Writing a helpful peer review is not only an exercise in editing, it’s an exercise in empathy, as it requires us to deliver feedback that considers where the writer is coming from. As our Sports Writing Competition 2021 Best Peer Review Winner Niah Nieuwenhuis says, “Remaining respectful and mindful of the other person’s position, cultural differences, and political views is a great place to start.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
Read on for more of her insights into the peer review process and to learn about her writing accomplishments!
How do you choose a piece to review, and then what steps do you take to review it?
Before I choose to review a piece, I first read it in its entirety. I want to make sure I understand the author’s point of view, their objectives, and if they (in my humble opinion) succeeded in completing those objectives. If I resonate with the author and/or see great potential in the writing, I usually go ahead and begin crafting a review. I read through the piece again, looking for any details that I missed. Then, I begin making comments on specific lines and phrases that are either spectacular or a bit confusing to me. Once I am satisfied and feel like I have provided sufficient information on my viewpoint as the reader, I answer the prompted questions that Write the World lists, differing for each genre I review.
Guest Judge John Vitti praised your review for its non-judgmental approach. What are your tips for ensuring that you’re providing suggestions that will help the writer, without coming across as overly critical of the writer’s technique or approach?
At the end of each review, I try to make sure that I always explicitly state that these are just my suggestions and opinions; the author is free to use them or discard them. Throughout my review, I attempt to focus on not offering my ideas on the topic of the writing, but rather placing my emphasis on seeing through the eyes of the writer. Remaining respectful and mindful of the other person’s position, cultural differences, and political views is a great place to start.
What do you like most about peer reviewing?
I love peer reviewing because I get a chance to step into so many individuals’ unique minds and worlds! Writing offers many teens, including myself, a chance to express their innermost selves and explore identities they would never otherwise envision. I am so grateful I have the chance to play a (very) small part in other teens’ life stories.
What is your favorite thing you’ve written so far in 2021?
My (current) favorite piece I’ve written so far in 2021 is “The Right Way to Write.” It’s a poem that I recently published on Write the World. It laments about how so many people, whether it be famous authors, teachers, parents, or the internet, try to tell us when we "should” be writing. If anyone would like to practice their reviewing skills, I’d highly appreciate a review on it!
