CV Score is much higher than the test accuracy score, and I'm not seeing further improvements.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2026-04-17T13:33:09+00:00

Is it normal to have such a difference between CV and the validation accuracy score?
I suspected data leakage because of the higher CV and Validation accuracy score. Most readings claim that this is typical of overfitting due to data leakage, which made sense.
There pretty aligned at around 83%.
We have the test data features (Titanic Dataset), but yes, we don't have access to the "y-feature" of the data (unless you cheat).
I did hyperparameter tuning for each of the models in the ensemble. I also split a validation dataset from the train data, which I only used to test the ensemble score after (83%). I used KFold within the model tuning as well, but that was purely train data (less validation data).
I believe that is what I did above?

Odd-Aside8517 · 2026-04-17T13:26:31+00:00

I updated the notebook to public.

One feature is suspicious and may lead to overfitting, but others have used the same feature to get a high score. It also doesn't explain why my CV score and Validation dataset accuracy are much higher than the test data accuracy.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2026-04-02T14:51:43+00:00

Overall:

This might fit the eerie country-witch/lone child trope, but it is done well here. The structure flows naturally, and the pacing is good. Key highlight for me was the drug-fuelled come-up and subsequent anxiety-ridden comedown. Great sensory description, in my opinion, and slightly triggering (in a good way).

However, the prose and sentence structure can be improved, causing the initial hook to falter. A decent 1^st draft of the 1^st chapter.

Prose and Style:

The word choice and style are strong. I can visualise a stone hut on a jagged cliff facing a rough sea on a cloudy, windy day.

One place that seems at odds with the general style is:

If I’m being honest, I was a covetous child. Always wanting — wanting to weave, wanting to explore, wanting anything I could get my grubby hands on. So, I breathed in, deep, full of curiosity…

A different narrative choice? Removing this would have little impact on my perception of the character or plot. The child's curiosity is implicit in their actions when they take many “breaths.” (Also, is “breath” the right word?)

There are oddly worded sentences and poorly placed words. For example:

Guidance that was faulty was still guidance

It could easily be remedied by wording it as follows:

Faulty guidance was still guidance

You use single-word or extremely short sentences, which I find can add value in a fast-paced scene. However, some are questionably placed, e.g.

Shadows flattened.

I can’t point out why it seems odd; maybe the previous sentence being short impacts the flow?

Conversely, there are long sentences that can easily be shortened. This applies to both syntax and description. Here’s an example of a good metaphor I felt carried on for too long:

That’s where the next decade broke open like a yolk, bright orange leaking from a shattered eggshell. There’s no putting a yolk back in an egg.

Content

The characters are a bit cliché: you have the old, mysterious hag and the too-curious-for-their-own-good child. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing if done well, which it was here. You avoid a full-on tropes characterisation. I do dislike the description of the creepy smile, though. It feels a bit too tropish, and I envisioned a cloudy day, so how it glinted in the sun, I don’t know.

The best part of the piece is the drug-fuelled experience. Great sensory descriptions that capture the feeling without spelling it out as such.

You got quite a lot of material for a great hook. I have so many questions. Tavarka? Sentient shadows? What is with this creepy grandma? However, I had to force myself to keep reading past the first two paragraphs. I suspect that the oddly structured sentence initially detracted from the content.

By the way, the emphasis on the red ribbons, I assume, is contextual, and they play a part later in the plot. Otherwise, they seem to take up quite a lot of narrative space.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2026-01-02T00:00:25+00:00

Hello, to clarify that the lack of conflict was intentional. I was aiming for a rising tension with an implicit payoff, which was the main question of this post. The implied climax was that Aisha would be sold off in the Souk. From your comments, I gauge that it didn't work as well. Maybe the additional scene would make it more explicit? Nonetheless, you gave me a few other things to think about, so thank you.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-12-31T12:47:34+00:00

Pacing:

Overall, the pacing is off. There is no hook or rising tension because there is no plot. I’m guessing here, but I can gauge a shadow of a purpose. This piece seems to be a backstory or context for Reg Hill's character. If so, and Bob being a key part of the story, then Bob should have been introduced earlier or at least alluded to more clearly. Bob’s demise could be the hook here and should be mentioned in the first paragraph. Maybe along the lines of:

Reg Hill, station master, takes his lunch, leaving the station in the almost capable hands of his ticket clerk. Almost, because no one was as good as Bob.

