Where can I get feedback for chapter drafts?

[Claire]

I'm working on becoming an author, and am new to using Goodreads for anything more than just the pleasures of being a reader. What is the most appropriate place to post my chapter drafts, and how can I best invite readers of historical fiction, family sagas, women's literature to comment on my drafts? I only have 22 friends here on Goodreads, and I don't have a website. I don't think I'm ready for that yet. Thanks for your time and suggestions.

[Nick]

Join this site, the absolute write watercooler.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/index....

Once you get 50 post you can start posting in the share you work section which is pass word protected from the google bots...

I warn you though, bring more than a draft. Make sure its as clean and well thought out as you can make the piece before you share.

There are a lot of published and unpublished members with a world of experience in publishing at the Cooler. Enjoy....

[Claire]

I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. I don't want to go outside of Goodreads. I've posted it in My Writing, but I don't know how to properly ask the Goodreads community to go to My Writing and comment on it. I also don't know how to invite my 22 friends, or the people I've had discussions with on Goodreads, to do the same. Thanks.

[Alex]

I highly recommend you join Critique Circle. It is a free website and I've been using it for the past year. It is set up to ideally handle critting chapters of your WIP. Goodreads isn't nearly as good a source for getting feedback on your WIP as a site like CC. You will get a lot more input, and it's set up so that it's easy for the critters to use, and you to absorb their input.

It's based on a credit system - you get one free post for joining, then credits for each critique you give of someone else's work on the system. It costs 3 credits to post a submittal.

I've found that critting others' work has helped strengthen mine, in addition to the input from crits I get on my work.

[Nick]

Claire wrote: "I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. I don't want to go outside of Goodreads. I've posted it in My Writing, but I don't know how to properly ask the Goodreads community to go to My Writing and commen..."

Goodreads is not really designed for critiquing work.

What you want to find is a writers group that is dedicated to writing, critiquing, and helping writers improve. You will find the information given much more beneficial because they will explain why this or that is not working, as well as what is working.

There is also the fact that if you do not understand terms critiquer's use, they will explain things clearer and what you will get on a board like GR's. Another way of improving in these groups is by critiquing the works of others, or reading the critiques. You'll see a lot of what is being said about the work of others, which may be the same problems you are having...

Hope that makes sense...