McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

Beta Reader Services

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Spot:
I am afraid other than saying "your friend is on the right path with asking for a critical look at his stuff before approaching agents/publishers" I have no other concrete leads.

(I'd also like to see what other forumites suggest here, because one of my family members wants to publish their book, but it is hard because:


* the book is unedited, full of grammatical and other issues.
* the "author"  does not take criticism well. Anything that I suggested was "it's just your view, what do you know?"
* the subject matter and the treatment is cr@p. On my first read-through, I wanted to throw it out the window. Maybe if I see some good suggestions I can show this thread to them and they can take the right decision, for once. :) )

Snowleopard:

--- Quote from: Spot on January 05, 2013, 12:00:06 AM ---I am afraid other than saying "your friend is on the right path with asking for a critical look at his stuff before approaching agents/publishers" I have no other concrete leads.

(I'd also like to see what other forumites suggest here, because one of my family members wants to publish their book, but it is hard because:


* the book is unedited, full of grammatical and other issues.
* the "author"  does not take criticism well. Anything that I suggested was "it's just your view, what do you know?"
* the subject matter and the treatment is cr@p. On my first read-through, I wanted to throw it out the window. Maybe if I see some good suggestions I can show this thread to them and they can take the right decision, for once. :) )

--- End quote ---

You have my sympathies on this Spot.  Dealing with a family member is always tricky.
Frankly I'd hand it back to him or her and say - if you won't listen to my criticisms then go find
yourself a good paid for beta.  (The more brutally honest the better.)
Odds are though that this person WILL NOT listen to criticism from anyone - family member or professional.  I've met that type.
Plead being too busy with work and give it back to them.  You DO NOT need the heartache.
A family member will expect you to LOVE their work and to make it all neat and pretty for them
without paying you, and taking up your valuable free time, and blame you when their crap doesn't
sell or gets shredded by some reader.

I've got an idea - tell them about self-publishing - and still use the work defense to get out of doing
anything with the manuscript.
(Maybe you could accidentally, on purpose, let it fall into Mocha's litter box?) ::) ::)

gatordave96:
What about recommending taking one of those non-credit fiction writing courses at a local community college?  You could even pay the tuition as a birthday/holiday gift.  Gets you off the hook and puts the family friend in a structured environment that can get him some constructive help.

Blaze:
http://www.freelancer.com/  Has been recommended as a good place to get editing at a good price.  Although I have not used it personally, I do believe that OnlyElise has done work there.  Perhaps she has insights?

 

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
In an ideal world, the best possible option is to find a writer who is enough better than you to be able to show you how to usefully improve, but not so very much better than you that you can't make head or tail of their insights because you're not that good yet, who is willing to look at your stuff and give feedback. 

If you're fortunate enough to find one of those, marry them.

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