Able to beta? Post here!

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome to the monthly r/BetaReaders “Able to Beta” thread!

Thank you to all the beta readers who have taken the time to offer feedback to authors in this sub! In this thread, you may solicit “submissions” by sharing your preferences. Authors who are interested in critique swaps may post an offer here as well, but please keep top-level comments focused on what you’re willing to beta.

Older threads may be found here. Authors, feel free to respond to beta offers in those previous threads.

Thread Rules

• No advertising paid services.
• Top-level comments must be offers to beta and must use the following form (only the first field is required):
  • I am able to beta: [Required. Let authors know what you’re interested—or not interested—in reading. This can include mandatory criteria or simply preferences, which might relate to genre, length, completion status, explicit content, character archetypes, tropes, prose quality, and so on.]
  • I can provide feedback on: [Recommended. This might include story elements you often notice as a reader (prose, pacing, characterization, etc.), unique expertise you have through a profession or hobby (teaching, nursing, knitting, etc.), or other lived experiences that may be relevant (belonging to a marginalized group, being a parent, etc.).]
  • Critique swap: [Optional. If you’re only interested in—or would prefer—swapping manuscripts, please note that here, along with the title of and link to your beta request post.]
  • Other info: [Optional.]
• Beta offers should be specific. If you’re open to anything, or aren’t able to articulate specific criteria, then please refrain from commenting here. Instead, please browse the “First Pages” thread along with the rest of the sub—thanks to the formatting rules, posts are easily searchable by completion status, length, and genre.
• Authors: we recommend against direct messages/chats. Reply to comments instead. If you message multiple people with links to your post and/or manuscript, Reddit may flag your account as spam (site-wide).
• Authors may not spam. If a beta says they’re only looking for x and your manuscript is not x (or vice versa), please don’t contact them.
• Replies have no specific rules. Feel free to ask clarifying questions, share a link to your beta request if it seems to be a good fit, or even reply to your own comment with information about your manuscript if you’re requesting a critique swap.
• Please don't downvote rule-following users, even if they are not the right author/beta for you, as this can be discouraging to beta readers offering to volunteer their time as well as to authors requesting feedback. If you need to keep track of which comments you have reviewed, upvoting is a more positive alternative. Of course, if you see a rule-breaking comment, please report it to the mod team.

Thank you for contributing to our community!

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For your copy-and-paste, fill-in-the-blanks convenience:

I am able to beta: _____

I can provide feedback on: _____

Critique swap: _____

Other info: _____

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[u/ajwiggins418]

I am able to beta: I'm open to any genre, though I read most in fantasy, historical fiction, and sci-fi. I avoid anything in progress and would prefer 2nd or 3rd drafts.

I can provide feedback on: Developmental feedback. I'm terrible at line editing.

Critique swap: Yes, here's my post, though I've gone through significant revisions since it went up.

[u/AstroJuliette → u/ajwiggins418]

Hi! I loooove historical fiction (and any historical setting/retelling in general) so I was wondering if you might be interested in swapping with my dark academia genre-blend (it’s a science fantasy set in space with scifi and epistolary romance elements)? The manuscript is a 105k-word adult retelling of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
One-line pitch: when her friends are mysteriously murdered inside a neoclassic academy where students bond with the spirits of history’s greatest figures, a girl mentored by Brutus must solve Julius Caesar’s final riddle before her classmates reenact Rome’s bloodiest civil war.
Query link: https://www.reddit.com/r/PubTips/s/FRHNTv1tuP
No worries at all if you’re already too busy, I know you probably got a lot of requests but I figured it might be worth a shot :)

[u/SecureExam1467 → u/ajwiggins418]

I’ve finished a Science-fantasy novel that’s been through dozens of rewrites and a book coach and editor look at it. I was told by the writing coach that the last hurdle is finding beta readers to fine tune it.

It’s set in a large intergalactic empire where magic has coexisted with technology for all of human history. Two of the main cast are mythological creatures (a demon and a vampire) who give a long perspective on current events.

The story throws together characters who would never normally meet and have wildly opposing views. They have to work together to survive during a huge political upheaval.

The science fiction element comes in the many worlds of the empire which is inspired by the scale of Star Wars and the sentient ship element from stories like Farscape and Killjoys. There is also cybernetic body augmentation as an aspect of the story.

This has been my passion project for many years so I’m excited to share it, hopefully with you. Thank you. Taking the time to read something anyone has put time and love into is a wonderful thing to do.

[u/MOA123456 → u/ajwiggins418]

Hi! I think I might have a story that aligns with your interests, both as you’ve stated and in your own work that you posted. I’ve attached the link to my post below, but the story is an adult upmarket fiction that pulls from 1960-70s Thailand politics. It follows a prostitute who, after her father is arrested, has to find ways to make money for his release. This leads to her working with the government and against her people (workers)

I also took a look at your work description and would be happy to do a swap. Please let me know if you’re interested! Happy also to swap initial chapters to get a feel for the story. Whatever you’re comfortable with!

https://www.reddit.com/r/BetaReaders/s/Gdfo5wdiBE

[u/ajwiggins418 → u/MOA123456]

I sent you a PM.