This is a story of how a young woman has abandoned her friends and family to try to become an influencer. By shutting herself away from the world, she develops cabin fever-like symptoms and begins to hallucinate. This is supposed to portray the physical manifestation of allowing yourself to become mentally consumed by social media.

CW: Body Horror

This is my first short story, so I'm open to any and all critique. Please tell me what I can improve on. Thank you!

Alex slammed her fists onto the counter in a rage and began studying the woman, locking eyes with her in the mirror.  She noticed a piece of flesh, no bigger than an inch, hanging from the tip of her carefully sculpted nose. She felt adrenaline pounding in her chest as her trembling fingertips caressed the edge of the imperfection. She knew she would see something even more beautiful hiding beneath her skin this time.

The tender meat came away as easily as picking a scab. What had been left of her nose left a void in its wake as it fell to the floor, but she wasn’t satisfied. She knew there was a better nose in there somewhere. There had to be.

She fingered the crevice below her eyes, but she found nothing except a stew of unidentifiable liquid and tissues crashing against the inside of her skull. Pushing the rest of her fist into the unknown of her own body, she finally understood. There was nothing left but a hollow shell of her former self. 

A knot tightened in her throat as the sound of her clawing at the inside of her skull bounced off the tile walls of her bathroom. Elbow deep now, her cheekbones began to cave and her left eye began to droop. The weight of her emptiness was disorienting, but she needed to get back to her viewers before they decided they didn’t love her anymore. Her hand slipped when she twisted the knob, sending her forehead colliding with the door. 

Something else was missing. Her thumb. Her right thumb. The bastard was still on the counter where it was last attached to her. The dismembered part of her thrashed like a fish drowning in air as it tried to swipe on a phone screen that wasn’t there—attempting to interact with the world that Alex was slowly fading out of. She wrangled the door open with her elbows and met the floor with a wet thud as her feet freed themselves from the rest of her. She reached her arms as far as she could and Army crawled to the front door, leaving behind a trail of who she used to be.  

With her one good eye, she could still see them. They were taunting her—the tripod, the phone, and the ring light. The number of viewers was dropping. Fast. So she did the only thing that she could. The scream that came out of her throat could have rivaled that of a grieving mother. The terror didn’t resonate from the pain but the overwhelming shame. The life she had delicately crafted for herself was slipping through what was left of her rotten fingers, and there was nothing she could do but watch. 

As if waiting for her phone to respond to her cries, she used the last breath her lungs were capable of to buy her just enough time to watch her viewer count fall until only one remained— a user she had never noticed before. Then the message appeared, typed with cold indifference: "You should have just touched some grass."

In an apartment a few doors down, Hannah deactivated her last bot account. She surprised herself with how quickly she was able to make nearly 100,000 fake profiles disappear. She grabbed her keys and slung her purse over her shoulder as she pulled up the directions to the nearest police station. Hannah stopped as she heard the knife slip from Alex’s hand, clattering to the floor, followed by the last, labored gasp from the mutilated face on the screen behind her. But she didn’t turn around. She couldn’t. Not when there was a suicide to report.

(I'm still trying to figure out how to format stories on Reddit. Sorry.)

Fathers are supposed to be loving and warm, full of good memories. But Maggie Prosper wants to forget all about hers. Secretive and obsessed with studying the occult, her father's absence haunted Maggie since childhood.

Grown up and independent, she has finally found peace. But then, her father dies of apparent suicide at the Prosper family's lakeside cabin in the Pacific Northwest, and her mother has gone into shock.

Now, she and her older brothers must return to the cabin, the site of many childhood fears. But as Maggie attempts to reconnect with her siblings and nurse her mother, repressed memories reemerge. What book was her father writing before he died? What occult secrets did he hide in the basement? And how can she fill the void of his absence, now that he's truly gone forever?

The longer they stay at the cabin, the further the Prosper siblings lose their grip on reality. There is a presence at Gold Sun Lake. It is stalking them, and it has held a dark sway over the family since childhood. Holding onto sanity is no longer an option.

