CPC: Adult Writers


Name: A.B. Fenner
Genre: Fantasy with a historical twist
Current Project: Completed MS "Miss Floret and the Luministe: A Cautionary Tale" -- First paragraph from my query: "In her twenty-four years, Miss Lyanne Floret has never spoken out of turn, been late to tea, or missed a dance step at a ball. The foundation of her
meticulous propriety cracks when her sister is murdered and her brother’s soul is stolen. Naturally she’ll return home uphold the respectability of the Floret name and marry her betrothed – a baronet, no less! – but first she must follow the clues in her dead sister’s
journal to find and restore her brother’s soul."
Crit Needed: A partial read/query crit/full read/anything you're up for, dear potential future crit partner o' mine!
Looking For: Brutal honesty and attention to detail. Also, a VERY FIRM grasp of writing, language, and grammar. I'm a stickler for grammar and very precise about prose, plotting, and the like. I'd like the same in a crit partner.
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Name: Bethany Mason
Genre: Women's lit (including 'chick lit' but also other writing for women)
Current Project: Short story (12000) about a woman who is looking for Mr. Right but gets telepathy on a date.  Of course she knows no one is right for her now as she can hear all their thoughts, until she meets the guy who she can't hear.
Crit Needed: All of the above though looking for a lifelong love in particular.
Looking for: Someone who will inspire and motivate me to keep writing, will give me a kick up the butt when I don't deliver and who is brutally honest about what works and what doesn't (as long as it's constructive, ie, there's a good reason, I don't care how harsh it sounds).
             twitter: @anyawillowfan
             blog: http://emptythoughtsrewritten.blogspot.com
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Name: Charity
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy mix
Current Project: Trying to polish SENDEK, the first in a series of four books. It is stand alone. Talia Shannon hides her magical gifts out of fear of becoming the national science project. She gleans energy from Sendek's binary suns, and is clairvoyant. When her prophetic nightmares point to an approaching invasion, she searches for the scientific proof needed to warn her planet. She must learn to trust the handsome Commander Sutton and the magic coursing through her veins if she wants to survive. When science fails to protect her way of life, magic becomes the only hope.
Crit Needed: A full read.
Looking For: A partner who can take me to the next level. I'm well past the crying over criticism stage, so bring it on. My goal to be published and I know that means someone has to be brutally honest. Specifically, I need help on pacing--where is it too slow, and where is it rushed. Help me turn this great story into a well crafted story so others can fall in love with it as much as I have.

