• Read this stickie before posting.

    • In order to reduce the number of new members requesting a Beta reader before they're really ready for one, we've instituted a 50 post requirement before you can start a thread seeking a Beta reader.
    • You can still volunteer to Beta for someone else; just please don't request someone to Beta for you until you're more familiar with the community and our members.

Beta Readers: Please Edit Segments of My Book :) :)

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leftyfelix2

Need an editor? Contact me!
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Hi, everyone,

I am working every day toward getting my name out there but, first and foremost, getting my book published.
My website's home page will tell you all about my book called "The Magic Suitcase" here: http://www.booksjmg06.webs.com.

I have edited the entire manuscript (81,000-some words) 4 times through now but it needs a second pair of eyes looking it over.

Is anyone interested? To make sure of no plagarizing (however you spell that word haha), I'll send you 1-2 chapters each time.

Please check out my website and let me know if you're interested! Yay :)

Ready to have fun on here! :)

leftyfelix2, aka Jenna Kinzler.
 

Gringa

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If you're ready to have fun, join in! That's the fastest route to get a beta. So post away.....

and welcome!
 

eqb

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You might attract more volunteers if you spend some time critiquing in the Share Your Work forums. You'll not only join in the community, you'll learn a lot for your own writing.
 
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Unimportant

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This should probably get ported to the Beta Readers section, as the OP does not appear to be looking to hire an editor.
 

Old Hack

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I'm going to move this from Ask The Editor to our Beta Readers room. Hang onto your hats...

...and here we are!

I have edited the entire manuscript (81,000-some words) 4 times through now but it needs a second pair of eyes looking it over.

Is anyone interested? To make sure of no plagarizing (however you spell that word haha), I'll send you 1-2 chapters each time.

It's not possible for anyone to edit your book properly if you only give them a segment of it. If you want anyone to make a good job of editing this for you, they'll need the entire manuscript. Because without it they can't investigate plot holes, or see how you develop your characters, or any of the other big issues involved in editing a book well.
 
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Marian Perera

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Is anyone interested? To make sure of no plagarizing (however you spell that word haha), I'll send you 1-2 chapters each time.

Plagiarizing can be done from just one or two chapters.

I would personally not want to read, let alone edit, for someone who thought I might plagiarize their work.
 

Maryn

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I agree with several of the posts already made. It's not the worst blunder a new member can make, and it's one you can recover from, but asking us to do a lot of work for you without sufficient material while suggesting we might be thieves? Not cool.

But hey, you're new and enthusiastic. We get that some members dive right in without taking the time to see how things work around here.

Instead, though, I encourage you to interact with the AW community, reading the board for your genre, contributing to the threads where you can, and in particular offering critique in the Share Your Work thread for your genre (and any others you read).

That way, people will get to know you and you'll accrue the 50 posts needed to put your own first chapter or scene up at SYW--and it'll be more likely to be critiqued because people will feel they owe you one after you helped with theirs.

Maryn, pleased to meet you
 

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So, starting over again, Jenna:

I'd suggest you read a bunch of the older threads in this beta-readers subforum. Pick the ones that have received a lot of volunteers, and analyse what the poster did. You'll probably find that the authors who get the most volunteers have a lot in common, including:

-- A clear, concise synopsis of their story in a paragraph or so.
-- A clear description of the book's length, genre, and target audience.
-- A note as to whether the first scene/chapter has been posted in Share Your Work, where potential readers can go check it out.
-- A willingness to swap: you read mine, I'll read yours.
-- A description of what kind of feedback they are looking for, what style of critique they offer in return, and the timeline they're working to.

You'll probably also find that authors are most successful in getting beta readers when they've shown they give as well as take, by critiquing other authors' stories in Share Your Work, offering advice on contracts and cover art and publishing houses, etc.

Also, some AW members aren't willing to click on links to unknown websites, such as an author's personal website, because they don't know whether or not they'll pick up nasty malware there. So it's probably better to tell people here about your book, rather than sending them off site.
 
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