I'm new here, so I'm happy to start without expecting anything in return, with the goal of giving feedback before summer is gone. With that said, if you want to direct exchange a YA novel, I'm willing (all my mss are ~60k magical realist YA).
What I'd like to read:
Fiction only. MG/YA/NA, ideally <80k. No dystopian, horror, mindless violence, religious themes. My favorite types of stories are those which feature real consequences for characters, but ultimately end on a positive note with some sort of victory, even if it is pyrrhic. I can't stand gimmicky premises founded on "wouldn't it be neat if..." but then don't have the creativity to explore the realistic ramifications of the initial idea. Most comfortable areas are fantasy of all types, contemporary, magic realism.
Feedback: I give holistic criticism, but it depends on where the problems are. Text should be at least draft+ 1 polish, ideally has been read aloud/corrected at least once. If you don't agree with me about the value of hearing the text, you might want to look elsewhere. I pay attention to the sound of the words (which is not an excuse for great-sounding but substanceless prose). I would best describe my feedback as honest, but always with an eye towards how to fix the particular problem. If I think text is a complete loss, though, I'll say so directly.
Credentials: I have a B.A. in Creative Writing, an M.A. and Ph.D in Humanities. I read everything my three kids (ages 9-15) read, good and bad. I usually read widely in fantasy (less so for sci-fi) of all types, and any MG/YA/NA that interests me. I've beta-read and proofed for individuals before, both for creative and academic writing, just not in this community.
What I'd like to read:
Fiction only. MG/YA/NA, ideally <80k. No dystopian, horror, mindless violence, religious themes. My favorite types of stories are those which feature real consequences for characters, but ultimately end on a positive note with some sort of victory, even if it is pyrrhic. I can't stand gimmicky premises founded on "wouldn't it be neat if..." but then don't have the creativity to explore the realistic ramifications of the initial idea. Most comfortable areas are fantasy of all types, contemporary, magic realism.
Feedback: I give holistic criticism, but it depends on where the problems are. Text should be at least draft+ 1 polish, ideally has been read aloud/corrected at least once. If you don't agree with me about the value of hearing the text, you might want to look elsewhere. I pay attention to the sound of the words (which is not an excuse for great-sounding but substanceless prose). I would best describe my feedback as honest, but always with an eye towards how to fix the particular problem. If I think text is a complete loss, though, I'll say so directly.
Credentials: I have a B.A. in Creative Writing, an M.A. and Ph.D in Humanities. I read everything my three kids (ages 9-15) read, good and bad. I usually read widely in fantasy (less so for sci-fi) of all types, and any MG/YA/NA that interests me. I've beta-read and proofed for individuals before, both for creative and academic writing, just not in this community.