Contact: charity.bradford@gmail.com, Twitter--@charitybradford, Facebook--Charity Broeringmeyer Bradford, Blog--http://charitywrites.blogspot.com
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Name: Charlotte
Genre: Women's Fiction
Current Project: Light women's fiction about a publicist who follows strict rules in life after a scarred childhood, who must learn to trust others in order to get the life and love she deserves (it's a lot more funny and romantic than that sounds, I promise).
Crit Needed: I'm not ready for a crit yet because I've just finished the first draft, but in a month or so I'll be looking for beta readers of the full MS. It would be nice to have an ongoing relationship with a crit partner.
Looking For: I don't need someone to do line edits - I'm more after whether you want to keep reading, what annoys you, what bores you, etc.
Contact: You can contact me through my blog, charlottesannazzaro.blogspot.com or my Twitter @charsannazzaro
***
Name: Christine Miller
Genre: Personal Growth, Relationships, Practical Spirituality
Current Project: A collection of essays relating to the above topics, many of which are written from the perspective of my personal experiences.
Crit Needed: Read of various essays I've done for a full critique - whatever issues are noted, I want to hear them.
Looking For: An objective but balanced critique of my work... I'd like someone whose criticisms are genuine, not made just for the sake of being critical and "successfully" finding errors. Do you get me? Positive as well as negative comments would be fantastic for me... (I'm a big believer in encouragement :-))
***
Name: Christine Tyler
Genre: Fantasy
Current Project: SONTIA NARA. Marielle, second wife of thirteen to the ruling monarch, is on the run. First looking only to escape, she soon joins up with a band of renegades working to overthrow her husband. Science-minded magic, an island of foreign amnesiacs, and many ill-intentions. There will be taffy.
Crit Needed: Exchanges of segments/chapters about once a week for some whole-scale editing of a WIP. If your MS is completed, I'd be happy to line-edit one chapter a week. I love emailing back and forth to discuss stories or share insights. 
Looking For: The whole shibang. Grammar, sentence structure, character development and plot review. I don't do single paragraph crits at the end of the segment; I open your file and use colored text to insert comments as I read. This keeps things very specific and useful, and I prefer this method both ways. I'm also looking for friends :)
Contact: 
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Name: Courtney
Genre: Romance (Paranormal/Fantasy) 
Current Project: We don't have a title at the moment! Sad, I know. Maybe you can help with that, too. I am co-authoring a series of novellas (three, to be specific) centering around the romance between two characters. It takes place in an original fantasy world with a spiritual base but little to no magic. It involves politics and werewolves, so read at your own peril! Note that there are some steamy bits in here. It's tasteful erotica, and only one part of it could be truly considered erotica, but there's adult content nonetheless so if you're uncomfortable with that, I'm probably not the crit partner for you. 
Crit Needed: Full read of a 30-50k word novella
Looking For: We want to e-publish this book on the Kindle platform. As our first release, it needs to be spot-on quality work. I want someone who will rip it to shreds. Point out what's wrong but most importantly how it could be better. This isn't my baby. It's a story I want to tell but it's also one I want to share with readers, and before I share it, it needs to be as good as I can get it. I promise the same in exchange. 
Contact: Email: keenefreelance@gmail.com 
***
Name: CT
Genre: Romantic Comedy (Adult and YA)
Current Project: Millie makes a New Year's resolution to do one new thing each month. Hijinks and romance follow. 
Crit Needed: I need someone to do partial reads for me. I don't write in chronological order, so a full read is a little bit down the line for me. I basically need someone to read scenes for me and tell me what's crap. 
Looking For: I desperately need someone to be my schoolmarmy cheerleader. I'm a professional editor and I also freelance write, so sometimes I'm just so exhausted by the written word that I can't bear to deal with my own. I need someone to make me accountable. Sort of like a personal trainer for my writing. Also, like I said, I'm an editor, so I get it. You don't need to baby me. I'm tough! I promise! I'm also, like, the best e-mail writer ever, so I can promise lots of procrastination hilarity. :-)
Contact: You can e-mail me at ct.hark@gmail.com
***
Name: Dara
Genre: Historical fiction/historical fantasy