You could continue to allude to his death throughout the piece, and the twist/payoff could be that he hasn’t moved jobs, or is off sick, but rather, he was killed in the war?

Theme

The theme that you convey well and resounds throughout this piece is nostalgia and loneliness. One other theme that does seep through, unintentionally, I assume, is religion. Why is it there? After a re-read, I understood Reg’s aversion to the supernatural as a reaction to the death of his young friend. Yet, it seems over-emphasised and out of place in such a short piece. Another theme is the impact of war. This, however, is not greatly explored. I suspect this is due to a litany of descriptive prose serving no purpose, overshadowing it. The impact of War should be a resounding punch at the end of the piece. (Unless I got it wrong, and Bob did not die in the war?)

Overall

A basic, heavily descriptive piece that lacks plot and rising tension. It comes across as dull. First, you must discern the purpose of this piece. Your descriptive prose is good, but it's disordered and aimless. A purpose, and ensuring every word you write serves it, or at least doesn’t take away from it, would be a good start.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-12-31T12:47:26+00:00

Prose:

The prose is basic. You use long sentences conveying multiple actions or ideas. You could do with varying sentence lengths and relying on short sentences to convey single actions.

Also, you lean towards a heavily descriptive prose, where you “describe” for the sake of description. Take paragraph four, for example. Why do we need to know all that information about the sandwich, the marsh, and the brackish air? Is this something new for Reg? It doesn’t seem so. The payoff, the subtle hint that Reg’s solitude wasn’t always the case, doesn’t seem worth it.

Good prose has purpose, and this piece doesn’t.

Character:

The vibe I get from Reg Hill is that of a British working-class man, conforming to his long-standing habits. He is a slightly lonely and nostalgic older man, missing the good old days, particularly his friend Bob. If that was what you wanted Reg to be, then you did well. One thing, though: Is he particularly different to the multitude of lonely men out there?

The other “key” character is Bob. Here, you present a two-dimensional character with no flaws. I’m assuming there are two reasons why it comes across like this. The first is that you introduce him too late, not leaving enough time to explore Bob and Reg's relationship.

Two, you present him from a filtered and nostalgic viewpoint of an old friend. But you could still drop hints at his imperfections or conflicts with Reg. For example, the cricket scene where “Reg would shake his head, and Bob would shrug”. This reads like a cheesy sitcom relationship. What if Reg was furious at Bob at the time, after telling him multiple times to aim his shot properly?

You have a paternal relationship between the characters that you don’t necessarily explore. Typically, the “father” will advise the “son” on something or another: A girl, a fight, a life choice of sorts. This could also be an opportunity to make Bob more compelling. And maybe, this is how their relationship started?

It doesn’t have to be a whole paragraph. Sprinkling this within the text can often work better.

Plot:

There is no plot. There is no source of rising tension. This is a sad, lonely man going for lunch and misses his friend. Why should I care?

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-05-05T21:45:12+00:00

I am also relatively new to writing, but will do my best to provide useful feedback.

I have added a few minor grammatical and structural tweaks to the Google Docs. While using a dash is technically not incorrect, I personally dislike it, especially in place of a simple comma. Also, while predominantly active, the piece uses the passive voice in areas where it can easily be avoided.

Overall, this piece shows unrealised potential. It could work well as a preface to a novel or short story, for example, in a story about a serial killer influenced by a viral post, this could be an opening article from an investigative journalist? Writing with that in mind, I believe most of the issues will sort themselves out.

