I am actively seeking a beta reader.
I have the second draft (though still a bit rough) of a story, nearly 30,000 words. Critique on the writing is great, as are notes on characters and story.
This is the first installment of an epic fantasy/adventure series that slowly becomes a vehicle for exploring issues of personal freedoms and gender identity. There is (what I hope to be) a carefully introduced gigantic cast of characters with several story lines, but the main character is a girl who dresses as a boy in order to join the crew of a sailing ship. She soon becomes entangled with the rebellion to restore her kingdom's fallen monarchy, but in the first section of the story she is introduced and the groundwork is laid.
(added: I don't have experience branding my writing. It is one of the many reasons I am here. I can see how it could be marketted as Young Adult, as there is nothing too explicit and several of the characters are teens, but that's not an audience that I think solely about. I'm not sure how to talk about the voice. There's an omniscient narrator who tells the story as though it is a folk legend and the text is dialog-heavy. I know traditional novels have minimum word counts, but the story chose to be dificult. To attempt an explanation: the end result will be like a trilogy, with each of the three books being broken down into ten parts, each a complete story within the full story with a beginning, middle, and end. What I have is the first one of ten of the first one of three. It is short, but intentionally separate. The story tells you how it wants to be told.)
In an ideal world, I could find a Beta reader or writing coach/partner who would stick with me as I write the subsequent installments, but I am glad for any help I can get. I would offer to swap, but I honestly don't think I'd be good at it (I rarely have free time, and when I do I am often distracted). I am willing to try, though you've been warned. (added: I'm not tryin to be a jerk, if you have a story that piques my interest, I really am willing to give it my best shot.)
Please shoot me a message or reply to the post if this strikes your interest at all. (added: I would be glad to send a sample, as I wouldn't want anyone to feel commited to a story that doesn't interest or delite him/her. If you have no interest in helping me, I would consider it a courtesy if you restrained yourself from snarky commets. I have tough skin, but please appreciate that asking for help is hard enough already.)
I have the second draft (though still a bit rough) of a story, nearly 30,000 words. Critique on the writing is great, as are notes on characters and story.
This is the first installment of an epic fantasy/adventure series that slowly becomes a vehicle for exploring issues of personal freedoms and gender identity. There is (what I hope to be) a carefully introduced gigantic cast of characters with several story lines, but the main character is a girl who dresses as a boy in order to join the crew of a sailing ship. She soon becomes entangled with the rebellion to restore her kingdom's fallen monarchy, but in the first section of the story she is introduced and the groundwork is laid.
(added: I don't have experience branding my writing. It is one of the many reasons I am here. I can see how it could be marketted as Young Adult, as there is nothing too explicit and several of the characters are teens, but that's not an audience that I think solely about. I'm not sure how to talk about the voice. There's an omniscient narrator who tells the story as though it is a folk legend and the text is dialog-heavy. I know traditional novels have minimum word counts, but the story chose to be dificult. To attempt an explanation: the end result will be like a trilogy, with each of the three books being broken down into ten parts, each a complete story within the full story with a beginning, middle, and end. What I have is the first one of ten of the first one of three. It is short, but intentionally separate. The story tells you how it wants to be told.)
In an ideal world, I could find a Beta reader or writing coach/partner who would stick with me as I write the subsequent installments, but I am glad for any help I can get. I would offer to swap, but I honestly don't think I'd be good at it (I rarely have free time, and when I do I am often distracted). I am willing to try, though you've been warned. (added: I'm not tryin to be a jerk, if you have a story that piques my interest, I really am willing to give it my best shot.)
Please shoot me a message or reply to the post if this strikes your interest at all. (added: I would be glad to send a sample, as I wouldn't want anyone to feel commited to a story that doesn't interest or delite him/her. If you have no interest in helping me, I would consider it a courtesy if you restrained yourself from snarky commets. I have tough skin, but please appreciate that asking for help is hard enough already.)
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