Beta reader needed for YA Novel

palomazlowe · Jul 4, 2011

The novel is about 61,000 words. It is titled: The History of Nueva Tierra Volume One.

It is about a seventeen year old girl living in a place called Nueva Tierra. It is set int he distant future when the world has become mostly inhabitable and Neva Tierra is the only place left where people can live. The protagonist is 17, and believes that everything in Nueva Tierra is safe, but when war erupts Alina must learn to survive and protect the ones she loves.

I wouldn't call it science fiction or fantasy, though i think it has elements of both. I would greatly appreciate the help! Thank you sooo much!

Contact me if you are interested. Again I would be so appreciative.

Matthew_X · Jul 5, 2011

Hey there, thanks for posting. A couple quick questions of clarification. You mean the world has become UNinhabitable, right? Why would you not call it sci-fi or fantasy? And what stage is your work at? Is this your first draft or fifth?

Thanks!

palomazlowe · Jul 13, 2011

hmm, strange, i could have sworn that I had replied, though maybe i didn't do it correctly... anyway.

Yes, I did mean uninhabitable.

I suppose you could call it sci-fi and fantasy, I just have trouble trying to decide which it would be, because I am so close to the work. I have been working on it for about a year and a half. I have written quite I few drafts, I suppose I am on number 7 right now. I really need some outside help show me what works and what doesn't. Thanks for posting, I really appreciate it!

Feathers · Jul 16, 2011

Hey! Your reply may have been swallowed during the database issue AW had a week or so ago.

Your novel sounds exactly like a dystopian, which is technically a subgenre of SF. Having read your description, it sounds like it's not right for me, but hopefully you're getting some good bites

Best!
-Feathers

palomazlowe · Jul 20, 2011

Thanks feathers.

I suppose it could be considered dystopian. Though I think that far too many novels are being classified that, when they really aren't. The world that my main character has grown up in is actually more of a utopia. But then of course most of the novel takes place during a war. Does that make all novels though that are about war in a fictional place a dystopia novel?

Anyway, I haven't really had any interest, which makes me a little nervous. I'm not sure if people are just tired of this style, or maybe the description of what my story is about isn't very good. Maybe it just takes some time.

Thanks for responding!

p

palomazlowe · Jul 20, 2011

oh wait, I just realized I have some pm with a couple potential betas. Yay! I'm still new to this, so I'm still trying to get the hang of it.

Feathers · Jul 21, 2011

Well, to your credit, the genre has grown a little bit--it pretty much absorbed post-apocalyptic and sometimes even apocalyptic.

I wouldn't say the striking characteristic of dystopia is war in distant places; but close, a future society that is often looks idyllic, but is really falling apart; that or it's under the thumb of a highly controlling government, and falling apart, or it's simply falling apart. Another defining characteristic is that dystopians usually involve a rebellion. The experts can correct me on all this, of course, but those defining qualities usually earmark it as far as genre goes.

Why I said yours sounds like dystopian is because of the future society that sounds idyllic, but (given the war) is kinda falling apart.

Anyway, glad you found some betas! It usually does just take time

-Feathers

palomazlowe said:
Thanks feathers.

I suppose it could be considered dystopian. Though I think that far too many novels are being classified that, when they really aren't. The world that my main character has grown up in is actually more of a utopia. But then of course most of the novel takes place during a war. Does that make all novels though that are about war in a fictional place a dystopia novel?

Anyway, I haven't really had any interest, which makes me a little nervous. I'm not sure if people are just tired of this style, or maybe the description of what my story is about isn't very good. Maybe it just takes some time.

Thanks for responding!

p

Beta reader needed for YA Novel

palomazlowe

Matthew_X

We die? Might as well write a book.

palomazlowe

Feathers

emerging from the writing cave

palomazlowe

palomazlowe

Feathers

emerging from the writing cave