The arrow theory of communication
These pages don’t matter. The paper is thin, almost disposable. But maybe scratching in them will help me understand better.
The first book I finished inside the Readmill eBook reader app was Cory Doctorow’s Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. While there was a lot to enjoy about the novel, I came away a little unsatisfied, and I intended to say as much in my review.
But when I tapped over to the relevant screen and raised a finger to the textbox, I realized that I had no idea what to say.
When the words stopped, he understood very much less
Reviews are one of those seemingly straightforward things that become less obvious the more you think about them. Should you:
- Write a note to your future self, reminding you of what you thought and felt?
- Write as if in response to a friend asking “What did you think?”
- Write as if you’re giving feedback directly to the author?
I suspect that the answer to this question is important. I suspect that the writing headspace in which you put yourself comes with assumptions and biases that influence what you choose you say, how you say it, and what you leave out.