Kindly Review

14Rage Reviewer

In this book, I have strived to be kind to each review style until now. Rage Reviewers deserve no kindness. These folks are the atomic bomb to creativity. Unfortunately, these reviewers are so bad at communicating that they poison the process to the extent that its resulting products are gutted and awful.

To a Rage Reviewer, everything is wrong – even if it was right last time. You'll usually get a “Why is it like this?!” comment. These folks don't have to scream or yell, but their words do. The comments on your work are full of sharp jabs, cutting remarks, and heated phrases.

Sadly, Rage Reviewers can be the most knowledgeable people to collaborate with on a project. Still, they are so anxious about what is wrong with the idea that they blow it up instead. As a result, they miss the opportunity to add their insight and content to a project, choosing instead to belittle the creator.

I once had a Rage Reviewer who added the comment “Universally hated by everyone” next to the originally drawn illustration. That was it; no feedback on how to make it better. The statement was meant to hurt the person who had created it. This type of feedback is unnecessary and unprofessional.

Attributes of a Rage Reviewer

Rage Reviewers are often team members who quickly judge everything about your organization. They have issues beyond working hours that need to be addressed. ...