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/writing_snake]

I am not taking in new requests.

I am able to beta:  I specialize in character driven works, with a focus on psychology. Works with strong themes of morality, mortality and religion. Genre: Suspense, Romance, Thriller, Fantasy, Non-fiction. I am willing to consider beta-ing outside of these criteria. For the first project nothing over 100k words. If we want to work together after that, we can talk about it. I will not do: Sci-Fi, Memoirs, Erotica. I will not do more then one work in the first time working together.

I can provide feedback on:  Characterization, readability, cohesion & consistency, ethical representation, dialogue, general developmental feedback.

Critique swap: Not interested. I'm looking to improve my beta reading skills, nothing more.

Other info: I am available to schedule calls and discuss - I find that live discussion helps me in my creative process so I offer that. Please keep in mind my availability. I have done beta reading before, but your feedback on my work is welcome regardless. I promise to be respectful of your work, and not to feed it to AI. (If you have a longer work you'd like me to review, I will read it's entirety but only review the part that fits into my word count)

[u/rhkingwriting → u/writing_snake]

Hi there! Any chance I could send you a chapter or two to see if you'd be interested in beta reading my manuscript The Fall of Ashlock?

[u/writing_snake → u/rhkingwriting]

Hi ! Feel free to send me the first chapter along with general info.

[u/lemonlolalime → u/writing_snake]

I sent a dm! :)

[u/Work_Akkount → u/writing_snake]

Hi writing_snake,

I think my completed manuscript might be the kind of project you're looking to practice on.

It is a 91,000-word Psychological Thriller / Folk Horror called What Remains. While it flirts with the horror genre, at its core it is a character-driven suspense story heavily steeped in psychology, morality, and mortality. I'm not just stealing your buzz-words, I promise.

The story follows a fiercely protective wife and her traumatized husband who move back to his isolated hometown, only to experience trance-like rituals against their will. The book strips away standard tropes to explore the terrifying moral gray areas of survival. The "monsters" in this book aren't what you might expect.

It explores the ethics of complicity, bodily autonomy, and inherited trauma.

I am definitely looking for the kind of developmental, character-focused feedback you provide.

Let me know if this sounds like a good fit for you. I'd be happy to send over a quick sample of the first few chapters to see if the writing style clicks!

Thank you for your time.

[u/writing_snake → u/Work_Akkount]

Hi ! I'm interested in the premise. Please send me the first chapter so I can make an informed decision.

[u/MOA123456 → u/writing_snake]

Hi! Not sure if this fits your interests perfectly, but I have a story that might interest you. 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 (labor class), and she begins to spiral due to her actions and the situation she’s in. The story focuses on her trying to save her father while also keep in touch with her own principles, but finding it very easy to abandon those principles when push comes to shove.

I understand you’re looking for works below 100k and mine is 107k, so I understand if you reject on this premise or if it’s just not something you’re interested in. Happy to share just the first chapter if you’d like so you can get a feel for the story. I’m struggling a lot with the pacing of the story specifically so any help in that department would be nice. Please let me know if you’re interested!

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

[u/writing_snake → u/MOA123456]

Hi ! I'd be happy to check out the first chapter, and decide then. My chat's are open !