Current Project: Tentative title  Beyond the Dark Divide
Set in a fictional world based off aspects of Indian and Celtic cult
The daughter of a tyrannical and paranoid king, Princess Asha is locked away from the world with no one but her beloved nursemaid for company. All she desires is a chance at freedom, away from the oppressive atmosphere of the royal city. But her only escape from her prison comes in slumber, where she meets and befriends a prince from a distant land--one that is an ancient enemy of her kingdom. Should she trust him...and is he a part of bigger purpose for her or could it all be in her imagination? Loosely based off the Indian legend of Prince Aniruddha and Princess Usha
Crit Needed: Working on first draft now so probably a chapter by chapter crit during the first draft to make sure I'm going in the right direction. And if all works out, a lifelong crit partner :)
Looking For: Someone who can give me advice on worldbuilding issues and someone who is brutally honest. More focus on plot development although I don't mind grammar issues being addressed either.
Contact: Email: dara.sorensen@gmail.com; Blog: Tales from the Writing Front (http://inthewritemind.wordpress.com); Twitter: DMarie84
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Name: Dawn Alexander
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Mystery
Current Project: I have two completed manuscripts in different levels of revision. One is a serial killer style suspense. The other is a kidnapping mystery
Crit Needed: I am looking for a grammar tyrant and card-carrying member of the punctuation police.  I need line edits from someone who knows where a comma should go! ( because I don't half of the time!) I also need overall feedback on the character arc and authenticity of dialogue ( I have been told my dialogue can be "stilted".) 
Looking For: I am pretty thick skinned. I am at the point where I need honest (but not cruel) advice to improve my writing for submission. My manuscripts are generally more mystery/suspense than romance. There is some violence that occurs "on stage". A few mild, non-graphic, sex scenes. 
What I can offer:  I am willing to read anything except horror ( for a mystery writer, I am a big scaredy-cat) . I deal with teenagers all day, so I kind of live YA although I don't write it. I like reading romance     (and I don't mind reading more detailed sex scenes, I just don't write them well). I like fantasy/paranormal, though I will admit my experience with those is limited. I am a christian, so I am also comfortable reading inspirational.  I am not big into Sci-Fi, so while I might enjoy the story, my opinion would probably not be very useful. 
              Twitter: @Dawn_Alexander
              www.chasingsomeday.blogspot.com
Name: Diana Symons
Genre: Christian Fantasy (think Chronicles of Narnia)
Current Project: The Temple. It's the story of a young man who stumbles into a truth that was long forgotten: the massive temple dominating their city isn't cursed after all, it contains the presence of God. Now how to tell everyone without dying first.
Crit Needed: A partial read/query crit/full read/lifelong love/chocolate cake/cheerleading/all of the above. Yes.
Looking For: A partner who can take me to the next level. I'm not looking to be babied. I want a tough crit that will challenge this manuscript and make it better. I don't mind readers who are brutally honest. Actually, I'd love to have someone who is super nit-picky. If possible, I'd like to have someone who is willing to do everything from line editing to plot development. Yes.
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Name:  E.Arroyo
Genre: Fantasy
Current Project: Shadow. A traditional adult fantasy about a dragon,
and elf and a war.  The girl likes to get into trouble and finds that
she maybe able to stop this war, if she only stops trying to escape
from it.  There are fight scenes and romance (yes...the gushy kind).
I've lost the focus and would like to find it again.
Crit Needed: A full read, if they are drawn to the story. Line edits
would be nice, but someone who loves to read traditional
fantasy--think R.A. Salvatore, Weis and Hickman, stories with dragons,
castles, and swords.
