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Addendum: Does Elrod critique anything other than Fantasy fiction?
caw
It's fine to talk about what you got out of the critique (negative or positive), but I'm not sure it's wise to post exact critique quotes. For one, we don't have the context, and for another, it invites speculation, which... well. Let's not speculate.
What does everything think? Does it make sense to do something like this before submitting your MS to agents, or doing this only after getting multiple rejections and using this to figure out what is wrong?
I wouldn't mind this but wondering what others think?
Does it make sense to do something like this before submitting your MS to agents, or doing this only after getting multiple rejections and using this to figure out what is wrong?
Once you've submitted your book to an agent and have had a rejection, that's it. You can't really revise and resubmit, unless you make huge changes to the book. So it makes sense to me to use Ms Elrod's services prior to any submitting, if you want to take this route.
You have to know what's wrong in order to improve, and it's only $50...
The Half-a-Brick option usually provides everything a writer wants to know about that submission and is the best for a limited budget.
UPDATE to the CRITIQUE website page! I've just added a new payment option:
$10.00 Quickie! The Mini Brick! Almost a Lego! I read through the submission, then offer comments, both general and specific, by return email. I'll let you know what problems are there and why it got rejected. It's a mini version of the Brick in the Face and often the best option for writers on a budget. This is also the fastest option, since I can usually do a same-day return on the feedback!
Wait, whoa, the lady who wrote "I, Strahd" is offering $50 critique blasts? THAT Elrod?.
I'm thinking it over!I am no longer offering the 50.00 full brick option. It was just too stressful and time consuming.
The 25.00 "Half-a-Brick" for 2500 words is unchanged. That's where you get running commentary as I read, so you know what's going through the editor's mind. I can usually point out the spot where the submission got rejected.
A word increase on the 10.00 "Quickie" -- it is now up to 3000 words, and I send you an email assessment. This is great for writers mad to find out "what's wrong???" with a piece.
And as always, if I think a submission isn't ready for either one, I'll refund payment. Being physically unable to shut the hell up when I'm ahead, I'll likely throw in a few words of advice. If they're of help, there IS a tip jar!
Also, at the advice of my bestie, I've added a "I've read the rules" "I have NOT read the rules" in a pull down menu. It's sort of for comedy relief, but sort of serious.
They are:
"I have read the rules and know this is going to hurt like a fury."
"I have NOT read the rules and think you're going to be nice!"
Um, you want honest fury or a refund?
But I still think she's underselling herself.
I'm not suggesting she ups her prices by a huge amount, but I do think she could add ten or twenty dollars to her prices, at least. And perhaps offer longer crits for a much higher price. If she was interested in doing that, and could cope with the time-sucks involved.
I have a very good friend who is an extremely well-known writer, who a couple of years ago offered critiques just as Elrod is now doing. She offered them at a low price and didn't get many takers; when she put her prices up a lot (I think from £25 to £75 or £100) she got overwhelmed by people wanting her to critique their work.
Still, you're right that at $10 a pop she should be overwhelmed with takers. She's a very good writer and from what I've heard, an excellent giver of critiques.
Makes me wonder who makes a real living at this. There's some guy I think Writer Beware had in their sights. He self-published one thriller book that sort of did okay, then set himself up doing whole book assessments for 2,000.00 a pop, and offers editing services at twice the rate of the Editorial Freelancers Association.
I have no doubt there are writers desperate enough to fall for that.
I follow her on Facebook and the volunteer pay thing she did last year was a bust. Most writers coughed up only the 15.00 minimum, even when it was clear she'd spent hours on a crit. In one case some jerk sent her fan fiction with the names changed just to see if she'd catch on, then stiffed her with the minimum--which she refunded. She did a rant on it. It's in her Pro's Tips as a cautionary tale. You do NOT want an editor recalling your name in a bad way!