Call Out For Beta-Readers and Critique Swap.

The last few weeks have been excruciating for us all, however in the midst of this crisis, there has been a surge in positive creative energy and optimism in our community. So many of you are getting in touch with your creative selves – exploring new skills and outlets, sharing stories and expressing yourself in new ways. I pray that you and your families and loved ones have taken every precaution to stay healthy and safe.

Self-isolation has forced me to finish the third draft of my novel, ‘To Wield The Stars’ and I am now at the stage for beta readers.

I’m looking for a beta reader and/or a critique partner. I am willing to exchange my writing with someone else (any genre, no restrictions) and give you proper feedback on your manuscript.

TO WIELD THE STARS is a 95K word epic fantasy adventure novel with three main POVs. It’s told in the close third-person past tense and in an episodic format. My novel is part of a shared universe with multiple author’s overlapping series.

Continue reading below if you’re interested to take part in the beta reader process.

This is the first round of beta readers for this manuscript, I want to interact with the beta reader as if they’re actually a reader of my novel. I’m looking for your impressions and reactions. I’m mostly concerned about the characters, the elements of my story, the pacing, and the believability of my main character’s motivations? Here is a link with 15 questions I would like answered after or during the read of the manuscript, then emailed back to me via email.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MZsp_Y3fj7bgqI3l1_51Z1e2KE1sdSWOwaItybgQN2M/edit?usp=sharing

For the preferred timeline, I will touch base within 2 to 3 weeks, to see how you’re traveling with the manuscript. Ideally, I would like you to be finished in 6 weeks but if not, you can answer the beta reader questions to the best of your ability as an opt-out if you don’t finish it (I can understand life can be unpredictable).

Below is the back of the book blurb.

Comment below or contact me here and I will email you my manuscript. Let me know if you’re interested.

Thank you.

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“Forged from the abyss by the elder gods, the history of Soria spans over 10,000 years. The people of the world have seen bloody wars, the rise, and fall of divine empires, and pitched struggles between dragons and unicorns—the very children of the gods who created men.”

Two sisters, Kyra and Soluna are forced to flee from the overpowering dragonlords of Elitor to a rumored land across the southern ocean. After separating from her sister and forced into a world of the unknown, Kyra must build friendships with unicorns and unlikely warriors, to seek the unforged star metal and destroy it before the dragonlords can use it to resurrect their god, Kalibax–and save her sister. Soluna ventures across the harsh and icy land for survivors. Faced with doubt and survival, Soluna rescues an elderly woman from a ship wreckage in the north just as one of the dragonlords threatens to destroy them and vanquish the uprising rebellion against the dragonlords.

Florian, the son of commander, is thrust into a world of chaos and sorrow when his father is killed on his name day. Florian must decide to accept the responsibilities his father bestowed upon him and lead the forces against the dragonlords or watch the world, his father tried to provide sanctuary for him, burn to ashes.

‘To Wield the Stars’ is an epic fantasy novel that follows the two sisters and commander’s son through their challenges and uncertainty, whilst dealing with the suppression of dragonlords, the struggle of sisterhood and a coming of age story––within an enthralling and perilous world.

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#DouglasWTSmith #betareaders