Looking For: I would like to find someone who can stomach the first
three chapters and see light at the end of the tunnel and then proceed
with it (and me) to the next level. I'd like to find someone I can
call or email when I feel like...not so good; and when I feel great.
Someone to cheer me on, but set me straight too.
***
Name: Elizabeth Poole
Genre: Science Fiction and Fantasy
Current Project: The Heart's Remains
Steampunk Fantasy, with lots of allusions to Snow White.
On the tundra of Keirsijaa, Sera is a heartbroken exorcist whose mother tasks her with stopping a cult before dying. As Sera struggles to keep the cult from summoning a demon, she falls in love with one of the summoners and she discovers her mother's secret second life.
Crit Needed: Full Read/cheerleader/a life long writing partner hopefully. ;)
Looking for: A partner who can take me to the next level. I have been learning about the publishing biz for years and written three full length novels, and started half a dozen. I am stuck in the 7th Circle of Intermediate. I am not a newbie, but I haven't snagged an agent yet. ;) I need constructive feedback on everything from line editing to plot development.
Contact:
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Name: Iliadfan
Genre: Fantasy
Current project: Best Foe (I change the name about once a week). Dahab and Inori agree on only two things: 1) They disagree on everything, except that 2) Faria keeps the peace between them, just like she does with everyone she knows. So when Faria suddenly allies with an invader sweeping across the continent, Dahab and Inori must overcome their mutual suspicion and find a way to save their friend (assuming she wants saving) and themselves, before it's too late.
Crit Needed: Partial/full read, eventual query critiques
Looking for: someone who's good at pacing and scene arcs. Anything else is great too, but someone with an eye for pacing would be excellent.
***
Name: Jackie
Genre: Mainstream/literary
Current Project: A collection of short stories that take place in a retirement home
Crit Needed: A partial read/cheerleading
Looking For: Someone who can give honest feedback both for what is working and what's not working. I'd love to find someone detailed and thorough in their comments. It would be great to find someone who is comfortable with line editing and developmental editing.
***
Name: Jadi
Genre:  Fantasy
Current Project: Black Sight.  A man with fairy sight is blackmailed into helping a relative.  Sure, it's noble what she wants--seemingly, but he has more important things to do.  During this, he's trying to keep his kid brother safe and arranging his own retributions.  Queen or not, nobody forces his hand.
Crit Needed: A full read/maybe a query crit
Looking For: A partner who can point out plot errors, weak characterization, and other things that I've missed.  Brutality is acceptable as I want my story to be the best it can be.
***
Name: Jenna
Genre: Literary Fiction (with a slight sci/fi twist -- think Time Traveler's Wife and Never Let Me Go)
Current Project: If/Then -- A young woman discovers she is the subject of a 25-year experiment on nature vs. nurture. (I'll provide more info upon contact but prefer to leave it a bit vague at this point.)
Crit Needed: Beta/CP for new WIP. My goal is to have a beta-ready draft by end of May. I don't usually work on an in-progress chapter basis, but could do if preferred. I also write serial short fiction for Woman's Weekly, a UK woman's magazine. It would be great if someone was willing to take a quick read of new stories/ideas (but not as important as the WIP).
Looking For: A partner who can take me to the next level. I'm not looking to be babied. I want a tough crit that will challenge this manuscript and make it better. I don't mind readers who are brutally honest. Actually, I'd love to have someone who is super nit-picky. If possible, I'd like to have someone who is willing to do everything from line editing to plot development. (Couldn't have said it better myself, so I didn't.)
Contact: dreamstate (at) att (dot) net Some samples of my work are available on my blogwww.inthedreamstate.blogspot.com and on my website www.jennawallace.net
***
Name: Jennie
Genre: Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit

