Beta Reader Hook-up Exchange

[David]

You know, as an author, I've always been a little conflicted about review exchanges. They can be a quick way to get some initial reviews for new authors and books, but there is always pressure to sugar-coat reviews for fear the other author might view your work less favorably if you are too critical. How about instead let's use the goodreads writing community to help us generate feedback and polish our work before a reviewer or publisher ever sees it?

No author can be 100% objective about their own work. We're just too close to our pet projects and personal masterpieces, but there's no question that the more eyes that see a novel before it is printed, the more likely that novel is to be tightly packaged, polished, and presentable. Other people who are not as close to your work as you are are more likely to see mistakes or problems that you've missed or come up with new ideas and appreciations that you might never have thought of otherwise.

Got a new book you're about to release? Post here if you would like to hook-up with another author in a Beta Exchange. You read their work. They read yours. Exchange first impressions, creative critisism,and trouble shooting all before a purchaser or reviewer get a hold of your literary baby and savage it for the small stuff you may have missed.

Let's help each other elevate the level of our writing!

(Be critical but kind. Treat each other with respect and please, please, please don't distribute anyone else's work without their express permission.)

[Cherie]

I agree with you, David, that it can be a delicate matter. But if it's for beta reading of our MS and not for publication here on GR or Amazon, then it can be extremely helpful.

My memoir, Arabesque: Dancing on the Edge in Los Angeles, (a prequel to The Church of Tango) is "finished" but before it goes to press it would be fantastic to get other opinions/points of view while there is still time for revision.

And I would be happy to return the favor to beta read another memoir (no dystopian sex Christian romantic historical fiction fantasies, though). I can send the MS in Word, if there are any takers. Also I can turn it around in a week, and would need the same time frame for mine.

Thank you!
Cherie