This is basically what I tend to do too. I have to re-read and check for grammar and spelling 3 to 4 times. I guess I'm so used to checking my grammar many times over for school so it's like a habit for me. My last blog article on LEGO CUUSOO took me 3 and a half hours. About a hour and a half was spent on grammar and structure. Pictures, videos, and links took extra time, but I think it makes the blog post look better.

I'm trying focus more of my time on completing merit badges for my Eagle Scout rank and starting my Eagle Scout project so I have not spent too much time writing blog articles or reviews. I will write some, but I have to prioritize.

The recent blog articles and reviews I have received have excellent spelling and grammar and I greatly appreciate it.  I have been very, very impressed with the overall quality of the content coming in.  Really excellent stuff.

I agree that most of the reviews have been quality. But I'm not sure how I feel about you guys reviewing sets that you haven't built yourselves... Not suggesting it should be disallowed, but perhaps a disclaimer of some sort is in order. As always, I appreciate and read almost every blog, article, and review, so please don't think I'm just trying to naysay for giggles. Peace.

I agree that most of the reviews have been quality. But I'm not sure how I feel about you guys reviewing sets that you haven't built yourselves... Not suggesting it should be disallowed, but perhaps a disclaimer of some sort is in order. As always, I appreciate and read almost every blog, article, and review, so please don't think I'm just trying to naysay for giggles. Peace.

No worries. If you check on the top of each review there are two questions: Do you own this set? And have you built this set? Where you can see if the reviewer has built or at least owns the set.

I agree that most of the reviews have been quality. But I'm not sure how I feel about you guys reviewing sets that you haven't built yourselves... Not suggesting it should be disallowed, but perhaps a disclaimer of some sort is in order. As always, I appreciate and read almost every blog, article, and review, so please don't think I'm just trying to naysay for giggles. Peace.

 

Which is why the first questions on the review form are these.  They are also shown as the first line of each review.

MEMBER OWNS SET: YES (or NO) MEMBER HAS BUILT SET: YES

Hah, duh. I knew that. My brain has gas :)

I agree that most of the reviews have been quality. But I'm not sure how I feel about you guys reviewing sets that you haven't built yourselves... Not suggesting it should be disallowed, but perhaps a disclaimer of some sort is in order. As always, I appreciate and read almost every blog, article, and review, so please don't think I'm just trying to naysay for giggles. Peace.

I respectfully disagree. I review sets that I do not own all the time...not many...but I do.

Veegs: EC article on Creator Houses(500 BrickPoints)

Quacs: EC article on Legends of Chima(500 BrickPoints)

Strylr: BB article on Parting Out sets(500 BrickPoints)

Mikeur86: Avengers EC article(500 BrickPoints)

Quacs: LEGO Truths and Myths Blog  BB article(500 BrickPoints)

Fcbarcelona101:  Personal Blog  on December price swings(200 BrickPoints)

Quacs: Personal Blog on Sydney Opera House(150 BrickPoints)

MartinP: Personal Blog on 10240 X-wing(50 BrickPoints)

Alcarin: Personal Blog on Europe LEGO price difference(150 BrickPoints)

Quacs: Beginner

I agree that most of the reviews have been quality. But I'm not sure how I feel about you guys reviewing sets that you haven't built yourselves... Not suggesting it should be disallowed, but perhaps a disclaimer of some sort is in order. As always, I appreciate and read almost every blog, article, and review, so please don't think I'm just trying to naysay for giggles. Peace.

I see your point and thought that way before until Ed made a good case about it which helped me to understand the review process even better. If you look at my list of reviews, you will see one for Cafe Corner and Market Street, and I have never owned either one or actually built those sets. Now I did semi sorta build the Cafe Corner with a friend many years ago, and when I did the Market Street review I did my best to build the design from my own parts to get a grasp of how it looked in real time. Still would not be considered to have actually built either set though but I did do my research and spent a good amount of days on both to make the writeups as well as can be.

A newbie question from a procrastinator Is there a way to insert a picture to a set review ? A picture can enhance a review I am writing at the moment. I saw a button to insert a table, but did not see anything for pictures.

 

I searched the word picture on the topic, but I did not see any specifics regarding set review.

I agree that most of the reviews have been quality. But I'm not sure how I feel about you guys reviewing sets that you haven't built yourselves... Not suggesting it should be disallowed, but perhaps a disclaimer of some sort is in order. As always, I appreciate and read almost every blog, article, and review, so please don't think I'm just trying to naysay for giggles. Peace.

 

I feel I have to review sets that I don't have because my collection is quite dated (I already reviewed all the recent sets in my collection), and I think that on an investment site, people should be reviewing sets that the average person is able to pick up at a store, because no one needs investment advice about sets from the 70's you can no longer really invest in that have already shown most of their growth.I mean, would anyone really read investment advice about a set that has already lived through its aftermarket life and is now flat? I tried a couple reviews of old sets I have, but it didn't really work out because the only thing that a reader can take out of it is how to apply the success or failure of that set to similar ones that are currently available. So really, I am sorry if you feel that reviews by people who haven't owned the set are not really "reviews", but (speaking for myself) I have to make a choice between how useful the review will be to the community and my budget/collection. 

