# Feeling a bit discouraged



## stardust_and_plastic (Jun 16, 2019)

So I've written my second book, I'm working on editing it so I can find an agent and go through the general process. I would love feedback, I would love it from people I trust first but... No one will read my book. the person I usually use to edit only got two chapters in because of their job, and no one else gave me a reason so I'm guessing either I don't actually have ready friends or I have the dullest book of all time and should move to a different story.  Have you ever had a story that you wanted people to rip apart but no one would even look at it?


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## LadySajani (Jun 16, 2019)

I'll let you in on a little secret... None of family outside of where I live has read my books. Or if they have, they've never said anything about it. Most friends don't say much either. I think it has more to do with being uncomfortable talking about it with the person that actually wrote it. No matter what a person that's close to you has to say about it your work, it will either come across as simply placating, or brutally honest.

You're in luck though, there's a subforum here that's specifically for getting comments on your work. I suggest posting there.


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## stardust_and_plastic (Jun 18, 2019)

Connor J. Coyote said:


> Here's an idea.... (if you've got some extra cash laying around) and can afford it..... *hire* a few people to do the critiquing for you...... → (just say something like): "_I'm paying two people twenty bucks to read my stuff, and then give me some feedback afterwards_"..... (as an example). If you're in real dire straits for reviews, this strategy might work....
> Yes... that too.


Lol I'm probably going to have to, it's unfortunate as I get $1,ooo a month and most of it goes towards medical fees. My tagline of "One sick kitty" is litteral XD While I've been shopping for agents I've also been shopping for editors (they're conveniently on the same webpage!) but before I spend money it would be cool to know if it's worth the money. lol


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## Kate Marquet (Jun 18, 2019)

It can definitely be tricky to find someone who is willing to read something like a 90K word novel and that's coming from some experience writing a few. One resource I did find that can help find you possible readers is https://betareader.io/ It's not exactly for posting your whole story (usually just the first couple chapters) but you can find people that may want to trade editing for editing like I have. Then you're reading someone else's work while they do yours, assuming you don't mind editing yourself.


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## stardust_and_plastic (Jun 18, 2019)

Kate Marquet said:


> It can definitely be tricky to find someone who is willing to read something like a 90K word novel and that's coming from some experience writing a few. One resource I did find that can help find you possible readers is https://betareader.io/ It's not exactly for posting your whole story (usually just the first couple chapters) but you can find people that may want to trade editing for editing like I have. Then you're reading someone else's work while they do yours, assuming you don't mind editing yourself.


this is something I can do for sure. I don't have money, but I have time


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## Keefur (Jul 1, 2019)

stardust_and_plastic said:


> So I've written my second book, I'm working on editing it so I can find an agent and go through the general process. I would love feedback, I would love it from people I trust first but... No one will read my book. the person I usually use to edit only got two chapters in because of their job, and no one else gave me a reason so I'm guessing either I don't actually have ready friends or I have the dullest book of all time and should move to a different story.  Have you ever had a story that you wanted people to rip apart but no one would even look at it?



I do printing.  I'll tell you another little secret that the book publishers don't tell you.  According to industry information, the average new book by an unknown or relatively unknown author sells about 120 copies.  Sometimes I have known people to not be able to sell a dozen copies.


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## Minerva_Minx (Jul 1, 2019)

What genre do you write?


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## stardust_and_plastic (Jul 2, 2019)

Keefur said:


> I do printing.  I'll tell you another little secret that the book publishers don't tell you.  According to industry information, the average new book by an unknown or relatively unknown author sells about 120 copies.  Sometimes I have known people to not be able to sell a dozen copies.


Doesn't mean I shouldn't try. It means I should try my best, study the industry, try to get the best cover, work hard to get reviews, be kind, in general advertise more than not. Just because it's unlikely doesn't mean you don't do it. It means you hustle.


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## stardust_and_plastic (Jul 2, 2019)

Minerva_Minx said:


> What genre do you write?


I do fantasy, scifi... some kids books.


