I am hoping for some volunteer test readers of my novel manuscript to provide me feedback.
Info on the book:
- ~100k words (about 330 novel pages)
- Fantasy novel set in modern settler-colonial nation
- Pretty gay
- Follows a minority family living through a time of political crisis
- Main themes are settler-colonialism, gender and sexuality, the necessity of political violence, ACAB, and the struggle for identity and purpose under capitalism
- Has bears
- More concerned with character than plot
- Relatively soft magic system basically ripped from Jack Vance
- Currently very much a first draft
What a test reader would do:
- Read the book
- Provide feedback on broad stuff - character arcs, pacing, structure, themes; basically, does the book work?
- Not worry about editing for the many typos and other extremely "first-draft" sort of stuff
This is a totally volunteer thing. I'm a first time author. I am not asking for an editor. You just get a first draft of a book to read and then give me your feedback. When the book is finished and published (I am aiming for traditional but will self-publish if that's a dead end) I will credit you in the acknowledgements however you would like.
Thank you!
@Washburn @krammaskin @Abraxiel @SeizeDameans @sailorfish @Zoift @redthebaron thank you!
I am completing the last few thousand words this week (about 4k to go). I should be done by Friday or Saturday, and then I need to collate the various chapters, which should take an hour or two. I will have the whole manuscript for you by Saturday at the latest.
And I'm still taking more volunteers if anyone is interested.
I use to help my cousin with this kind of stuff and she's pretty famous in her country. I might be an opinionated smarty ass but I don't mind what you do with my opinions. :)
Bears as in the forest creatures or Bears as in men who ID that way?
I'd like to give it a read. I used to work for a small publisher in an administrative role, so I know a bit about the industry from my time there.
- Pretty gay
Are there lesbians? I'm in a phase of my life where I'm exclusively consuming media that contains gay women, so this is an important factor for me. I'll read it if there's lesbians
I’m in a phase of my life where I’m exclusively consuming media that contains gay women
Listen to any King Princess?
Not to intrude on the OP's spot, but Urasaria Academy on Webnovel is solely superpowered ultraviolent soap opera lesbians as well + an MC who abuses her state-given legal immunity to repeatedly shit on civilian cops, it's good.
Anyway, I shall also read + notate, can't guarantee I can go through it all but I'll at least go through the first 20-30k words.
Some gay, fantasy, leftist literature sounds fantastic bout now, I'd love to lend a hand if you need more folks on board!
If the distinction matters to you, it is definitely not sci-fi. The technology is modern (or maybe more like 80s-90s) and there's a great deal of magic.
Sorry, my brain swapped fantasy and scifi for some reason. Definitely down for gay leftist fantasy
Like i am on summer vacation until late January so I could do this, like most my writing knowledge comes from writing poetry in portuguese so there is this caveat
That's ok, you don't need to edit my writing at all. I have a friend who's going to help me with editing for spelling, grammar, consistency, that sort of thing. I just want people to read and tell me if what's there is the basis for a good book and how to make it better.
I'd be willing. Sounds interesting and I need some fiction to add to my pile of brain blowing theory and schoolwork.
Hey, I’m happy to give your book a read if your still looking for volunteers
I'm interested but I feel like I can never absolutely promise that I'll finish reading anything. :') If you don't mind, I'd be happy to check it out
If that's the case, please let me know. My main fear with test readers is getting ghosted.
Absolutely, I get it! I'll let you know if I feel I can't deliver for whatever reason
Im always down to hear a new story! Would love to give your draft a whirl.
In that case, I would just want to know what you don't like about it and any other feedback you'd have. Can you do that?