Beta Readers/Crit Requests

DarkSongofErrin

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I have a 2.2k fantasy story I'd like some opinions on. It uses a different format which has copped some hate and some love at the same time (multiple narrators). Happy to return the favour.
 

gettingby

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Anyone want to trade stories? I have a literary story just under 5K. I don't need editing. Rather, it would be great to hear what someone thinks and what is working or not working. But the copy itself is clean and pretty polished.

I am hoping that someone can do this with a quick turnaround time. I have time tonight to read and comment. Hopefully you do, too. Let me know if anyone is interested.
 

gettingby

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This looks like this thread might've died a death, but anyone fancy a 3000 wordish literary thing swap? Happy to do any genre in return.

I would do a swap with you anytime. I have enjoyed reading your work in the past. I am going to PM you in case you don't see this. Because you're right that this thread isn't what it used to be. Maybe we can do something about that.

I'm willing to do a swap with anyone who regularly posts in the short story or the W1S1 sections. I write literary fiction, but I am willing to do a swap with genre writers, too. Anything under 5K words is fine by me.
 

NatGSharpe

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I'm very new here, but if anyone wants super newb eyes on a piece, I'll take a look! I'm off trying to increase my post count in SYW by critiquing and I could always use the practice!
 

gringo

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Hi NatGSharpe and welcome...I'm not the most veteran or dedicated of AW posters either, but I have a slightly silly slightly sad SF short (5700 words) that could use an honest opinion and would be willing to trade beta reads for something of a similar length. PM if you're still up for it!
 

S. L. Saboviec

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JetFueledCar

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I have some old pieces, 1k-2k words, that I need advice on. I want to polish them up for submission but I don't even know where to start.
 

Brynn

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I have a 2200 word contemporary fantasy story and something seems not quite right. I just can't seem to put my finger on how to fix it--or if I'm just being paranoid?

Anyone interested in taking a look? I'd be happy to swap.
 

ACFantasy

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Brynn--I'd be happy to look at it. If you put it in a gdoc or something and message me a link, I could probably look it over within 3-4 days.
 

Pegster

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Hullo-hullo! There's a more or less YA fantasy of a girl running away from home to escape sinister uncles (no, not in a sexual way!) with my name on it, that could use some beta perusal. It's light humor as well as adventure, exploring a non-Earth world populated by far future man. Or almost man, which is part of the story. If I could trade first chapters (it's a 90K doc) with somebody, I'd love to read someone else's writing for a while. It's pretty polished, no homonyms, stray commas and only the occasional run-on sentence, so what I'm really looking for is: does the world take you in? Is the main character friendly? Would you read more? And any other pluses and minuses. I'd really appreciate the help. Tanks.
 

gettingby

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Does anyone swap stories around here anymore? Just thought I would resurrect this baby.
 

beccapie42

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I'm looking for someone to swap stories with, what genre do you write?
 

gringo

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hello there gettingby and beccapie42,

if either of you (or anyone else for that matter) are looking to exchange critiques and have time to read 4500 words of what one might confidently call 'slipstream', please PM me and we can swap!
 

gettingby

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hello there gettingby and beccapie42,

if either of you (or anyone else for that matter) are looking to exchange critiques and have time to read 4500 words of what one might confidently call 'slipstream', please PM me and we can swap!

Though I'm familiar with the term slipstream, I have not really read things in this genre. And since I right pretty much straight literary fiction, I worry that it might not be your thing. We could give it a try if you still want, but if not, I understand.

Hey -- Is anyone here familiar with Greek mythology? I've got a story around 3k words. I'm just wondering is my Greek mythology reference is working. It's not a story about Greek mythology, however, I do hope my reference works. Please let me know if anyone here is an expert on Greek mythology. I can PM you a rundown of how I used the reference if you don't want to read the whole story. I'm just worried about it and if it really fits this story. Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help me out.
 

gringo

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Hi there, getting by! I tried PMing you but couldn't, so I'll reply here. Sorry for the delay! FWIW slipstream' is by now a sort of outmoded 90s term referring to fantasy/science fiction that usually has only slight speculative elements, where reality is only slightly off-kilter (I mean, don't quote me on that); almost 'literary fiction' with a tiny bit of F/SF flavor thrown in. That's what I guess I was trying to describe.

