Disclaimer : This review is based purely on my personal experience at Mouthshut, and might not make sense to a lot of people who’ve not been on this site for long. However, I just had to write this review, and have stated the reason for the same at the end of the review….
If someone asked me earlier ‘what is mouthshut.com?’, the answer probably would have been ‘a review site of course!’ or ‘I don’t know! Weird name though…!’ But when I am asked today, the reply goes like ‘It’s myonline home!’ without hesitation. Because a mere ‘review site’ cannot possibly offer me all that mouthshut has, for the past so many months: a platform to express myself, meet friends, make acquaintances; an opportunity to broaden my views, and improve not only my writing abilities, but also my thinking abilities; a place where I get to read some brilliant writers’ works, and express my ‘comments’ on them! A site that has me addicted! Of course, it is not a mere review site!
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The Journey
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During my stay at MS, my perspective of it has gradually changed. I have changed also, as a member- stage by stage. And, as this topic gives me the freedom of expressing my ‘general thoughts on mouthshut’, I thought I’d go down memory lane, and trace out the various ‘stages’ of my experiences and thoughts on MS I promise I’ll be as truthful as I can! So here goes…..
The first review The ‘what am I getting into!’ stage
This, for me, was one of the toughest stages at MS. Just writing the first review, getting off the blocks, was so difficult for me, because I just did not know how to start! Which I think is so true for anything in life as well, the first step is always the one that is the toughest…. The rest follow pretty easily! My first review, though, has also been my most satisfying one till date, because only I know how much I worked on it!
The next few reviews The ‘let’s write!’ stage
This stage came as a repercussion of the exhilaration after the first stage. The wonderful comments and ratings only transported me to this another world, which made me want to write more and more. The result- some half-baked, half-hearted attempts at writing reviews on those monotonous topics like ‘top ten songs of this and that’! My next few reviews (after the first one), if you notice, came in quick successions. That was the time when I weighed quantity over quality!
Realisation strikes… The ‘maybe this is not so interesting!’ stage
This particular stage got to me a little too late perhaps. By then, I had already written some 4-5 reviews that were totally run-of-the-mill kinds, with no thought going into them! But the realization struck when I started getting those one-line comments like ‘fabulous review there!’ And that’s when I realized that the readers have nothing substantial to comment on. This stage perhaps hurt me the most, ‘coz perhaps ‘sach hamesh kadwa hota hai’
The ‘recouping’ begins…. The ‘what is this site all about?’ stage
Many might argue that this was their first stage. But for me, it only came after the realization that perhaps I did not know this site at all. So to find out, I started reading some reviews, rating them, adding comments. And gradually I realized what a big place mouthshut was, with such great talent in it! This stage made me really come out of the overflowing self-love, and accept the fact that I was a ‘nobody’ compared to the great writers on this site!
The next few reviews The ‘inspiration’ stage
Now, as I had finally read so many reviews on the site, I had unknowingly lost my own identity (though temporarily!). I realize now, that I started walking the ‘trodden path’ i.e. I started aping the styles of certain popular members, trying to mould my style on theirs. I think Pras (cticize) had very rightly said in one of his reviews that it’s a pleasure reading the first few reviews by members, because they are obviously very original, before the writer actually starts getting influenced by the flow of things here. Though my reviews in this stage were not as bad as the previous, it was not ‘me’ who was writing anyway!
Popularity, envy,.. The ‘miss goody-goody’ stage
This stage was a sort of overlap with the one mentioned above. But this was not to do with actually ‘writing’ reviews. This was more to with the number of people who visited my reviews, rated them, commented on them, which started affecting me tremendously. I was jealous of the popularity of others on the site. Result- For the next few days, I started leaving those ‘goody-goody’ comments on others’ review, that would make them visit mine. I still have a hearty laugh when I think of this stage!
Change of priorities The ‘I’m coming out of it!’ stage
This stage took some time to come, but it finally did! I realized I was getting nothing out of the jealousy, and I decided there were many better things to do on this site (though I’ve made it sound so simple, it really wasn’t!). Then, I finally started enjoying myself on the site, making friends, opening up. I stopped putting alerts on ‘ratings’, and cared more about the comments. At the same time, I was also trying to create my own little ‘identity’ in this vast place. I started rating and commenting honestly (which also invited some brickbats initially), and also ‘writing’ as honestly as I could! I realized I had a lot to learn, it it was never too late to start….
The present scenario The ‘I’m me!’ stage
When I introspect myself today, I realize I’ve finally carved a small niche for myself. Today, when I write, rate or comment on a review, one thing I can at least be proud of one thing, that it’s ‘me’ who is doing those things. Not any Tom, Dick or Harry! When I read a review today that really excites me, I strain myself to reach that level in my next review… instead of getting ‘influenced’! Today, when I write a review, I do so only when I feel the urge to (like right now), and not for any other reasons! And I also realize that
‘I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep’
And now when I look back at this journey, I realise it has been full of ups and downs, but I'm so glad I could undertake it, it just makes me so much more complete!
...Continued in the comments section... (this is a really looong one!)