Current Project: Robin’s a Little Hood, about a woman who works as a Rape Crisis Counselor and sees the unfairness in the justice system. After a particularly devastating court case, she meets a mysterious woman who gives her the gift of “thought planting.” No mind control, no manipulation of others, but she’s able to give people “lightbulb” moments and begins a vigilante quest to get justice for her best friend’s little sister.

Crit Needed: A partial read of Robin’s a Little Hood & query critique for my first novel, Random Acts du Merde (a novel about a 20-something who’s life falls apart and ends up travelling around the south of France).

Looking For: A partner who doesn’t know me (ha, ha). I’m looking for someone who can critique my work without worrying about hurting my feelings. I have a think skin and need feedback that’s solely about my writing. I’ve found people to line-edit for me so I’d love to find someone who could give me honest feedback about plot development and characters.

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Name: Katherine
Genre: Regency Romances with a sort of Gothic Twist
Current Project: A young man disappears to Europe for two years, leaving his lover broken-hearted. When he returns wanting her back, someone or something starts trying to kill him. While he fights to stay alive, she is trying to find out the secrets that made him leave her.
Crit needed: Currently a WIP, WLTM someone who's also on their first draft to share highs and lows with. Once first drafts are complete would be very available to swap MSs for crits.
Looking for: A writing buddy! Someone to bounce ideas off who knows the genre but is detached from my manuscript. Would be great if they were working on something at the same time to share the happiness and pain! Someone who understands regency romances and knows what they like. Mutual support for the writing, and an honest crit later on.
Contact: available on @misshwrites on Twitter or www.misshwrites.co.uk
***
Name: Katie
Genre: Travel/Memoir
Current Project: The In-Between Year (working title), about the year I spent wandering around Oxford, England, drinking tea and snapping photos and earning a master's degree. I was in between school and a career, between dating and marriage, between cultures and groups of friends, and I want to tell that story.
Crit Needed: Feedback on initial ideas/structure, and eventually, a partial read.
Looking For: A partner willing to give feedback on my ideas, and read parts of my WIP. I'm looking for someone who's honest and fair, but supportive.
Contact: katieleigh83(at)gmail(dot)com
***
NAME: Kerrianne Coombes
GENRE: Paranormal. Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Sci Fi, ALL Romance.
CURRENT PROJECT; I am working on two WIP’s at the moment and querying another. The one that is nearly complete is about a girl who was taken off the streets by a very powerful man and made to work in his back street fight club. She soon realizes that her ‘boss’ is up to more than running an illegal club when a handsome stranger comes sniffing around. He ignites more than just her curiosity with his handsome eyes and probing questions.
The other one I am working on is an apocalyptic zombie book that is set in the future. Two girls forced to leave their village because of the ‘diseased ones’ in search of safety They are joined by a mercenary who promises to show them the way.  But is he what he seems?
CRIT NEEDED; Ideally I would like someone who would give their full opinion and then some. Full critiques would be welcomed as well as a sounding board.
LOOKING FOR; A partner who will tell it as it is- tactfully- I would like someone who will read my work and evaluate it both professionally and as a reader. I would like someone who will work with track changes as I like how easy it is to see the edits/ ideas. I don’t mind honesty, in fact, it would be refreshing.  Someone who writes ADULT scenes too. There are some scenes that need critiquing and somebody who is adverse to sex scenes might be put off ;-) So a prude would not do.
CONTACT; Kerrianne@thebookblogger.co.uk  (twitter) @kerrianne_xx  (or visit my blog)  www.thebookblogger.co.uk
***
Name: Kris
Genre: Historical/Literary 
Current Project: THE LILY MAID is about a young woman who becomes a model to a charismatic artist and his wife and, in the process, uncovers a mysterious tragedy. It’s set during the Aesthetics art movement in 1880s London. Think absinthe swilling, peacock feathers, and swooning muses dressed in Liberty of London gowns.
Crit Needed: I'm looking for an ongoing crit partner relationship. (Is that too much to admit to on a first date?) But for now, looking to exchange a few chapters to see if our styles mesh. I have a completed 110K word first draft, and am in the midst of extensive structural revisions. 
Looking For: A partner with experience writing historicals to help me take it to the next level. I especially need help with characterization, I think. I have a literary agent, who is fantastic, but it would be great to have a connection with another writer working in this genre. I have extensive publishing experience, but mainly with nonfiction.
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Name: Kristen
Genre: Adventure fiction in the adult category. Fantasy/Paranormal YA