That said, I'd love to trade if you want to have a look (While by no means an expert, I was a big Greek myth nerd as a kid so hopefully won't need too much prompting). PM me with your email if you like.
 

gettingby

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Hey gringo -- Let's do it. I deleted some messages from my inbox so we can message. I think my inbox was full. Looking forward to reading your story. Send me your email and I'll send you mine.
 

Luxtizer

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Anyone around who might be into a short story swap?

I'm trying to do one short story a week this year, minimum 1000 words. I have three pieces completed that I'd like feedback on, all between 1000 and 2500 words. I have more outlined and in progress. Anyone willing to beta read? I'm quite happy to read works of similar length.

The three pieces I'm looking for feedback on are all science fiction. I also write fantasy, slipstream, and horror. I will probably be looking for feedback on pieces in those genres later. I'm willing to read pretty much anything, but I have the most familiarity with those genres.
 

Sarandipity

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I'd love to have someone beta-read my spiritual memoir 'Chasing Happiness' which covers about 16 years of my life (along with some flashbacks). It's about 90,000 words. It's about my struggle with a very strict spiritual path for 15 years which I finally left for Mahayana Buddhism in 2014. I took the bodhisattva vows from His Holiness The Dalai Lama in Dec. 2014. I am willing to read in return. I belong to the IWW but it's difficult for readers to get a hold on a novel piecemeal. Here are the first few paragraphs to give you an idea:
For fifteen years I walked on thin ice in my pursuit of happiness.

I wanted enlightenment – eternal happiness.

The main reason for this aspiration was my father. My Japanese gurus in the Maitreya Buddha Temple promised that if I attained enlightenment, my parents and ancestors would automatically be enlightened.

As ‘The Wild Child of Bangalore’, I had not been a good daughter to my father who had refused to remarry after divorcing my mother when I was fifteen years old. He had chosen a life of loneliness so we would not have to deal with a stepmother. He had made many sacrifices for me and my sister Vinita.

And yet, I was cruel to my father. Always getting into scrapes over boys, always looking in the wrong places for the affection mother had denied me – as father often rued.

I got suspended in high school for jumping the compound wall of the hostel to watch a movie, expelled from college in Darjeeling for running away from the hostel at night to meet a boyfriend, and once again, expelled from a finishing school in Madras for dating someone from the IIT there.

“You can finish where your mother left off so I can end my life in misery,” he told me once after I had planned to run away with my boyfriend. I was sixteen then. In my twenties, I returned home late one night and found him waiting up for me as usual. He would just look at me sadly and go up to his room and lock himself in. But that night he told me, “At this rate, don’t expect your father to last long.”

Although his words seared through me, I soon forgot them and went on with my wild fashion-model life of partying, smoking joints and man-eating. My revealing clothes caused my father great anguish. He caught me once stealing away, dressed in a red halter top and jeans and threatened to burn my clothes. After that I carried my sexy attire with me.
 

Sherlock

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I am looking for a critique partner for a crime/thriller novel featuring a rural Sheriff, veterans, the FBI and a bad guy who has come up with a solution to bring out dormant illnesses with a computer virus. I am looking for someone for the long run but I am open to trading comments with people writing stories, rather than novels, if they will stick it out. I am good with grammar, spelling, and the like. I need someone who can help me with the flow, dialogue, and making sure the story line works. If you are interested, please pm. I also have a great deal of experience with non-fiction magazine writing.
 

sublunam

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Hi Luxtizer,

Are you still interested in a short story swap? I'm jumping in a little late (on the academic year schedule, so May is like Happy New Year for me :hooray:), but am also trying a story a week, also in sci-fi/fantasy, and would love a story-buddy.

jlw

PS – sorry, Sarandipity and Sherlock, I'm not quite in the memoir/crime thriller/novel game just yet. I hope you find someone!