Reviews of Audio Drama are a great help to audiences but they can also be useful for creators. Creators read reviews for constructive critique.
To many folks, reviewers and creators seem like natural enemies, but in
Of course, reviews aren’t written to serve creators, but instead for the potential audience. That is as it should be, but a good review (one that is honest, and constructive – even if negative in its overall verdict) can be enormously valuable to a creator.
A reviewer who can explain what worked and didn’t work in the production and why, especially if they can sandwich their negative criticism between some positive comments, is of inestimable value to a creator.
Of course, some forms of criticism are never helpful. Criticism of the “I don’t like science fiction, therefore this story is bad” variety doesn’t constitute, what most people would consider, a useful, fair, or legitimate review. A show needs to be judged on its own merits and not criticised for being a romance simply because the reviewer prefers courtroom dramas.
And, of course, as recipients of reviews, creators are not made of stone. The action of creating a work and putting it in front of an audience is both terrifying and exhilarating. We hope others are going to love what we have done and are terrified that they will hate it. And by putting something in front of an audience, we invite a critical response. We know we are going to be criticised, and, if we take our craft seriously, we welcome that criticism. Nevertheless, we are only human, are often learning and experimenting with our craft as we go, are not the artists today that we will be tomorrow, and, no matter how deserving we are of negative criticism, need a little positive encouragement to help us swallow the less palatable news about our work.
So yes, while all creators want honest criticism… if we are being truthful, a totally negative beating at the hands of a reviewer is rarely appreciated.
Which brings me to the last thing creators hope reviewers will come to understand. As I’m sure you’re aware, a successful reviewer develops their own unique and entertaining voice. It’s how they develop a following and build their appeal. But in recent years it has become popular to provide non-constructive, snarky and personally devastating reviews for the entertainment of readers.
While this is a legitimate choice, of course, the reviewer needs to be aware it adds little of value to audio drama as a whole and creators quickly dismiss reviews that are overwhelmingly negative as useless. Further, word gets around, and a reviewer who builds a following based on trollish negativity will find a lot of doors closed to them that otherwise would be open. They won’t be welcome to talk with industry insiders, will find their offers to conduct interviews turned down, and will generally lose respect within the community. Reviewers who want to take this path should be wary of the pitfalls.
Creators really do read reviews – sometimes obsessively. They do so hoping to discover what audiences and reviewers liked and didn’t like and they also look to discover how they can improve their works. Below are a series of questions, arranged by topic, that creators commonly hope a reviewer might address in their reviews. Naturally, they don’t expect every question to be addressed in every review, but nonetheless, reviews that deal with these sorts of questions are among the most useful and sought-after amongst creators. As a creator and consumer of audio drama, these are some of the more useful things, arranged by topic, that I look for in a review…
Promotion
- What was promised in the show’s promotion?
- What was delivered in the production itself?
- What channels can the show be found on?
- How professional and attractive is the packaging (website, art, transcripts, etc.)?
- Who are the production team and cast behind the show?
Story
- What strengths and weaknesses can be found in the script?
- What strengths and weaknesses exist in the overall plot?
- How diverse, effective, and engaging are the Characters?
- What is the pacing (is it rushed, does it drag)?
- What is the emotional tone of the work (is it upbeat, tragic, mixed, confusing)?
- How effectively is conflict created and used (or is the work home to the dreaded Mary Sue and Marty Stu)?
- Does the story succeed in engaging and moving the audience at an emotional level?
Production
- What strengths and weaknesses were evident in the acting and characterisation?
- How effective were the sound effects (minimalist, immersive, jarring)?
- Is music used? What are its strengths and weaknesses of composition and performance?
- How well does the production cohere? To what extent do the elements support rather than conflict with one another?
- Are all the elements of the show clearly audible? Does the show shout? Or must you strain to hear elements of it?
Audience
- Who appears to be the intended audience of the show?
- How well (or otherwise) has the show served that intended audience?
- What content warnings are provided and what warnings need to be given?
Opinion
- What did the reviewer like most about the production?
- What did the reviewer like least about the production?
- Who would enjoy this the most (fans of scifi, romance, adventure, family drama, etc.).
- What overall verdict would the reviewer provide (star rating etc.)?
If you have any other suggestions, please leave a comment below.