Current Project: Adult Adventure Fiction. Clean (no sex or language).  Imagine... Mary Stewart meets Romancing the Stone. 
Crit Needed: Partial read, idea bouncer, cheerleader. (I wouldn't say no to cheesecake)
Looking For: A partner who can be encouraging and fun, and who isn't afraid to give an honest critique if she/he thinks something stinks. Someone available to bounce ideas off of and help me get the story to it's best point for future submission. I am willing and able with my own schedule to read/critique 5-10 pages a week. 
Contact: vandyke(dot)kristen(at)gmail(dot)com
***
Name: Kristi
Genre: Women's Fiction
Current Project: Getting ready to query a women's fiction work about a
woman whose on-again-off-again boyfriend of seven years has just been
diagnosed with cancer. He passes several months later and she struggles to
understand their relationship with many questions left unanswered.
Childhood best friend and crush moves back to town and begins to fall for
her, but she's so damaged she doesn't know if she can move on with him.
Crit Needed: Need a full read, query critique, synopsis critique.
Looking For: A partner who can be honest. I'd rather hear it from a crit
partner than an agent rejecting me.
***
Name: Lauren
Genre: Lit-Myst
Current Project: Seven Springs, a novel centered around a series of violent murders in a suburban South Florida town. My pitch: When her neighborhood is rocked by a series of violent murders, failed artist and cancer survivor Amy Unger takes to the canvas to re-imagine the murder scenes, an act that casts eyes of suspicion her way and brings the murderer to her doorstep.
Crit Needed: Partial to full read. Someone to tell me "Yes, this is working," and "No, this isn't working."
Looking For: I'd love to connect with people who are writing the same kinds of things that I'm writing, so that I can help them and they can help me, etc.
About me: I have an MFA from Florida International University. I've published a bit of poetry in a few mags and have won a few (very local) awards for my fiction.
Contact: ldoyleowens@gmail.com, twitter.com/ldoyleowens, laurendoyleowens.tumblr.com
Also: I'm kind of nervous about this. I never really want to share my stuff until it's 100% finished, or, at least, 100% drafted, because I don't want the critique to affect the writing process. But! Whateva.
***
Name: Lena
Genre: Very character-driven fantasy, sometimes YA and sometimes not
Current Project: An adult fantasy novel (95k, 2nd draft completed) about Jonnis, a young man who was injured by his uncle Will and has been in a wheelchair since. When Will returns after a nine-year-absence, Jonnis wants nothing more than to find out why Will hurt him. Which is the one thing Will refuses to tell. The book also contains an awkward love story, spirits and shamanism, and some dry humor. Oh, and multiple 1st person POV.
Crit Needed: A full read. But lifelong love, cheerleading and chocolate cake are always welcome too.
Looking For: I'm looking for a tough and brutal crit partner who can help me make my book as good as it can possibly be. Someone who is willing to tell me honestly what works and what doesn't. And who wants the same in return.
I don't care whether you write fantasy or not, but I am not interested in reading scary/gory stuff or very religious books. Something character-driven would be best.
Contact: nirliq(AT)gmx(DOT)de (I will be away from home the week this goes up, so I might take a few days to respond.)
***
Name: Lora
Genre: Romance/chick lit
Current Project: nearly-complete rough draft of contemporary romantic comedy novel
Need: A crit partner who will do a full read-through (after I've cleaned up the spelling and grammar, I SWEAR) looking for plot holes, annoying word repetitions, crap that needs to be cut. I promise to be incredibly grateful and try not to cry.
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Name: Marie
Genre: SF/F
Current Project: A woman searching for her brother in a steampunk-ish, dystopian future city.  She seeks out the help of her old juvie friends. Lots of train action and robots.
Crit Needed: Brainstorming, with a possible full read down the road.
Looking For: A brainstorming partner and eventual manuscript reader. I'm starting revision with the big things (like plotting), and slowly moving to small things (like dialogue).  Looking for someone to jam with over e-mail. I want to throw ideas back and forth about story structure, character traits--that sort of thing.  Eventually, I'd love to have someone read the full manuscript and make comments, but that wouldn't be for several months at least.
Contact: siege222(at)hotmail(D0T)com
***
Name: Megan
Genre: Adult Literary with young (physically and/or mentally) narrators.  Or maybe YA. Sometimes I can't tell which it will end up being.
Current Project: A little boy wants to grow up to be a superhero who lives on the moon while his dead grandfather watches down on him as a star.  The boy is trying to figure out what happened to his father who was killed in a boating accident, but no body was ever found.  
Crit Needed: Everything!  I want tough love.  Like, "this is really great except all the parts that are wrong."  I'm currently in a low-res MFA program, but would like a little more regularity and the encouragement to write more often than just when I have something due. 