She must face her fears. She must enter the deep, dark place. But that place was not for her.

Mixing psychological, gothic dread with a dash of Lovecraftian cosmic horror, the novel is told from the alternating perspectives of three siblings.

Looking for beta readers interested in this genre (and otherwise). I'm primarily seeking global critiques regarding the story, structure, characters, and narrative voice. Would love to hear feedback by January at the latest.

Let me know if you're interested and I can send the manuscript! I am also open to critiquing your work as well, especially if it's in a similar genre.

Thanks in advance!

Hi there, published poet who is finally taking the leap to write my first novel here! I’m wanting help with the first five chapters of my novel (11,500 words).

My first draft is completed, but my gut is telling me that my slow burn might be too slow at the very beginning. Still, I figured it would be best to get others advice before I start dissecting any chapters. My main question I have is if after stating my book, are you curious enough to want to continue reading? If not, at what parts did you find your eyes start to quickly glaze over the details written? Any other comments would also be appreciated. Thank you to anyone willing to help me tackle this novel!

Willing to critique parts of other romance novels as a swap! (I’m mainly just a romance reader though so that’s the only genre I feel confident enough in to critique.)

TW for first five chapters: -domestic abuse -weight loss -suicidal ideation -Mentions of alcoholism -Talks of forced-prostitution

Blurb: Lilith Graves is lost. She attempts to be found by meticulously gluing together the splintered off pieces of herself. Pieces that were left crumbling after escaping her own living hell, leaving behind her demolished sanity. She now finds sanctuary in her quaint cabin. Tucked aside a snowy mountain slope, where the demons of her past can’t climb. She spends her time trapping her night terrors onto the canvases she paints. Mourning her dreams that morphed into what was once a living nightmare. What Lilith is unaware of is that she has already bewitched a devil named Elias who lurks in the shadows. She soon finds herself accepting an ominous offer from Elias’s hands. A deal to display her paintings inside his renowned gallery. Forcing others to acknowledge her torment. All while completely unaware that her acceptance is the invisible ink needed to sign away her broken soul. Lilith then finds herself thrown into games she never signed up to play. All created by the hands of the monster who hopes to reignite the wrath lost behind her eyes. What happens when two wicked souls come together and set off to claim their own twisted form of righteousness? Find relief in the poetic justice of what happens when predators pick the wrong prey in Beneath the Red-Lights.

Full TW: -Talks of self harm/suicidal ideaition  -Stalking -Forced Confinement  -Weight loss -Sexual Assault -Domestic Abuse -Forced Prostitution  -Talks of Non-con -Dub-con -Detailed Sex Scenes -Bondage -Choking -Dom/sub -Knife-Play -Cannibalism? (Does it count if you don’t swallow?) -Murder -Mention of drug use -Drugging  -Talks of Alcoholism -Parental Loss -Some more murder

Hello! I’m looking for a manuscript swap! I’ll read and critique anything under 150,000 words as long as it contains 3 of the bellow tags/subjects and provide at least a page of thoughtful feedback. In return, I just need your honest thoughts on my work—what worked, what didn’t, and why. A few paragraphs are fine so… no need for a full essay.

Zero was born on the war-torn planet of Ramsis, (later renamed Zenith) at the moment of his birth, the god of Destruction bestowed upon his mother immense power, offering her the ability to end the war—but at a cost. In return, the god demanded her third child as a vessel for his soul, she was instructed to name him Zero.  

The cocky prince of the less technologically advanced planet now called Zenith, Zero grew up believing he was invincible. Gifted with unparalleled strength from a young age, he thought he could conquer anything. However, he quickly learns a harsh truth: power alone isn’t enough to protect everyone he loves—and it may be his only tool to survive and protect the ones he loves after finding himself in a new world.

