As a business-writer, I do adverts, and brands, and proposals, and sale particulars. This has given me enough acquaintance with the unreal that I've been able to draft a trilogy of experimental fantasy stories. (3 x 80k words) It's along the lines of characters realising they are fictional, mounting an escape through the fourth wall, and ending up in the (structurally-identical) next story of a ring-composition, but rotated into a different role. Over the last 2 years, there were times when I couldn't see if the ring would be able to come back round on itself while keeping the characters' stories natural. But I'm happy it can. I need to remove dead-end themes that didn't end up serving the overall structure, and put in more signposting to keep readers aware of where they are in it. It's best if that can be guided by different readers. The middle story is the most-finished of the three. Its blurb is:- Sally needs her Orcs to start breaking down barriers in Bournemouth before her father gets back and knocks over the kitchen table. Or if they won’t help her escape, they could at least make themselves Applicable to her lived experiences. For in Canon, they worship foul and Allegorical powers... Although the wordcount isn't massive, I don't think it would count as a quick or a light read on most people's definition. The other two stories are easier - this one had some extra complexities and constraints on it. In return I'd be offering to read another speculative fiction story <150k words.
I'll take a look, if you like. Sounds up my alley. Although could I get your generous return offer in the form of an IOU? My own WIP probably won't be ready to look at until later this summer. It is speculative fiction, probably 90-100k words.
