Well, it’s done. The Temporary Hero–the third book in the Conway Report series–is done. I got the manuscript back from my editor, revised it to within an inch of its life, rewrote scenes that didn’t work and tracked down and ruthlessly murdered anything that didn’t move the story forward to its pulse-pounding conclusion.
Yeah, I like to channel Stan Lee at times like this. It’s a superhero story, so it feels appropriate.
Anyway, now it’s time for the hard part. I need to ask for some help. I’m looking for Beta Readers.
“What’s a Beta Reader?” you may ask.
Well, one of the really hard things to do as a writer is to look at the work objectively. Does it hit all the story beats? Does it bog down in places? Did I set something up early on and fail to pay it off before the end? Is everything presented clearly? Is it fun? I mean, it’s not like the reader is inside my head. I can easily think something was sufficiently explained and still leave the reader scratching his head.
Simply put, a Beta Reader reads the book and reports back with their thoughts on it. What worked, what didn’t and why you feel that way. I’m not looking for, “Everything was fine,” or even, “Everything sucked.” I’m looking for people willing to give me honest and candid feedback that will help me fix what’s wrong and strengthen what’s right about the book.
TTH is a novel set in a “real-world plus superheroes” setting, so being a fan of the fantasy/superhero genre would be a big plus. I don’t mind sharing the work with someone unfamiliar with the genre, as long as you’re willing to roll with a setting you may not be familiar with. The more the merrier, just so long as everyone knows what they’re signing up for.
What do you get for it? Well in addition to my undying gratitude, you’ll get a shout-out in the acknowledgements and a free electronic copy of the finished product when it hits the virtual shelves. I wish there was more I could offer, but such is the life of a writer.
Well, if you made it this far, thanks a bunch for hearing me out. If you’re interested, please drop me a line, either in the comments or via Facebook, Twitter or email.
Thanx,
Nick