Hello!

My name is Mandar. I completed a book recently and I am hoping to get it published soon. I am here to meet other people in same boat

 

Hello, Mandar. Saw that you write sci-fi, I do too. What is your book about, if you want to say?

I'm in the same boat, just finished draft four and looking to get it published. Maybe after a few more drafts I will send it out...

 

Have you run it through beta readers yet?

 

Haha so this might be a stupid question. This whole world is very new for me. ..What are beta readers?


Sorry ...Welcome too Mandar !

 

Beta readers are a group of people whi get a look at at novel or story before submitting to a publisher.
Their job is to give feedback on the work.
A beta reader questionaire can be found here
Friends and family, generally do not make the best beta readers, as they may be more worried about not offending the writer than giving the best feedback for development.

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question Bogart!

Yeah I learn that the hard way about friends and family not being the best readers. I showed them my recent shorts. And they really didn't give me alot. But that they liked it mind you! Haha

All I was thinking in my head was I haven't written in 15 years. Never developed my skills when I did write before. These stories should be complete crap lol I am hoping to get more from you fine folks on here.

 

Welcome, Mander

Congrats on completing your first book. It's an amazing feeling, yes?

Are you planning on querying with agents or are you going to self-publish?
(Beware of vanity publishers. Google the term there are lots of useful articles on the web and check WF's self-pub forum for discussions. I mention VPs and my DIL (daughter-in-law) got sucked in ... her next book she will self-pub.

True.

And they will say they enjoy something when they don't
My husband is super critical of SPaG and plot holes, but he has no idea whether the story works as romance. Decent Beta readers who invest their time in your project are like gold dust, especially ones in your genre.

I beta read for my collab partner. She also writes SAR, mysteries as well as romance. The last book took me almost a week to work through as I made notes, reread sections, and queried spelling and punctuation. SPaG is not strictly the job of a Beta, but if I notice a gremlin, I usually mention it.

Find a fellow writer(s), preferably in your genre, but be prepared to dedicate time away from your writing to reciprocate. Readers who are not writers are better LoL but how do you find those ...? I won't ask friends. Several betas are better than just one as you need differing viewpoints.

 

Hanging around a place like this is a massive learning experience. I've been here almost 4 years now, and I've learned an incredible amount. Partly from just getting involved in discussions, reading critiques and doing critiques and getting some done on my own work. Plus I just run across unfamiliar terms, ask about them or look them up, and then do some research. You get out the level of engagement you put in. You're already doing way better than the person who started this thread—he's been here over two months and only made two posts, and hasn't returned to respond on either of them. That seems to be the pattern for most people who join. It's good to see you're already way past that.

 

Haha I have only been on for a day and I already think it's pretty cool!! Something like this where i can have the dialog back and forth with other writers. Share and enjoy each others work. And possibly create soemthing epic with another writer is exactly what I needed. I am thankful a friend suggested joining to me .

I have been a bit busy since ai joined there is so much to take in. I really enjoy it!

I did do my very first ever attemps on critiquing 2 stories. (Read way more than 2 though) Now just trying to figure out which of my shorts I want feedback on that I don't want to publish someday. Haha

Funny you say that, already came across term I did not know! Haha thankfully Bogart answered my question on what it was.

I like knowing this has been good experience for you. What do you write?

 

I don't really know how to answer that question. I don't really write within a genre, though I guess most of it falls under coming of age. You can see an extract from the one I'm working on now in the Showcase if you want: The Season of the Witch, and my earlier one (on hiatus now): The Beastseekers.

 

No I completely understand. Since I started writing again. I have not stayed with any genre yet myself.

I will absolutely check them out.Look forward to reading them. And chatting with you more.

 

I live in southern Illinois, and was born in Champaign/Urbana. It feels kind of cool being able to tell people I was born in Champaign.

 

that's hilarious.
What a small world . I was actually born in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. But have lived in this area for good 25 years of my life lol