Hiya, Jeff. I lived in Rochester until recently, so we were practically neighbors. Welcome to you!
You'll do yourself a favor to take the time to look around the site and see all it has to offer beyond what you came here to get. There's an enormous amount of how-to on writing and publishing. Pretty soon this board's moderator will share a welcome post with a whole lot of links. It's worth taking the time to click and read every one in between exploring.
In all likelihood, you'll find there's no better way to learn what's wrong with your own writing than to critique in any genre you read (including the one you write but not limited to just that). Once you've got fifty meaningful posts, you can post your first scene for critique and/or seek a beta reader. I strongly advise you to get critique first. Whatever weaknesses it reveals are probably present in the whole novel and should be shored up before a beta read. Be warned: many people who think they're ready for serious critique and feedback are not, and some feel wounded or become hostile when every goof and weakness is pointed out. You don't want that to be you, which is why we advise you to read critiques done by others and to do some yourself.
It's smart to post in your genre's board and in the novels board, as well as some of the other-interests boards. The more people feel like they know you, the more likely they are to volunteer for a beta read.
Maryn, old hand at this, and happy to see new arrivals
