Since y'all will probably get fuckin shitty with me for not posting the link without the text, here's both for you fuckin cowards.
It’s Monday, and you know what that means, time to tell you maniacs what’s good.
If you couldn’t tell, it ain’t Vurve today, even though that weirdo posted two or three of the Legacy Modest Monday posts in the last two days. This is a real deal, no bullshit Modest Monday from none other than ya boy Cokecan. So today, I’m going to tell you lames how to review and critique a fucking recipe. Whether it be your own, a friend’s, or maybe even one of mine, here are some tips to help make your reviews both beneficial and respectful.
First things first, we have to realize something that has been beaten to death, revived, and had it’s skull smashed in once more, the concept that all taste is subjective. So when dealing with DIY e-liquid recipes, you have to realize, both as the reviewer and the mixer, that there will never be an end-all mix that 100% of the population will enjoy. That’s just facts. Dead ass. Can’t please everyone. This is the same with anything involving the senses. Universal truths involve things like math, science, shit like that. And while these are main factors with recipe development, at the end of the day, you could mix up a complex recipe with some banging flavour that has not been seen in the DIY realm before, but there will ALWAYS be people that think it’s shit. So the first tip when it comes to reviewing and critiquing a recipe, you have to attempt to look at it as objectively as possible. If you despise banana cream flavored vapes, it might not be the best idea to try and critique a recipe like that. But if you still do, you can’t go in saying, “this recipe fucking blows because fuck bananas and cream.” To keep yourself objective while critiquing, try looking at the recipe from a purely base perspective. If you don’t like banana cream recipes, but you see someone mixing one up with 10% LA Banana Cream and 1% TPA Bavarian Cream, you can easily let the mixer know that those concentrate percentages would not work very well. On the other side of things, if you see a recipe that has solid choices for percentages, and that recipe just isn’t something you’d find yourself enjoying, do not allow those personal opinions on a flavour to reflect how successful the recipe still could be. To keep it simple, don’t be a fucking prick. Use your knowledge of different concentrates to either offer possible solutions to issues with a recipe, or give praise where you see the mixer doing something right.
Next, and here’s something crucial, if you’re going to give a rating on a recipe, have the fucking decency to actually review it. The amount of times I see people giving three or four star reviews on a recipe on All The Flavors (SHOUTS OUT ATF) without actually saying WHY they rate it as such is just fucking painful. As a mixer, when you see a three star review on a recipe that you are proud of, but there are no reasons why it’s seen as three stars, it helps literally no one. Except for maybe your own fucking incessant need to bring people down. If that’s the type of person that you are, then maybe go fuck yourself? Just a suggestion. But in all seriousness, give some fucking notes. A three star coffee cake recipe could easily be a five star banger with the right guidance. Are the bakery notes overpowering the sugary sweetness? Then let them know to maybe dial back on the cake-y notes. Are you not picking up on that crumbly top of the coffee cake? Let em know to add some TPA Apple Pie and maybe some CAP Sugar Cookie. Everyone is here for the same reason, to stay off of the cigarettes and to create some absolutely delicious fucking e-liquid. Again, don’t be a fucking prick. If you are going to swing your dick around on the Internet and give someone’s recipe a subpar rating, then help them make it better? Otherwise, you really don’t know a fucking thing. And you can quote ya boy on that shit.
Finally, here’s the most important thing to note when you are actually giving notes on a recipe. Use the right type of language when giving a critique. Try your best to stay away from more “emotional” phrasing like “this recipe is good,” “this recipe is bad,” or “this aspect of the recipe tastes nice.” While everyone likes to get their fucking ego stroked, it doesn’t necessarily help someone become a better mixer. As with being objective with your opinions on a recipe, stay objective and analytical when actually critiquing it as well. Try to interpret what the mixer was trying to accomplish with their recipe. There’s a style of critique known as the “hamburger method” that is used often in art school. You start with the top, providing something positive to start the review with. This creates an environment of respect and prevents things from seeming “threatening.” Then you get into the meat of the critique, where constructive criticism comes into play. Talk about what is successful in the recipe, perhaps the strong base notes of sweet creams and fluffy mouthfeel of a successful strawberries and cream. But if the recipe is lacking in the fruity sweetness because TPA Strawberry Ripe was the only strawberry note used, don’t come at the mixer by saying, “the strawberry sucks, try again.” Let them know of other options that will complement TPA StrawRipe, or perhaps using a different strawberry concentrate all together. So wait, what’s that? Yet again, don’t be a fucking prick.