Looking For:  Someone to notice how often I use the word "just" and when I make my characters run too much. Why are they always running?  Nobody runs that much.  But, you know, they'd also be nice and like to watch Gossip Girl and eat chocolate and talk about movies.  
morsini.blogspot.com (It's a little under the weather currently, but it exists)
morsini - Twitter
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Name: Reina
Genre: Romance (Regency and Contemporary, single title length--over 80,000 words)
Current project: editing a contemporary, Dirrty (not erotic, just a regular romance), and working on the first draft of my second Regency.
Crit needed: full reads/cheerleading
Looking for: what you said: brutal honesty, nit-picking, take me to the next level...but in a supportive way, like she has my back. And I will provide the same. :) I'm a pantster, so sometimes my plots falter and often I need to bulk up setting details and fiddle with dialogue. My strengths which I tend to focus on in critiquing other's work are: noticing passive voice and such, character motivation, and showing emotion. But I'm happy for my crit partner(s) to give me direction about what they need. 
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Name: Rena
Genre: Fantasy/Science Fiction
Current Project: The Damsel, a super hero short story told from the point of view of the love interest who gets caught between the mad scientist and the muscle rippling hero.
Looking for: a crit partner to keep me inline. My writing vices include: too much dialogue, little or no description, and an unhealthy reliance on the verbs to be, to have, and to grab (no really), and some passive voice issues. I don't need someone to use kid gloves, I've graduated to evil nitpicky crit partners (I have a PhD adviser, I'm not fragile anymore).
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Name: Roberta
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance-ish 
Current Project: RESET.  A young woman must discover a secret past.  She's immortal, but doesn't know it.  Her boyfriend is a vampire but she doesn't know it.  NOTE: THIS BOOK IS NOT A VAMPIRE ROMANCE.  There's a lot more going on. 
Crit Needed: A chapter by chaper crit of my 5th or 6th rewrite (lost count).
Looking For: A real crit.  Someone experienced enough for more than line by line edit (that is helpful of course and NEEDED to find all the repetitive words, sentences that sense make don't, but also to point out places where questions go unanswered, plot confusion, what they feel when reading (to see if what's in my head actually made it top the page) and holes.   I don't want to be babied.
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Name: Ru
Genre: Good question.  First project was probably “chick lit,” as much as I dislike that phrase.  My current project young adult mystery.
Current Project: Teenage girl and her friends discover a conspiracy at their high school.  (It’s kind of going in circles right now, the main character is getting less interesting than her friends, the plot is dragging, etc.)
Crit Needed: Full read for former project, query critique, cheerleading, whatever.
Looking for: I want someone tough and honest, but not someone who criticizes just for the sake of criticizing, and someone who won’t take it personally if I disagree with a suggestion, but will keep making suggestions.  (I promise, I usually take more suggestions than I ignore.) 
Contact: http://andthenshewaslikeblahblahblah.blogspot.com/ or theadventuresoflawyergirl@gmail.com (I know that’s a weird contact, but I don’t want to throw my email address out into internet land.)
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Name: Seabrooke
Genre: Nature non-fiction
Current project: A literary non-fiction that combines memoir with informative content, following the experiences of a person passionate about moths (a "moth-er", just as bird enthusiasts are "birders"). Working title: Moth Addict.
Crit needed: Partial read of the chapter(s) for the proposal; if project ends up selling, then down the road also a full read once the manuscript's done. Support/cheerleading along the way.
Looking for: Someone who reads a lot of non-fiction (esp. nature) to offer their opinion/advice on the content with regards to both informativeness and enjoyability. Also to pick out bad habits that I'm blind to.
Can offer: The same.
Contact: canadianowlet -at- gmail.com
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Name: Sierra
Genre: Thriller/suspense of the paranormal or science persuasion
Current Project: Driven young scientist makes a technological breakthrough that allows her to communicate with the dead.
Crit Needed: Full manuscript
Looking For: I'm really looking someone (or a couple of someones) who can identify potential problems in the story, will be honest about what is working and what isn't and is comfortable with edits on the small and big picture scale.
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Name: Stacy
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Current Project: Memories. A 259-year-old vampire with amnesia is implicated in the turning of a woman who resembles his late wife.
