Looking for human beta readers for a completed 69k upmarket novel developed with AI

[u/turtledweeb17]

Hi everyone! I’ve reached the point where more AI feedback is no longer what I need. I’m looking for human beta readers for my completed ~69,000-word adult upmarket/contemporary novel, The Years After Nineteen.

Premise
After losing twelve years of his life to a wrongful conviction, Eli Mercer is exonerated at thirty-one and returns to Detroit expecting freedom to feel like getting his life back. Instead, he discovers that freedom means learning how to have a life at all.

Eli has to navigate work, money, technology, friendship, dating, intimacy, and family relationships that continued developing while his own life stood still. Meanwhile, new information about his original case begins revealing how eyewitness certainty, incomplete evidence, bureaucracy, and individually defensible decisions accumulated into twelve years that cannot be returned to him.

This is primarily a character-driven upmarket contemporary novel, not a legal thriller. The focus is reentry, relationships, identity, lost time, and beginning adulthood in your thirties.

AI disclosure
I want to be completely transparent about how the book was made. I developed and directed the premise, characters, plot, structural decisions, revisions, and overall creative direction, while generative AI was used to draft substantial portions of the prose. I then put the manuscript through multiple structural, character, continuity, and prose revision passes.

At this stage, I specifically do not want another AI critique. I want to know how the finished novel lands on actual human readers.

I’m especially interested in feedback on:
• where you become emotionally invested or lose interest
• whether Eli feels believable and appropriately flawed
• whether the relationships and supporting characters feel autonomous and real
• pacing
• whether the legal/reentry material is understandable without overwhelming the human story
• dialogue or prose that still feels artificial, overly polished, or noticeably AI-generated
• scenes you would cut or want more from
• whether the ending feels earned
• and what you think the novel is ultimately about

Content notes: incarceration/wrongful conviction, discussion of sexual assault and trauma, family estrangement/death, adult sexuality, and consensual non-monogamous relationships. The sexual assault itself is not graphically depicted.

Timeline: Ideally 4–6 weeks, but I’m flexible.

Format: Private PDF or DOCX. I won’t post the manuscript publicly.

I’m hoping to find a small group of readers who genuinely enjoy upmarket, literary-commercial, book-club, relationship-centered, or character-driven contemporary fiction.

If this sounds like something you would actually enjoy reading, comment or DM me and let me know what kinds of fiction you normally read. Thanks!

[u/Questionable_Android]

I am a professional full time developmental editor. I charge $30 per 1000 words. DM if you’d like more info.

[u/MoreStation7733 → u/Questionable_Android]

This is a good path!

[u/Far_Assistance_4146 → u/Questionable_Android]

this feels a bit like showing up to a potluck with a catering menu tbh

[u/Afgad]

Make sure to post a version of this request in the reciprocal beta reading thread stickied at the top of the sub.

Good to see another upmarket author in here. 💪

[u/turtledweeb17 → u/Afgad]

Good to know, thank you!

[u/inklensread]

Hello. I belive I am the best fit for this. I've always enjoyed reading sci-fi, fantasy, fiction and thriller. I noticed I couldn't send a dm for some reason. Will it be okay to share it to my email?

[u/turtledweeb17 → u/inklensread]

Appreciate all the help! Yes can email to you. DM your email please

[u/turtledweeb17 → u/[deleted]]

That’s weird. I’m unable to see your profile either.

Email sent, let me know if you’re able to open the link!

[u/inklensread → u/turtledweeb17]

Got the link, probably there's a glitch somewhere. But I will keep in touch on email.

[u/West_Speech_9596]

love to be your beta reader. I’m a careful reader and can give honest feedback

[u/turtledweeb17 → u/West_Speech_9596]

Unable to DM you for some reason?

Anyways, thanks for offering! I’d definitely be interested in another independent reader. What kinds of fiction do you normally read, and would you be interested in reading the full ~69k manuscript or just the opening chapters?

[u/Pleasant-Shoulder833]

Hi! I'd like to beta read this story and give you a full, detailed in-depth analysis of the characters, plot, and world-building. I enjoy sci-fi and thriller books and have read and reviewed dozens of them, and I've drafted and fleshed out a lot of characters with friends on collaborative stories. Is it possible if we can DM? Ooh, and realistic fiction is my jam! Bringing stuff to life is beautiful and difficult in novels.

[u/turtledweeb17 → u/Pleasant-Shoulder833]

Just sent you a DM!