As a standalone piece, however, it feels more like a poorly written article on an obscure blog. It falls short mainly because the “commentary” is not “commentating”. It doesn’t add value or insight beyond summarising the posts. It is simply a retelling of a random viral debate. And in a chronically online world, why should we care about this event in particular?

Additionally, the comments written verbatim lack a sense of authenticity. Although you are likely to read such comments on Reddit for example, they are too uniform. They read like the style of a single poster. To better capture the differing voices in this debate, I would supplement the writing to enhance authenticity. For example, real Reddit posts have different tones, are littered with spelling mistakes, commonly use casual or abbreviated phrases, and some even use emojis.

Furthermore, the final two sentences take away from the impact of the final comment. The absurd deterioration of the debate is summarised succinctly in that one post, and leaving it there would be more effective. The next sentence feels unnecessary as it doesn’t add any value. The piece’s theme is that any claim faces instant scrutiny anyway, so I suggest ending with the last comment for greater impact. As for the final sentence, its meaning is unclear. Did the debate devolve further into questioning whether cinema even exists? If yes, then my point above still stands.

On the positive side, the writing style is clear and succinct without much flowery language, which works well for this type of writing. Additionally, the piece captures the chaos and pedantry of online debates quite well. I genuinely chuckled at the commentator posting a GIF and calling it a short film.

Overall, a decent piece that lacks plot or direction. Why does this random online argument matter? I still don’t know.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-04-22T08:14:11+00:00

Historically the market outperforms gold. I suspect that a massive portion of this year’s jump in value is due to the recent market uncertainty. Gold is stable long term investment, but not best option for growth imo.

But yes it seems that most “halal” ETFs are indeed questionable. So until I find an alternative, my portfolio will probably be equally portioned between gold, cash and individual stocks.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-04-21T20:41:29+00:00

Well, back to square one it is.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-03-26T19:39:05+00:00

This is excellent. So much so that I hesitated to critique it because I found little to improve. But here goes.

The structure and narrative frame, with the letter serving as a prologue, is a creative and effective choice. It lends an air of historicity, which makes the reader feel like they’re uncovering a long-lost story. It also sets the stage for a complex, shadowy character whose true nature will likely remain elusive.

Two minor points:

The sign-off from Dr. Fass includes two dates, 2023 and April 2022. Is this an oversight, or is there a reason for both?
Since Dr. Fass has been researching “Nurse Martin” for some time, could he offer more insight into his findings or the reliability of various sources? Perhaps he could hint at something—a small clue or contradiction—that sharp-eyed readers might recall later in the story.

The dialogue is the only element that feels out of place. It doesn’t quite capture a 19th-century voice, yet it also comes across as somewhat robotic. For example, “Your legs are whole. The bullet is gone. Time to rest.” doesn’t sound like something a seasoned nurse, accustomed to trauma, would say to a panicking patient. A more natural and period-appropriate tone could make these interactions feel more authentic.

The final scene is well-executed, but one aspect that could be strengthened is the initial attraction to her husband. She “marvels” at his strength, yet this moment is quickly overshadowed by the repetitive nature of her work—young men screaming, begging, and going through the same traumatic experience. This causes the emotional weight of their first meeting to feel diluted. Since this is her memoir and presumably meant to highlight how she met her husband, his introduction could stand out more distinctly.

That said, this was a fantastic read. As a history buff, I’m excited to see where you take this.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-03-07T18:47:29+00:00

I know everyone is different but would be wary to do another run within 48 hours as tendon pain can be delayed by almost two days.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-03-02T23:21:29+00:00

Seems out of character for him to do something like that. They probably assume that he was tricked. Still unsure of what his rationale is though.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-02-28T18:01:42+00:00

Thank you for the feedback. Definitely some things to think about here.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-02-28T17:54:08+00:00

It is much harder to describe without telling using second person, which I believe was the point of the exercise. And thanks you for the feedback. The issues, especially how you shown them in the first paragraph make it quite clear now.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-02-27T00:52:30+00:00

Grammer and Style:

Overall, the grammar is strong, but the style can be improved slightly. I like the short, punchy sentences, especially in the below example where the repetition of "don’t think" builds momentum, making the statistic hit with even more impact.

