Oct 29 2008
We’re going all the way this year… and we need your help!
Hello, I'm an assistant editor providing writing advice. SN specializes in superhero writing advice, obviously, but most of the advice here applies to fantasy and sci-fi as well.
National Novel Writing Month starts in two days. We’re going to finish our first novel manuscript. We need beta-reviewers.
What this would entail: We’ll give you our novel’s outline, 2-3 pages describing what we envision happening throughout the book. Over the course of the month, we will write chapters to bring that synopsis to life. We’d like you to read these chapters and offer advice. That might look like any or all of the following.
- Suggest where we might go from there. Do you have any ideas about what the next few chapters might look like?
- Mention any glaring weaknesses in our story, characters, dialogue, plot, etc.
- Suggest any possible improvements.
So, what’s in it for you?
- Authorial networking. On any given day, I get between 30 and 40 manuscripts, comments and emails. That’s on top of my writing, studying and thesis research. So my time is really stretched. However, if you help beta-review our work, I will assuredly make time for you.
- Altruism. We really need the help.
- Marketing. Your publisher may ask you to get other authors to review your work so that you can place favorable blurbs on the inside cover. I’m not very fond of tying my credibility to other people’s work, but I’ll make an exception for a skilled author that has helped me in the past.
If you’re interested, please either leave a comment or e-mail us at bmckenzie05–at–gmail–dot–com.
I am interested. I would much like to know what happens to Lash and how Mild-mannered Jacob Mallow becaomes a sinister villain. All the other stuff is just bonus. Look for an email from me soon.
I’m definitely interested. Send that manuscript. I hope my opinions can help you. You know what to do
I’d really like to help.
I’d like to help, too. I guess it depends on how soon you need the feedback, because I’m also weighed down by studies, writing and other commitments. I’ll cut back or procrastinate on what I can, because God knows I’d rather read than do assignments!
How soon would you need a reply, and how detailed does it need to be?
Our standards are very flexible. A 150-word review could be hugely helpful, particularly if it included a few suggestions. (My experience suggests that a 1000-2000 word chapter will usually get 75-300 words). As for speed vs. depth, I’d prefer that our reviewers emphasized speed. A few immediate suggestions could help us prepare the next chapter more quickly. I kind of envision this month as an intense brainstorming session rather than a polishing session.
OK.
Totally, Looking forward to it. Just tell me when you e-mail it becuase I don’t check my mail often.