Want to swap? - Beta Reader Exchange

This is a long shot, I know. I've got a YA fantasy manuscript that I've recently finished. I'd be more than willing to Beta some/all of somebody elses novel in exchange for them giving their thoughts on some/all of mine.

Brief Outline:

My story is set in a future Britain where most of the population live underground. My narrator character, Emily Forias, is snatched from her home by state officials and taken to an ocean-bound facility called an Institute of Proving. Told that she has abilities needed for some sort of war, she begins by rebelling against her captors and desperately trying to escape.

As the novel progresses, we uncover the nature of this war and the abilities that are linked to it. Emily is forced to struggle with a scenario of blurred morality, as friend and foe swap places around her.

Link to first chapter:

http://j-forias.livejournal.com/28168.html#cutid1

Other stuff:

I'm half-way through my training to be an English Teacher, so theoretically, I should be half-way decent as a Beta Reader. I have betad stuff before, but most of it has been fanfic. And obviously I've marked stories by students, but that's a bit different.

I have had a few of my friends enjoy the novel, some reading it multiple times, so I it's probably not eye-scratchingly terrible. That said, I prefer honest criticism that is as harsh as it needs to be. Only way I learn.

If anyone's interested, let me know!


P.S. Of course, if anybody's at a loose end and wants to read some of it for free, they're more than welcome! I just didn't think that was likely. I know how busy the AW Beta Readers get.

Madisonwrites said:

I just read your first chapter and honestly, it needs a lot of grammar work. I am not the best with grammar, but I would advise you try to find someone who's willing to do a line-by-line edit. Many of your words were misspelled and you used the wrong tense for some. For example, when Emily said "I span around" she really should have said, "I spun around."

I just noticed you are from England. I'm from the USA and our grammar is different, so what I just said is wrong may not be by your country's standards. Maybe it would be best if you find someone who knows English grammar better than American. I had an English person Beta one of my stories and while many of her suggestions were good, many of her grammar changes did not make sense for where I live. Just thought I'd pass that info along.

One more thing: should this be classified as fantasy, or is it really sci-fi? I'm getting a sci-fi vibe from it, but I could be wrong.

Good luck and happy writing!

Click to expand...

First chapter has been read by quite a few people and while I do have a tendency to make the odd slip, I'm surprised (and worried) that you've found that tense and grammar errors are so widespread. I didn't think the grammar structure was different in America, even if some words are spelt differently.

Luckily one of the AW Betas has offered to read my manuscript, so hopefully she'll be able to show me where I've gone wrong.

You make a good point about the sci-fi elements. Maybe I should have called it a Science Fantasy.

Thanks for your comments!

Wow, this is interesting. I looked it up and you're absolutely right. There is a difference between US and UK. "Span" is never used as the past tense of "spin" in America. But in the UK, the approach is much more mixed. For example, JK Rowling used "span" as the past tense of "spin" in the Harry Potter books.

*sighs*

No one's going to want to Beta for me now I've been revealed as such a geek.