What is the Hardest Part About Writing Reviews?

Contributor: gone77 gone77
I'm hoping to get an idea of what people struggle the most with when writing reviews and/or what part(s) take them the longest to write.
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Specifications (measurements, control functions, consistency of lubes etc.)
1
Your overall experience with the products
4
Summary
33
Other (please explain)
21
Total votes: 59 (53 voters)
Poll is closed
07/05/2010
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Contributor: gone77 gone77
I find the summary to often be the hardest thing for me to write. I have to remind myself that this is the first thing the reader is going to see, and that I have use words/phrases that aren't just a repeat of what I said in the review.

Shoot! I just realized I forgot to put "Title" as an option. I don't know about you guys, but coming up with a title can be a bit of an effort on my part.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Annemarie Annemarie
I find it difficult to write the summary, because there's often SO much to say about a product, and so little room, and my experience with a product, because the way I use things may not be the same way someone else uses them, and I just don't like writing intense details--I've found they come across as either corny or just TOO personal.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Sir Sir
Sitting down and actually writing the review is the hardest. I sometimes put it off, even if I absolutely love the product.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
I've found it depends mostly on the product. I used to be able to write 4 lingerie reviews in a day (If I had to), but my last review I had been putting off for quite a while because I didn't want to write it out in the standard format.

Most of the time I have a hard time coming up with the summary, and phrasing things to make the review feel as though it was worth reading, rather than just stating things, if that makes any sense.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Victoria Victoria
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I find it difficult to write the summary, because there's often SO much to say about a product, and so little room, and my experience with a product, because the way I use things may not be the same way someone else uses them, and I just ... more
Exactly - trying to cram it all in without making it too jokey, too personal, or too specif, it's a delicate dance!
07/05/2010
Contributor: Tuesday Tuesday
The summary is the hardest followed closely by the Use section.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Kynky Kytty Kynky Kytty
It depends on the products, I'm so not going to be reviewing condoms or lube because I'm pretty sure that I would not be good at it. I must not forget that English is my second language and I do not know that many synonyms to wet and slick.

I'm fine with the summary though. Although I used to hate going through all the boring talk about material. This is where I'd spend/waste a lot of time writing and researching.

Carrie Ann's view on reviewing made me try a new approach to reviewing which I believe helped my reviewing style (make it less boring) and focus on the more important stuff (my opinion). I'm really enjoying myself while I'm reviewing and I only need to go through measurements when publishing the review on my blog.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
For me it's material info, cleaning info, specs. It's just so repetitious that I try overly hard to get it out there either very concisely or as a natural part of my sentence structure, which can be difficult.
07/05/2010
Contributor: bzzingbee bzzingbee
It's definitely the title for me. I have a hard time thinking of something that isn't too cheesy, cliched or bland... Plus I want it to be something that makes people want to read my review. Writing the actual review seems like the easy part to me, lol.
07/05/2010
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
The title and the summary tie for me. The title and the summary should sum up the review in a sentence or two. I think the summary should go at the top of the review instead of the bottom. That way you can start it, do the rest of the review and then polish it when you're done.
07/05/2010
Contributor: TitsMcScandal TitsMcScandal
The use section. I never know if I say enough, too much, too little. I feel like it can be repetitive for certain products too.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Sir Sir
Quote:
Originally posted by TitsMcScandal
The use section. I never know if I say enough, too much, too little. I feel like it can be repetitive for certain products too.
I feel the same way about the Use section. It also feels repetitive within the review body, too, you know?
07/05/2010
Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
I voted other because one of the hardest parts is just getting started. Once I do, it seems to flow pretty nicely. Also thinking of a title can be a pain sometimes.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Owl Identified Owl Identified
I agree with Carrie Ann. I've written close to 50 reviews at this point and I'm sick of writing about the technical stuff (cleaning, sharing, lube compatibility, blabla) so I can't even imagine how annoying it gets after, say, 200 reviews. I know it's important and sometimes a person may only read one review before they buy a product, so you want it to be a thorough one. Still...annoying.