Crit Needed: Chapter by chapter is fine (since the book isn't done, yet). It would make it easier on me if the person I was critiquing wanted the same thing. We could swap!
Looking For: Someone who can give an honest opinion. Can spot the telling vs. showing thing (or if I show too much!). Can tell if the plot is getting out of hand (or forgotten?).
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Name: Taylor
Genre: Romance- Contemporary and Historical
Current Project: I have two. The main one is an historical novel, the first in a trilogy, about a man who just came back from the Napoleonic wars to take over the family estate, but he has no idea how to act in society. So, he asks a young lady he meets and "connects" with to help him, with the ulterior motive of getting to know her better. But they both have a lot of issues to work through (he's been the cause of so much death as a soldier, she wants to be a writer and not be dependent on anyone). 
The second is a novella about two people who meet in London right before both have to leave to go home. They keep up a long distance relationship through social media networks (facebook, twitter, skype, and e-mail), proving that love can grow even in an age of technology.
Crit Needed: A partial read/query crit/full read/lifelong love/chocolate cake/cheerleading/all of the above.
Looking For:  I'm not looking for someone who will just be positive. I want a tough crit that will challenge this manuscript and push me to get it to be the best it can be. I don't mind readers who are blunt.  I'd love to have someone who is super nit-picky, as long as it's constructive criticism and not nit-picking for the sake of nitpicking. If possible, I'd like to have someone who is willing to do everything from line editing to plot development. I need someone who is willing to brainstorm back and forth without taking over.
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Name: Teralyn Pilgrim
Genre: Historical Fiction
Current Project: Sacred Fire is about a priestess in ancient Rome. The Vestal Virgins were powerful religious women with unprecedented privledgese, but they also had many restrictions and there were strict punishments for not fullfilling their duties.
Crit Needed: A full read.
Looking For: I've had people read through this for plot improvements, so hopefully everything is good in that department (though I could certainly use another look). Mostly I'm looking for someone to help polish what I already have. I'd like line-by-line editing, and I'd like you to point out consistent flaws in my writing. The more nit-picky, the better. I'd like to start working with you sometime in March.
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Name: Tj
Genre: Fantasy
Current Project: The Desert War
Crit Needed: A full read (or however much you can take) would be great.
Looking For: Honest feedback on pacing, storytelling, and pretty much
anything else. As far as I'm concerned nothing is off limits.
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Name: Zachary
Genre: Experimental/Literary/Science Fiction
Current Project: Zoë - A Perfect Life in an Imperfect World.  This is a story about a girl born with the ability to live forever and how the world treats her.  It is told with a narrator that speaks to the inner child of the reader and offers life lessons along the way...
Crit Needed: A full read/lifelong love/chocolate cake/cheerleading/all of the above.  (Haha...I agreed with all of those)
Looking For: A partner who can take me to the next level. I'm not looking to be babied. I want a tough crit that will challenge this manuscript and make it better. I don't mind readers who are brutally honest. Actually, I'd love to have someone who is super nit-picky. If possible, I'd like to have someone who is willing to do everything from line editing to plot development. (Once again, no need to state anymore than this)
Contact: author@ahiddenmind.com or authorofthemind on Twitter
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Name: Zinnia 
Genre: YA
Current Project: YA, teen angst, coming of age. I think.  I'm so lost, that's how much help I need! I don't know much more than that.
Crit Needed: A crit/full read, lifelong friend, cheerleader and helpful encourager for when I want to just chuck it all out the window along with myself.
Looking For: A partner who can gently push me to the next level and help me understand where the heck I am in this whole process. I'm not looking to be babied at all but I am a little fragile as I'm new to this. I want a tough crit that will challenge me, push me to make it better and encourage me to not give in. I don't mind readers who are brutally honest for the sake of the writing craft. If possible, I'd like to have someone who is willing to guide this total writing virgin through the writing process and give constructive critiques concerning line editing, plot development and anything else they can share.
Contact: zbayardo@gmail.com / @zbayardo

2 comments:

  1. Lora,

    I would be interested in talking to you more. You can email me at kristi@itsaswingandamiss.com if you're interested.

    Thanks,
    Kristi

    ReplyDelete

  2. Lora - you can also contact me if you like. I'm the same Charlotte from the classified above.

    ReplyDelete

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