A newbie question from a procrastinator Is there a way to insert a picture to a set review ? A picture can enhance a review I am writing at the moment. I saw a button to insert a table, but did not see anything for pictures.

 

I searched the word picture on the topic, but I did not see any specifics regarding set review.

Yes, download it onto a site such as flickr or photobucket and right click where you want to insert it in the review, choosing"insert/edit image" and just enter the URL of that image. Easy peasy!

I have only reviewed sets I own and have built so far.  But will run out eventually and do some on those that I don't.  No big deal really, as long as you can research what the build experience is like then the rest is fairly straightforward with perhaps only the first impressions/wow factor being a little more difficult to get a feel for.  I see plenty of great reviews from members that have answered no to both owning and building the set.

 

Brianl3 - go ahead and review some of the older ones for sure.  I love reading about vintage stuff.  Sure the growth and investment side may be flat but try looking at used sets as I think some of the classic sets will see a bit of used growth as AFOLs look to grab sets from their childhood.

Our reviews are more from an investment standpoint. Brickset and Eurobricks does a great job with reviews from a build standpoint. It's my belief that you can analyze a LEGO set based on investment characteristics without owning or building it.

Brianl3 - go ahead and review some of the older ones for sure.  I love reading about vintage stuff.  Sure the growth and investment side may be flat but try looking at used sets as I think some of the classic sets will see a bit of used growth as AFOLs look to grab sets from their childhood.

 

Hahaha, this wouldn't be vintage stuff, just sets too old for people to pick it up in store (mostly 2003ish-2010)

Our reviews are more from an investment standpoint. Brickset and Eurobricks does a great job with reviews from a build standpoint. It's my belief that you can analyze a LEGO set based on investment characteristics without owning or building it.

Agreed. Still, I'm glad I brought it up. Now I'm convinced they are valuable to the goals of the site.

 

Veegs: EC article on Creator Houses(500 BrickPoints)

Quacs: EC article on Legends of Chima(500 BrickPoints)

Strylr: BB article on Parting Out sets(500 BrickPoints)

Mikeur86: Avengers EC article(500 BrickPoints)

Quacs: LEGO Truths and Myths Blog  BB article(500 BrickPoints)

Fcbarcelona101:  Personal Blog  on December price swings(200 BrickPoints)

Quacs: Personal Blog on Sydney Opera House(150 BrickPoints)

MartinP: Personal Blog on 10240 X-wing(50 BrickPoints)

Alcarin: Personal Blog on Europe LEGO price difference(150 BrickPoints)

Quacs: Beginner

Eight days...65 reviews to catch up to Blackjack. I give up LOL

Eight days...65 reviews to catch up to Blackjack. I give up LOL

"I thought it was quality over quantity ?" said a person who only reviewed one measily polybag so far...

"I thought it was quality over quantity ?" said a person who only reviewed one measily polybag so far...

Hmmm... I'm getting the feeling you have a bunch of reviews just sitting in edit mode waiting to surprise everyone LOL.

Eight days...65 reviews to catch up to Blackjack. I give up LOL

If you write one review that is better than the 65 written by Blackjack, then you (in theory) would win. I think it is better to write one outstanding review than write 100 mediocre ones... For me, you spend less work in it,

Hmmm... I'm getting the feeling you have a bunch of reviews just sitting in edit mode waiting to surprise everyone LOL.

No way. I have one in edit mode and I just noticed my review on 1000+ pieces set has less character counts than Blackjack's review of a polybag    I bet it took me 3 times as long to come up with that review too    He is just waay more motivated than me

No way. I have one in edit mode and I just noticed my review on 1000+ pieces set has less character counts than Blackjack's review of a polybag    I bet it took me 3 times as long to come up with that review too    He is just waay more motivated than me

 

Yeah, him and Mike. I don't mind writing reviews because I (like to think) am pretty decent at writing. But writing 90 reviews in like 2 months? o:

I will judge both quantity and quality.  Some of Grolim's reviews are excellent.  As are Fcbarcelona's and Mike's and many other member's reviews as well.  Blackjack has done a nice job and has an excellent chance to win a prize, as long as he doesn't tick me off before July 4th.     I have the ability to note top reviews and have been doing so since day one.  I will tally up total reviews, total characters and give extra weight to those "special" reviews I marked.  

I will judge both quantity and quality.  Some of Grolim's reviews are excellent.  As are Fcbarcelona's and Mike's and many other member's reviews as well.  Blackjack has done a nice job and has an excellent chance to win a prize, as long as he doesn't tick me off before July 4th.     I have the ability to note top reviews and have been doing so since day one.  I will tally up total reviews, total characters and give extra weight to those "special" reviews I marked.  

 

Do you read every review before it gets approved?

Do you read every review before it gets approved?

Either him or Jeff does. If anything just to make sure no one uses foul langauge or the person actually reviewed the set in question instead of writing a bunch of jargon.