This tale is packed with:

💔Love and betrayal

🤺Action and apocalypse

🧟‍♂️Monsters, zombies, space

😵‍💫Portals, and mind control

👥Friendships, rivalries, and high-stakes

This is my best shot, and I’m ready to hear the bad, the horrible , and stuff you stuff you think is cool. Help me decide if this story is worth pursuing—or if it’s time for the circular storage cabinet.

Drop a comment or message me if you’re interested in swapping!  

Link Below.                                  Link Below

⬇️                                                  ⬇️

First 2 chapters of The Reoccurring Decimals:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y4osAcrvC9erHucj0Co63Uu9RV-p7OMh/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=102163890647624123982&rtpof=true&sd=true

Looking for a beta reader for my completed manuscript of a romantic comedy novel. Specifically looking for feedback about character development and pacing, and maybe even some grammar and formatting (I've stared at it so long that I know I'm missing some obvious mistakes). It's a co-workers&friends-to-lovers, sooort of black cat/golden retriever story set in the music industry.

Blurb:

Nicky Rhodes prides herself on doing her job well. As musician Ethan Amin’s trusted manager and closest confidant, she handles everything from awards shows to overseas touring with her trademark unflappability. With Ethan’s head in the clouds, and Nicky’s feet on the ground, they make a formidable team.

When actor friend Maya Singh needs a fake boyfriend to throw tabloids off her trail, Ethan seems like the perfect candidate. Nicky is well on the way to securing it all for her client–the critically acclaimed album, the sold out world tour, the enviable personal life– if only he seemed satisfied with it. 

After spending years of her life devoted to others' success, Nicky is forced to confront the possibility that trying to make Ethan’s life perfect won’t make either of them happy. As they play their parts in his scripted romance with a Hollywood starlet, Ethan and Nicky’s purely platonic partnership begins to feel like the biggest charade of all. 

Can playing pretend launch Ethan’s career into the stratosphere? Or will Ethan and Nicky’s unresolved feelings make his rising star implode?

Content warnings: some descriptions of grief and past death of a family member (happens off page), some explicit language, some light spice.

Open to a critique swap, depending on the genre (I'm no good with fantasy or horror, but I read most others.) I can provide the first few chapters, or the full manuscript in Google Docs to anyone interested.

Hello, looking for Beta Readers for my contemporary fantasy A Sea of Coins and Stars.

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Lucia Hernandez has always been able to see into memories. Houses, objects, and places talk to her and tell her stories about the past, a gift inherited from her psychic mother. But that hasn’t stopped the mysterious monsters that have been terrorizing them ever since her dad was deported.

When her mom disappears, leaving only a cryptic note instructing her to stay with her estranged grandparents and find someone called the Long Island Magician, Lucia believes he may be the only person who can help stop the monsters that follow her.

But the Long Island Magician turns out to be the surly kid who sits in the back of her English class. And although Caelum Pellagio may be able to perform any magic trick imaginable and even command lightning with a snap of his fingers, Lucia finds herself questioning his motives. Is it possible he only wants to help her because his ultimate plan is to sacrifice her to the monsters in order to save the girl he loves?

Lucia has no choice but to look into memories to try and find the truth. But it turns out Caelum’s not the only one hiding secrets, and people aren’t always what they seem. There are bad secrets, the kind that could land people in prison for a long time. And good secrets, like the magical sea hidden on the Long Island Sound where wishes come true.

Now, Lucia is faced with the choice of who to trust and which secrets to reveal. But the clock is ticking, because along with the secrets, she also discovers a journal with a list of future dates and monster attacks.

And her name is on it.

YA, contemporary fantasy with soft horror elements, lgbtq, coming of age

TW: References to suicide, incarceration, death, deportation, depression (and other mental health issues) drugs, homelessness, alcoholism, underage drinking, and abuse.

Looking for feedback on sensitivity issues, pacing, and character development.

Happy to do a swap, I prefer a similar genre.

