I like humor and sincerity, not to mention clarity. I also find that I'm much more interested in reviews that tell a little about the person writing the review.  "I love chocolate and was having a real craving for it" is so much more engaging than just "I bought some chocolate"

I love the personality of reviews, when a person can put their "spin" on a review it makes it a very enjoyable read. When a review talks to you it has PaZazz and I like that, then add the good or bad points of the product and you have a winner!

Ron

I agree with you all. I want to know about the product or service but I really enjoy reviews that show some personality. It helps me to know whether the person's opinion would match mine if they give me a little bit of background or something so I know why they chose what they did or what type of person they are.

I can read a review and be put off by the all or nothing attutude some take. Rarely is anything ALL bad or ALL great. I like balance. Even if someone hates a product, I like to see that they aren't just ranting but really thought about it and really hate it based on the facts they present. And giving a pro in the midst of it all makes me feel like the review is balanced and not just a vendetta against the product or company. When I get done reading a review, I want to feel like the person was sincere and genuinely wanted to share their experience with me.

We have lots of reviewers I love to read even if I don't use the products or servicves they review because they have a style I love.

I want to perceive that some genuine thoughtfulness went into the review.  The writer considered the fact that other people would be reading the review and those other people are going to have different likes and dislikes and they probably want some information about the product and services being reviewed.

Personality is very important but I don't want to hear about your difficulty driving or dealing with the weather on the day you used the product.. unless you're reviewing the performance of a car.

Honesty, strong point of view, a review that's easy to read because it is laid out onto the page correctly with paragraph breaks.

Humor is always a kick to read in a review and sometimes the titles of the reviews hint at the fact there will be some humor in the review. Good idea.

If you have some extra knowledge, insight, experience with certain types of products and services... share that with us....  

I also enjoy learning something when I read a review. Not always going to happen but interesting bits of information and trivia are fun and add to the experience.

Keep writing.  Have fun.

I wanna heard more honesty in some reviews too. If you dislike a product feel free to recommend the reader smash it or something and if you really liked it tell us why it gives you a mini orgasm, eh?

Teehee! I like it honest too. Writers should be aware that they can get some nasty-grams when they tell it like it is. I told it the way I saw it on a book, and the writer put a pox on me. His book was nutty. He was too.

Star Soldier (above) has NO problem being honest and sharing it with the world. And people love it. I read you reviews, Ryan, because they are so blatantly honest as well as informative. :)

Hard to say, Cyndi, what makes me fall in love with a review, but most of the attributes you have on your list are some of the ones I look for or appreciate.

Cool, thankya there Patty!

I should say, though, that reviews that go the extra mile to tell me something  interesting or unexpected about a movie, book, or...well, anything, really....catch my attention.

I agree with honesty being a  big part of it.  I want to put myself in the shoes of the writer as I read, and I need to get a sense of what they are writing about in order to do that.  Facts, little tid-bits only a user would know, and some good first-hand relation are just a few of the things I look for the most.

Consumer reviews without honesty aren't very helpful.  And I think that simply regurgitating a user's manual or a dull and dry dissertation of every possible (as opposed to most relevant) feature of a product just don't make me fall in love with articles or reviews.

I also like - as a reader and a writer - hooks or revealing anecdotes about a product with multiple reviews. 

A novel viewpoint and humor are key features for me. ;>

Oh it's all about the personality of the person writing, especially if I'm just reading for fun.  If I'm truely doing research to buy something, it's always helpful to have the facts and why someone likes, or doesn't like something. 

I think of it as writing a news story - Who, What, When, Where, How & Why.  Of course...all of these may not apply in a review.  Probably, the two most important in writing a review is what & why.  First: What is it that you are reviewing - give details!  Second: Why do you like it or not like it.  Of course - a sense of style and humor never hurts.

"The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is that you really want to say." - Mark Twain 

I like honesty and a sense of the reviewer's personality. I enjoy a good chuckle once in a while as well. That said, I don't generally care for long-winded reviews. I lose interest most of the time and merely skip over most of the text. That is especially true with the review of a book or a movie. I don't want to hear the plot or read the reviewer's take on the characters unless it is brief and doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the movie or book.

I do have my favorite reviewers and almost feel like I know many of them- the personal point of view is great. I think that is what makes Viewpoints so unique and special. It really is a community of sorts.

I like a mid-length review that balances user experience and product features and performance.  If the writer can engage me in a relevant story involving the product it impresses me and is virtually assured a Helpful vote.

Authenticity is what makes a review stand out for me.  

What is authenticity?  It's a strong voice that communicates clearly in an honest way.  Some writers can be unique and authentic (while others try to hard and so they are not authentic), others are simple, direct and authentic.  I have a good b.s. detector and if something sets it off, I don't like that piece of writing.

I also do not like lazy writing.  Reviews written too generically with too many cliches turn me off.

 

There are so many things I like about different reviewers. I like it when people let their personalities show through, whether they are serious or humorous.

I don't like reviews that seem like the reviewer is preaching about a product rather than honestly reviewing it.

I like when others see pluses and minuses in almost every review. It's nice to point out something that may bother someone else even though you didn't think it detracted from the product any.

When I'm reading reviews I find a sense of humor makes it more enjoyable to read. Also being honest about your experience with the product or service, getting to the point and offering as much info as possible. I like knowing the good points as well as the bad about things, anything that will help me decide if I'd want to buy or really need that particular item/service.

I don't mind if a review is long, if that's what it takes to get the point across. What I don't like is one or two words like 'great computer" or 'nice' !   What's so great or so nice about it??