest Books, 1997.
Leland, Christopher T. The Creative Writer's Style Guide. Writer's Digest Books, Cincinnati, 2002.
Madden, David. Revising Fiction: A Handbook for Writers. New York. Plume, 1988.
Nickell, Kelly (Ed.). The Writer's Digest Writing Clinic. Writer's Digest Books, Cincinnati, 2003.
Seidman, Michael. The Complete Guide to Editing Your Fiction. Writer's Digest Books, Cincinnati, 2000.

Author's Notes

This essay was originally written as background material for a critiquing exercise in a writers' workshop for Tolkien fan fiction.

About the Author

JunoMagic - who is JunoMagic? And why JunoMagic?

Juno - that penname was graciously granted by one of the author's cats. Magic - although the author does believe in magic, especially in the magic woven with words and songs and stories, the magical part of the penname derives simply from her e-mail address.

Speaking of that e-mail address: the author can be contacted at "Juno_Magic at magic dot ms".

If there are any comments or questions, please drop a line! In a letter to the editor of the 'Observer' Tolkien wrote "I am as susceptible as a dragon to flattery". The same can probably be said for most writers! JunoMagic at least thoroughly enjoys answering questions about her writing and constructive criticism aka "concrit" are vital for any author wishing to improve, so that is always welcome, too!

"The Lord of the Rings" has been in Juno 's life since she was five years old and her mother grew bored with what was regarded as "appropriate bed time tales". Twenty-four years later Juno discovered "online fan fiction" and was immediately fascinated.

More information about Juno's stories and the author herself may be found at her website: "Juno's Magic" and at her LiveJournal: "Juno's Magic: To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." (quote from Alfred Lord Tennyson).

When she is not JunoMagic, the author is at home in a small Franconian village with her husband and two cats. She has a professional qualification in law, a bachelor degree in political sciences and history and is currently working as a freelance writer.