I also really put off writing reviews for products I'm neutral to. It's almost easier to curtail bias for a toy you either LOVED or absolutely HATED. When you're totally indifferent to a toy, it's sometimes hard to find anything useful to say. Those are the reviews that are really hard for me.
07/05/2010
Contributor: Tuesday Tuesday
Quote:
Originally posted by Sir
I feel the same way about the Use section. It also feels repetitive within the review body, too, you know?
Yes. This is exactly what makes the Use section so hard. This section should be optional. Its unusual that I have something new to say in Use that isn't better put elsewhere in the review.

Plus usually, the use of a product is obvious.
07/05/2010
Contributor: LicentiouslyYours LicentiouslyYours
Quote:
Originally posted by Sir
Sitting down and actually writing the review is the hardest. I sometimes put it off, even if I absolutely love the product.
Oh this is SO totally me. Once I actually start, it's pretty easy to get through, but my worst problem is actually getting started!
07/06/2010
Contributor: Alan & Michele Alan & Michele
Quote:
Originally posted by gone77
I find the summary to often be the hardest thing for me to write. I have to remind myself that this is the first thing the reader is going to see, and that I have use words/phrases that aren't just a repeat of what I said in the review. ... more
Summary and Title are the two that we have the most trouble with too. We've actually had otherwise finished reviews sitting for an extra day or so waiting for one of us to come up with something.

On some products the Use section is difficult too, because it's hard not to repeat what's been said in either the Summary or Performance sections.
07/06/2010
Contributor: gone77 gone77
Wow! It's good to see I'm not the only one who struggles with the summary and title. ;-) Admittedly, I do have a hard time getting started. It's something I really need to work on.

Thanks for the responses, guys!
07/06/2010
Contributor: Annemarie Annemarie
Quote:
Originally posted by gone77
I find the summary to often be the hardest thing for me to write. I have to remind myself that this is the first thing the reader is going to see, and that I have use words/phrases that aren't just a repeat of what I said in the review. ... more
I must be odd because I almost NEVER have issues with a title. They often just come to me, y'know?
07/07/2010
Contributor: Gary Gary
Quote:
Originally posted by Sir
Sitting down and actually writing the review is the hardest. I sometimes put it off, even if I absolutely love the product.
I was going to say the same thing.
07/07/2010
Contributor: ~LaUr3n~ ~LaUr3n~
Tags, I know we don't have to use them but since I started and can't edit old ones I am trying to reuse other tags so there are more than just one toy in a tag category. I hate tags now.
07/07/2010
Contributor: Kynky Kytty Kynky Kytty
Quote:
Originally posted by Sir
Sitting down and actually writing the review is the hardest. I sometimes put it off, even if I absolutely love the product.
Yeah, me too. I get a lot more motivation when it's an assignment and that I've got a deadline or when I know I can't get a new product before I've completed it.
07/07/2010
Contributor: PassionQT PassionQT
I don't want to sound too repetitious from one review to the next, but it's bound to happen. Summaries are probably the toughest part.
07/12/2010
Contributor: gone77 gone77
Quote:
Originally posted by PassionQT
I don't want to sound too repetitious from one review to the next, but it's bound to happen. Summaries are probably the toughest part.
Yeah, repetition is another thing that worries me with a review. I'm still working on ways to make it fresh. Honestly, I find reading other reviews helps inspire my own writing.
07/12/2010
Contributor: SexyySarah SexyySarah
I find it hard to do the summary part because the whole review is not suppose to be repeated in the summary, so it's difficult to write something new and different then what I already wrote.
07/13/2010
Contributor: Sir Sir
Quote:
Originally posted by Kynky Kytty
Yeah, me too. I get a lot more motivation when it's an assignment and that I've got a deadline or when I know I can't get a new product before I've completed it.
I definitely know what you mean. I feel the same way a lot of times.
07/17/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
I review on my blog, so I would say coming up with some structure, like what to talk about first, how to arrange all the info, etc.
07/17/2010
Contributor: David88 David88
Definitely the summary. It's hard because it says to say something you haven't already said and I always put everything I think about the toy in the review.
07/17/2010
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
I went with summary, but sometimes fitting the pros/cons in that small box can be hard too.
07/17/2010