So really, what it comes down to, when you’re giving a review or a critique on a recipe, just don’t be an asshole. Now I know, that might be a fucking trial for some of you, but pull your fucking adult pants up and deal with it. If you want to give your opinion on something, and if your opinion is less than favourable, then you need to fucking come at it with some suggestions to make it better. Otherwise, you’re nothing more than one of the millions of mindless fucking trolls on the Internet that make this environment a generally painful place to be. Let’s make it better, yeah?
Keep mixing, don’t be afraid to fuck up, and seriously, be a decent human.
Excellent points, well written, some great suggestions there. Faaaar too much swearing and reads like a first draft written by a frat bro. Maybe tone down on the "yo homezzz" top note and turn up the background adult notes to give it a better blend.
3 stars, would read again and suggest to others after an edit.
This critique of an article on critiques is short and to the point, as it should be, However, I feel as if it's not constructive criticism to attack the writers writing style (his voice if you will).
Three stars, I see your point, but disagree. Also too many letters in far
Thank you for pointing out my failure to spell correctly. I appreciate your critique of my critique of the article on critiques.
To extend and explain why I made the criticism I did, the style of the message in my opinion, distracts and detracts from the actual message. The message is an excellent one. However, the delivery style of the message could alienate some of the audience. I do not believe that alienation is the intention of the writer as his underlying theme appears to be that we should all get along and be excellent to each other.
Again, in my opinion, for the article to be as beneficial as possible to the community, the style of the message should avoid such a large amount of slant towards any one segment of the community.
That said, the message is a good one and I fully support the writer's freedom to express himself in his own way. I for one will be taking the writer's message to heart when I reach the point where I feel able to critique another mixer's recipes.
In light of this discussion, I rescind my previous 3 star rating and raise it to 4 stars for the message and the intent of the writer in offering this message to us free of charge and in his own style.
Now all you kids need to pull up your pants and get off my lawn!
Yo I dunno if that reply to your first comment was someone being shitty with ya about calling out my writing style. And I completely agree with you that my style is abrasive and shit that isn't entirely necessary. I've been writing for years and I most assuredly can write like a competent human creature hahaha. I just have been playing around with this "voice" for the last year and it's been the most fun to write with for me personally.
Not saying this to be defensive or anything like that. Nor am I posting to try and be disrespectful to your opinion. I just figured it'd be fair to let people know I do have a functioning brain, I just dig the off the cuff type writing as of late. Either way. Thank you for the kind words on the post and the genuine critique on the style. EXACTLY how people should be reviewing recipes. Cheers.
Never would complain about style. But I would complain about
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> If you don’t like banana cream recipes, but you see someone mixing one up with 10% LA Banana Cream and 1% TPA Bavarian Cream, you can easily let the mixer know that those concentrate percentages would not work very well
You don't tell me what to do. Maybe they got a trick up their sleeve, you don't know. You didn't try it. Maybe at 10% LA Banana Cream loses it's Banana and completely and the cream gets OOOooo SOOOO good. And that 1% Bavarian Cream, Just a hint, JUST A HINT! a fkn HINT! of maple! Maybe? no? okay
> Try your best to stay away from more “emotional” phrasing like “this recipe is good,” “this recipe is bad,” or “this aspect of the recipe tastes nice.”
IT DONT GET NO MO' EMOTIONAL, than "this recipe is good." I can't remember the last time I was in tears from the beauty of a delish recipe, tears just POURING out my eyes and I just could make out the words "this is good"
Also, offtopic, my personal favorite rating system is just upvotes, no downvotes. Just plain positivity. It sounds pretty kindergarten. But, it really stops a brigade of negativity, only big groups of positivity, which is always okay with me. So the facebook system, Likes only, no downvotes.
I'm not digging the swearing, and the 'cock in mouth' writing style, but I'll reply anyway..