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## Universe (Jul 2, 2019)

Oooooooo I like sci-fi


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## Minerva_Minx (Jul 2, 2019)

www.sfwa.org: Home | Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America

Like LinkedIn, for writers.  Private organization for authors of sci-fi and children's books.  If you are going to spend the money on editors and the like, you may as well spend it on webinars and learning tools, as well as people who are interested in helping you succeed and reach your potential.  Their feedback is also immensely helpful, insightful, and best of all, friendly with constructive criticism.  

Website is free to tour.  May be of interest.


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## FIlth Bat (Jul 2, 2019)

Querytracker.net is a great place to find literary agents who are looking for your particular genre. It's free. They also have a forum where you can post your query letter, first few pages and even the first chapter for people to jump in and help. Everybody is editing and looking at things from a traditionally published perspective, but remember it is your work and your story, and you know your story best in terms of changing it.

Also, *Pitch Wars* is happening again this year. It was created by Brenda Drake, a NYT's bestseller. Pitch Wars is a mentoring program where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each to mentor. Mentors read the entire manuscript and offer suggestions on how to make the manuscript shine for the agent showcase (there will be hundreds of well-renowned literary agents in the agent showcase that will make requests. The mentor also helps edit their mentee’s pitch for the contest and their query letter for submitting to agents. pitchwars.org: New? Start Here

Pitch Wars is huge. It is where Tomi Adeyemi got picked up by a mentor, had numerous requests, and now she has an agent, a million dollar deal, and a movie coming out sometime soon.

They get thousands of submissions a year, and usually, there are about 100 mentors. They usually only pick 100 mentees. But they work with you for months. They work on your query, pages, the whole works. And since they are usually agented AND published, their insight and gold. And to tell you the truth, they are the nicest, kindest people out there.

Even if you don't get picked, some mentors will email you some feedback on your work to help out.


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## stardust_and_plastic (Jul 3, 2019)

Lol Okay guys, thanks for the advice but I really need to shut this particular thread down because:
This thread was about me discouraged about me needing alpha readers and not getting any. Since then I've started rewriting the book and working with a small publishing company to get experience. 
I'm so far past this right now, this was about a month ago, I'm no longer sad. I'm good now. I'm pumped. I promise, I'm good. I've been working with authors my ENTIRE life and even then writing is my soul I don't need to be published for it to be a thing. I just wanted someone to READ the dang thing. I don't want money. Sure, I'm disabled and could use money but I still don't caaare. 

So, respectfully, please, stop. I need to go back to work and I don't have time to come back all the time XD But still thanks.


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## Keefur (Jul 3, 2019)

stardust_and_plastic said:


> Doesn't mean I shouldn't try. It means I should try my best, study the industry, try to get the best cover, work hard to get reviews, be kind, in general advertise more than not. Just because it's unlikely doesn't mean you don't do it. It means you hustle.


I apologize if you got the wrong impression from my statement.  I get people who want to print thousands of copies of their new book to get the best price and I always discourage that.  I remember I had quoted some comic books for someone but did not get the job.  Later on, someone told me that the other person had gotten their books printed much cheaper than I had quoted, and I told them that they had gotten a good price.  I asked them how many books did they have to get printed to get that price, and they told me 5000.  I asked them how many books had they sold, and they told me that they were only able to sell 100.  I asked them that in reality, who was cheaper, and they hung their head and said "You were". 

I print books on an "as needed" basis.  Yes, I'm more expensive than a web press, but at least you can make a profit and not have a closet full of unsold goods.  I was only relating the statistics so that you wouldn't fall into the price trap.  Only get a limited run of books done with digital printing, and if the book takes off, you can always get a larger web press run or even send it overseas to China for printing.  When you get your books done, don't sign an exclusivity contract with your printer, and make sure you get to keep a high resolution computer copy of the files if they do the print layout.  That's another trap.  Make sure that when you have the layout done, that you get that copy!  The digital printing companies just love giving you a low resolution copy of the files and if you find a better printer, they make you pay to get that high resolution copy back.  Put it in your contract.


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## Z-ro (Jul 29, 2019)

some of my chapters were made from the most sad stuff t I could write, then I started evolving, gave anger, happiness, betrayal 
and made it a novel kind of..
IT IS DRAMATIC


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