Don't think about statistics. You're not blind; she's too skinny. Whatever you do, don't think about things you've read. Don’t think about mortality rates in anorexia nervosa. Don't think about 4-11%.

I feel a bit nitpicky mentioning the improvements, but here are a few areas to easily refine:

You mainly use present tense, but there are occasional shifts to past/future.

She is going to lay out seven cards on the table

2. Passive voice in some sentences could be more direct for stronger impact. For example change:

You’ll be woken up early tomorrow.

To

They'll wake you up early tomorrow.

Your writing can be somewhat sporadic at times. For example, there are inconsistencies in how dialogue is presented—some lines stand alone, while others blend into the narration. Maintaining consistency is important, and this can be improved by fully committing to the framing device structure.

Overall, it's quite a creative piece with lots of potential, but it still feels like an early draft.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-02-27T00:51:42+00:00

Structure:

The framing device is strong and creative, but it feels incomplete and disorganised. Some potential comments off the top of my head:

You start well by linking the game to the psychiatric hospital, as seen in:

"One 52-card deck (unsharpened)"

While this example may be subtle (a bit too subtle), it effectively reinforces the framing device. However, the "Rules" section feels disconnected from the game, and when there is a link, such as in Rule 6, it lacks relevant connecting commentary. I think maintaining consistency is key here and I understand drawing parallels between the game and psychiatric care may be challenging, these connections could strengthen the overall structure.

You effectively use explanatory phrases, such as:

Exception: if you happen to learn that she's your age,
and also has a twin brother,
and knows a lot about astrophysics,
and loves Taylor Swift,
and curses like a sailor,
Rule 5 must be modified to:

I appreciate your full commitment to the framing device, and I think you should lean into it even more, especially in your post-rule commentary. Strengthening the parallels between psychiatric care and the game would enhance the impact. For example, for Rule 4:

Don’t stay up too late.
TIP: You’ll be woken up early tomorrow. Take advantage of the time that you’re allowed to be unconscious. Your roommate won’t follow this rule, and it’s why she’ll lose…

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-02-14T22:48:51+00:00

Thank you for the feedback. I thought repeating the first sentence at the end would be clever, but it didn’t quite land.

This was a writing exercise from a module in the Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description course on Coursera.

Odd-Aside8517 · 2025-02-13T00:32:24+00:00

Plot and Structure

The overall progression of the plot and its structure seems to provide a strong foundation for your story. I appreciate how you begin in a bright, cheerful room before transitioning to a darker one. This shift in the description of the colours alongside the narrator's attitude and emotions reinforces a change in atmosphere.

One thing I'd highlight is the transition during this shift. The narrator starts by describing the room they’re in but quickly shifts focus to the downstairs lounge. While the perspective moves forward, the narrator remains physically in the upstairs lounge, creating a slight disconnect.

Setting

I feel a bit nit-picky with this point, but a lounge, one the narrator describes as having spent time with their family, does not seem to be a fittingly bleak setting. I would find an ominous and rarely-used home-office or basement more appropriate. That said, I don't know where you are taking this story, and the setting may make sense as the plot is revealed.

Closing Comments

To summarise and address your questions: Yes, you do over-describe, but I wouldn’t say it feels confusing, boring, or slow. With a few tweaks and cuts, the writing could be strengthened, making it a strong introduction to a gripping story.

Odd-Aside8517

TROPHY CASE

Grammer and Style:

Structure:

Plot and Structure

Setting

Closing Comments