Help Please! How is critiquing working on Litopia? Can I find a critique partner for a full novel? How?

[Del Arca]

How is critiquing working on Litopia? Can I find a critique partner for a full novel? How?

 

[Pamela Jo]

Hi Del. It's a personal relationship so it always depends. Reading someone's full novel for free is a big commitment. You can get a beta reader who will just give you their impressions, but probably you want to start with the same kind of excerpt you would send to an agent. From that you may find someone whose judgment you trust and who's willing. After all reading and critiquing a full manuscript can be something that will cost you thousands and even then unless it is the right editor it might be in vain.

 

[Rachael Burnett]

I believe the polite etiquette is that you start by offering critiques to others first of all and then once you’ve done quite a few, you post your work (probably the first chapter or first three chapters) and those you critiqued, if they can, will critique your work (and/or as you have shown willing to critique others, this will be recognised and more than just those you critique may offer critiques). After that, you can post more chapters and then from this you might ask if anyone is willing to critique the whole novel.

 

[Jake E]

Personally, I work on an honour system.
I'll beta read for you if you beta read for me.
If I beta read for you and you do not beta read for me, i will not beta read for you again.

Also, many of the writers here beta read in 'windows' between their own projects. It's very difficult to do a good job beta reading while working on your own project.

J

 

[Jonny]

I believe the polite etiquette is that you start by offering critiques to others first of all and then once you’ve done quite a few, you post your work (probably the first chapter or first three chapters) and those you critiqued, if they can, will critique your work (and/or as you have shown willing to critique others, this will be recognised and more than just those you critique may offer critiques). After that, you can post more chapters and then from this you might ask if anyone is willing to critique the whole novel.

Hi @Del Arca

There is good advice in the posts above and what Rachel says is always the best way to go about it.

We are all writers here and as such our time is at a premium. The best way is to build a two-way relationship and branch out from there.

 

[RK Wallis]

Dip your toe in The Lab with one chapter. Your first critiques can feel like a brutal slap, but they're not intended that way. It's a natural reaction you need to push through. It's all part of the process. See who critiquing style you resonate with. Try that before a whole novel. You need to find someone you're comfortable with and vice versa. It takes time. Trial and error. It's like finding a life partner.

Have you found here yet? How To Use The Lab - And More

Or here? https://colony.litopia.com/threads/...ters-find-your-critiquing-partner-here.13896/

 

[LJ Beck]

Hi @Del Arca , I recommend clicking on stuff and seeing what's around. Settle in. There's all sorts of cool things here! There's seminars from Pete and loads of great discussions on craft, the publishing world, AI, a book club, and so much more. There's a blog that members participate in. So lots more than just looking for critiques. Which of course is important, but if you're too focused on that out of the gate, you might miss a bunch of super cool stuff and bite off your nose to spite your face.

If you can manage it, I highly recommend getting a full membership at some point and joining the weekly huddle. It's a great way to engage in group feedback sessions and get to know people. There's always something interesting being discussed at huddle and the critique sessions are enlightening.

 

[Mel L]

Hmmm...some good advice here but whatever happened to the Directory of Critters?

 

[RK Wallis]

Hmmm...some good advice here but whatever happened to the Directory of Critters?

I linked it

 

[johnsie]

I suspect you’re asking the wrong question, and probably you are none the wiser.
Two thing first:
What is it you want to find out about your book?
Where do you find people to answer question one?
When I first started self publishing I wrote letters to various local newspapers where I lived inviting people to read my work for free and tell me what they thought.
My first letter brought forth a dozen people within a week, and I built on that. The feedback improved my book no end.
You have to explain what the book is about, and what sort of critique you’re looking for, and then sit back with fingers crossed.
There are other ways, and there are a lot of explanations out there which will help, but how long an answer do you want?

 

[Still Waters]

Hi @Del Arca , I recommend clicking on stuff and seeing what's around. Settle in. There's all sorts of cool things here! There's seminars from Pete and loads of great discussions on craft, the publishing world, AI, a book club, and so much more. There's a blog that members participate in. So lots more than just looking for critiques. Which of course is important, but if you're too focused on that out of the gate, you might miss a bunch of super cool stuff and bite off your nose to spite your face.

If you can manage it, I highly recommend getting a full membership at some point and joining the weekly huddle. It's a great way to engage in group feedback sessions and get to know people. There's always something interesting being discussed at huddle and the critique sessions are enlightening.

Do you have to be a full member to post on the blog?

 

[AgentPete]

Do you have to be a full member to post on the blog?

No, you can do it as a Basic member. However – you currently need to have made 50 posts in the Colony before you can start blogging. This is supposed to stop bots and other nefarious types from signing up simply to pollute our blogosphere with ads for manhood products

Send me a message when you’ve got 50 posts under your belt and and I’ll authorise you.

 

[Vagabond Heart]

Oh Pete, now I want to write a blog about manhood products.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Oh Pete, now I want to write a blog about manhood products.

Who better? I'd read that blog.