~Reviewer's Corner~

If you feel that you are an articulate writer, a tough but fair critic, and you'd like to commit some time and effort in helping Dangerously Curvy Novels remain one of the top resources for reviews of BBW fiction, please sign up for the list below.  Be sure to specify what genres you prefer to read, with the exception of romantica and erotica, which are no longer being reviewed here.  Also, please send me your contact information: a valid, frequently used email address with enough space to receive e-books in the form of large e-mail attachments, and your name and mailing address in case an author would prefer to send an Advanced Reader's Copy *arc*.

Since new releases tend to be few and far between feel free to review any older titles listed on the website.  Libraries, used book stores, and Ebay all are wonderful sources for finding BBW fiction and other woman and size issue-oriented books which are listed here. (More about this on the F.A.Q.)

Note:

All reviews will be edited for clarity and brevity.  If I don't have the time to edit a review myself, I'll send it back to you with an explanation of what needs to be tweaked.

Reviews are the property of the writers but may be used on other size acceptance websites with whom DCN has a syndication agreement or by authors for promotional purposes.

All reviews must be original work.

There is no guarantee that you will be assigned a pre-release novel to review, but on the plus side there are no deadlines for older title reviews.  And there's no requirement to send in a review each month.

There is no monetary compensation for being a reviewer on this website.  Hopefully seeing your name in print will be compensation enough. :^)

If, after looking over this entire page you've decided you'd like to be a DCN reviewer, please apply at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/curvynovelsreviewers/

Please note that it is our policy to only review books with quality writing. If a novel has some technical issues as far as the craft goes but overall the story is engaging, then by all means review it and just give the reader fair warning that the prose is less than polished. But if a book feels like it is only half done, simply decline to review it.  I do not want reviews submitted for work of this kind.

Thank you!

There is nothing worse than trying to write a review without decent notes. (Trust me on this!) So here is a checklist to help you make certain you have all the information you will need for your write-ups, the format for which is listed in the next section.

Title:  

Author's Name:

Genre/subgenre:                      Appropriate for which reading lists?

Heroine's full name:

Age:

Job:

Quirks/interesting trivia:

Hero's full name:

Age:

Job:

Quirks/interesting trivia:

Setting/Location:                  

Time period:                       

Plot:

Size or women's issue:

Content rating:  Weight loss?  Eating disorders? Sexuality level? Other potentially offensive subject matter? Note: a rough guideline on the sexuality level (sweet=no sex, sexy=allusions to sex, steamy=some descriptive sexual passages, spicy=numerous very descriptive sexual passages)

Some questions to ask yourself as you are reading: (feel free to ask me for clarification on any of these items.  Also, please visit these websites for more detailed checklists on how to review/critique a story: http://www.crayne.com/howcrit.html#checklist and http://www.sfwa.org/writing/hc_critique.htm And it wouldn't hurt to have a copy of "Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" by Renni Brown, Dave King on hand either.)

Is the writing smooth, stilted, flowery? Does it pull me out of the story anywhere? Does it need more polishing?

Is the hook (opening line) a "grabber"?

Is there cohesion between the plot and subplots? Are there too many or not enough subplots? Are the plotlines believable?

Do the characters leap off the page with realism, speak like actual people, stay in character, and grow?

Are there point of view conflicts or slips? (Example: Did a scene begin in one character's head and end in another's?  Was a scene written in one character's point of view, but slipped out of it momentarily into an omniscient viewpoint?)

Can I "see" the setting?  Can I feel the mood? Do I feel like I am there inside the story? Does the author just state a list of events and a list of emotions and expect the reader to feel something, or does (s)he explain the situation to death?

Does the author's "voice" click with me?

Is the pacing on target?  Do the scenes zip by too quickly or are they weighed down by back story and exposition?

Are the mechanics sound? Are there -ly adverbs peppered throughout? Are speaker attributions being used too often and ineffectively?

Does the research ring true, or are there kerosene lamps sitting on medieval tables?

*Remember, at no time should you give away spoilers.  Please leave a surprise for the readers who have yet to pick up the book. (Check out this example of the type of review we are looking for.)

Title:

Author's Name:

Reviewer's Name:

Story summary: (not necessary if you are reviewing a book already covered on DCN. If you are the first reviewer of a novel, please be sure to write your very own sparkling blurb rather than borrow the one on the back of the book.)

What worked for you: Try to be specific whenever possible.  A simple, gushing, "I loved this book" won't help a potential reader determine if it is right for him or her.

Size-wise information of the heroine.  Size is a subjective matter, so wherever possible use the author's description of the character in quotes so that the reader may decide if this is the type of heroine for which (s)he is looking. (For example:  Benny was "a great horse of a girl",  Suzie was six feet tall and "strapping",  Annie was "soft and pillowy, more than an armful and heaven to hold.")

What didn't work for you: (We are critical of the work and not the author.  And we phrase our criticism in the politest and most encouraging way without divulging plot twists.)

Overall:

Content warning:

Some similar plus-size novels which have also been reviewed on DCN:

~Sample Story Critique~

~DCN Manuscript Evaluation Service~

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