Exchange Critiques Prior to Submitting to Agent/Editor?

[Moonwrite]

Hello--Is anyone out there looking to exchange critiques of unpublished literary work? Or is this site only for post-publication reviews? What about subsequent books in- progress?

At an agent's panel recently, an agent said that writers should never send out a book until it's been read and critiqued by at least 7-8 people.

I've written a memoir of the challenging childhood variety and am looking to exchange critiques with another memoirist who is preparing a memoir to submit to an agent or an editor--in-depth critiques aimed at improving the MS prior to submission, not summary reviews of already published work.

I prefer to read MS in an easily readable format (double-spaced, 1" margins all around) rather than e-book format (single-spaced, small) as I don't yet have an e-reader. Actually, I much prefer hard copy so that I can read on the treadmill or stationary bike, but accept that hard copy might be difficult to come by.

I'd also appreciate referrals.

Thanks,

Lynne

[Leila]

I think this is a great idea Lynne. When I am ready with my second memoir, I would love to do something like this with others who are in the same place at the same time. I hope you find some readers!

[Moonwrite]

Leila wrote: "I think this is a great idea Lynne. When I am ready with my second memoir, I would love to do something like this with others who are in the same place at the same time. I hope you find some readers!"

Hi Leila--Thanks for responding. Readers can critique works in progress as well as finished works. A benefit of that: if a writer finds that they're on the wrong track, they haven't gone as far, so they don't have to backtrack as much.

How far along are you?

Regards,

Lynne

[Leila]

I have an unfinished (still need to add a few chapters) very rough first draft that I don't think I would show to anyone right now :) But as soon as I get another week away to write, I'll be closer to having something resembling a first draft.

I agree that it's a great idea to see if you are on the right track. With my first book, when I finished my first draft, I printed it out and gave it to three different readers who made comments on the hard copy which I then took into account for my second draft. It was very helpful indeed!

[Kate]

I workshopped & rewrote every chapter of my memoir as I went along. Then I paid a book doctor to read the entire manuscript. Based upon his comments, I rewrote and workshopped every chapter again. It was long process but I found a publisher. My book came out a year ago this week.