Sometimes, there is something called "The Hype Train" that prevents some people from writing an honest and detailed review on a recipe. When a recipe is popular and is posted by a popular diy figure, and everyone seems to be jumping on "The hype train", it becomes difficult for someone to come out and say, "sorry guys, hate to break it to you. This recipe is at best mediocre, has no depth, and I believe it should be reworked like this ..". They will be demonized and stoned to death by a thousand words.
Even now I'm afraid to give examples of such mediocre recipes, in fear of being eaten alive by the wolves.
So you quietly give it a 3/5 stars, and walk away.
Woah woah who said anything about cocks in mouths? Heh.
But onto what you said, I think most people will be respectful to someone if they give reasons they don't like the "hype" recipes. Personally I think most of my mixes are shit, but almost all of them get good reviews. I fucking hate most of what Wayne and Skiddlz drop. I like Mustard Milk, but it is disgusting to me after a few hours. I'll call anyone out on shit if I think it sucks. I think Bronuts is one of the worst DIY recipes I've ever tried. But that's because I think a doughnut is next to impossible to get right with what we have available, and I hate chocolate vapes most of the time. If someone is gonna shit on someone else for giving a less than favourable review on a hyped recipe, then the people shitting on that person suck as humans anyway.
Well, since you opened the door ..
Bronuts is plain terrible. I have been working with the donut profile for about a year now, and I have come up with some seriously good recipes. it is a tough profile, but it is very doable. My Dude Remix is an average strawberry cream recipe and has absolutely nothing to do with My Man by OHW. Funfetti fails to outshine other birthday cake recipes. Mustard Milk is artificial plastic strawberries dissolved in a peppery mess. All of Skiddlz strawberry milk/cream recipes miss the mark by a large margin. In fact, the only decent strawberry milk recipe dropped last year was posted by thedirtyprojector called Nostalgia or something. Although I think GoldBones (or whatever his name is) is a capable mixer, but his Apple Buttah is nothing to write home about. I also think NotCharlesManson is good mixer, but his pebbles recipe is surely not the winner among his other recipes.
Yes I can give a detailed review with constructive criticism, but most of these people post their recipes up on ATF now, and the ability to review these recipes, is hidden behind a paywall. So I would have pay $$ in order to give them my honest review.
Ain't nobody got time fo dat.
Why do you curse so much? I think it's not necessary here.
Just his style. I'm not even remotely offended and automagically pass over them to get to the nuggets.
After reading his shit for months you realize he's not ranting, but you certainly have a valid point.
Hey man, just wanted to say i really dig your art. Also, is 'Whatever, Forever' named after the Modern Baseball song?
Thank you so much, friend. And yes, yes it is.
I'd respond to actual post, but I'm pretty busy clutching my pearls right now.
Criticism is a really useful skill, and something that a lot of people who don't get it drilled into their heads with art school really get. I didn't do all that, but have done a decent amount of reading on theory and you pick it up pretty fast.
But you nail it, really. You can not "enjoy" something all you want, but you have to understand something to provide good feedback. I like the handjob-level hype train as much as the next person, but these recipes are just constructions of other flavors and the way they interact. Just to agree, noone really wins a recipe is just called "banging," as cool of a feeling as that is. I'd personally avoid something dry and super technical, and even any unsolicited review if you have nothing nice to say. Try understanding the mechanics and calling the mixers out on the techniques and ingredients they are using. Bad kiwi note? Tell them that you think it's an issue, and offer an alternative suggestion like a different percentage or concentrate altogether. Too sweet? suggest an alternative route for getting the same profile. Not rocket science, but it'll help people improve as a mixer, or at the very least understand their audience and who they are mixing for.
Good write-up, man.
Honestly, I don't want to read an essay about how on the inhale you get the sweet smell of toe jam and smegma, and on the exhale, you get fish stank. Sometimes, short straight forward feedback, works best.
I had a Donut recipe up for a month, people 5 starring and high fiving, before finally someone very respectfully said, "hey, love the recipe, but the Sweetner is just too much for me." I went back to a bottle I had steeping, vaped it for 15 minutes, and behold .. he was right .. the sweetner gets sickening after a while. I posted back, "you are right. Thanks, I have dropped the % of sweetner."
He gave a 5 star. This is the kind of feedback that makes a difference.