Peer reviewing is about so much more than helping to improve the work of the author. For Nature & Environmental Poetry Competition Best Peer Review winner Sydney Heintz (Switzerland), it’s a self-reflective exercise as well, with the process of providing critical feedback on another’s work serving as a mirror for her own thought process. As Sydney says, “peer reviewing actually teaches you something about yourself and how you think about things.”
Below, we talk to Sydney about her slam-dunk approach to peer reviewing as well as her favorite book she read in 2021!
Guest Judge Ellen van Neerven praised you for “putting (yourself) in the writer’s shoes.” Why is this important for the reviewer, and what tips do you have for other writers in doing this?
I find it crucial to maintain the perspective of a writer when reviewing because it gives one a unique, “behind the scenes” insight into the making of a work. As writers, we are able to judge the craft, skill and time put into a piece with reference to our own experience, which is an incredibly valuable tool. I personally find that the best way to review is to suggest changes based on those you would make if it were your own work. Write to another like you are writing to yourself and there is a higher probability that it will be useful to them.
Is there a particular process you’ve landed on that you’ve found makes for a successful peer review?
In my opinion, a successful review is one that shows passion and a genuine interest in improving someone’s work. Writing a review of something you enjoy reading makes it all the better, because it allows you to have fun with it and give a few tips along the way. I start by reading the piece over a few times, jotting down first impressions, and only then begin writing. This step-by-step process will help formulate your thoughts in an organized way and make your comments more relevant to the writer.
Ellen van Neerven also said that you have “a strong future ahead of [you] working with words.” How do you see the skills you use as a peer reviewer helping you in your future goals, whether writing or non-writing related?
The ability to assess and advise, but also articulate your own opinions is, I find, a fundamental tool in all fields of study. I’d go so far as to say that peer reviewing actually teaches you something about yourself and how you think about things. As far as writing, peer reviewing helped me edit my own work more effectively, or just take a step back and think. Eventually, I plan on studying English Literature at university, so thinking critically will surely prepare me for that too.
What’s your favorite book you’ve read in 2021 so far?
Stephen Fry’s Making History. It’s funny, witty, and slightly mad.