Link to the first two chapters: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l_Q1UwqyY4ReTPIsygtyK3CZDVXU_CXsU27ndwnPu10/edit?usp=sharing

Apocalypse Now if Captain Willard were a priestess with a crisis of faith and Colonel Kurtz a pagan sorcerer in thrall to a vulture goddess.

Here's the first half of my draft query letter (I've taken the end out to remove spoilers):

MOSQUITO GODS pitches the conflicted protagonist of C L Clark’s Unbroken into the world of religious war and gods-made-flesh in Hannah Kaner’s Godkiller. At 99,000 words, it’s a stand-alone fantasy murder mystery with series potential.

To her fellow priests, Sister Harmony is little better than a heretic. To the pagans, she’s a traitor. So be it. Once a heathen spirit-healer, she’s converted to the victors’ religion after a brutal civil war. Curing the sick, she believes, is more use to her people than another martyr.

Yet Sister Harmony’s artfully-disguised heathen magic cannot stop a pagan curse killing indiscriminately. The church accuses her of invoking the curse, but she convinces the priests only someone with her heretical knowledge can find the sorcerer responsible. With the zealous Sister Sol watching her every move, she tracks down acquaintances and enemies from a past she’s tried to forget. It’s not just Sister Harmony’s life at stake though—her superiors will execute her forbidden lover, Esh, if their pet pagan disappoints.

I'm not looking for line edits unless there is a recurring weakness in the writing. I'd love feedback on plot and character, including whether the many twists work. Happy to reciprocate and no mad rush; I'd like to start querying in the spring.

I'm just about to post in /firstpages too if you want to see the opening.

Sunny is a 40-year-old mechanic who once dreamed of exploring the farthest reaches of the universe as an "Explorer." Now, he lives a quiet life in his inherited workshop, resigned to routine and haunted by "what ifs." Everything changes when his young, free-spirited intern, Luna, rekindles his dream. It is a character-driven story about exploration, personal growth, and the search for meaning in the ephemeral connections that make us human.

The format of the story is in script format and is destined to be used in comic format later. Most narration will be done visually so It will be really nice of you if I can have feedbacks on characters evolution and plot rather than narration ! (There are 3 episodes already of roughly 3500 words per episodes)

I'm available to swap and read text of about the same lenght or a litlle bit longer but I can't guarentee of an exact date as to when I will have finished.

Thank you ! Let me know if you are interested in the comment and I'll provide you the link !

Hi there! I'm looking for readers for my work-in-progress novel, The Twelve Nights of Christmas, which I'm hoping will be a fun, festive read for the right person!

This novel is a seasonal read full of dark, Christmas themed hauntings, and explores a ghostly legend behind the classic folk song.

It’s Christmas Eve 1918, and Kitty’s family is finally reunited for the holidays. Despite their attempts to throw off the tragedies of the past four years, the ghosts of the Great War still loom large over their festive gathering. But one ghost in particular seems desperate for Kitty’s attention, and seems willing to go to any lengths to get it.

Here's a link to the first 3 chapters if you'd like to take a look.

I'm also happy to do a book swap with anyone who'd like some feedback over the Christmas holidays.

Hi there! I’m looking for a beta reader for my 73k novel, which is a modern reinterpretation of the story of Medea.

“21 year-old Meddie is stagnating, stuck working in her parents’ fish and chip shop in her dying coastal town. Forced out of university by poor mental health, she struggles to see a future beyond the confines of the dull life she’s built for herself.

When Jason comes to town, determined to spend a Summer looking for himself in the waves, he and Meddie meet, and fall into an intense romance that she is determined to hold onto. When Jason leaves, Meddie goes with him, but in doing so commits a crime that severs ties with her family irreparably.

Her new life with Jason is not what she expected, however. He soon becomes controlling and angry, and she finds herself isolated and lonely, questioning whether she was right to put such faith in a whirlwind romance. With no qualifications and no money, she finds herself being nothing more than ‘Jason’s girlfriend’. Any attempts she makes to improve her lot in life are soon thwarted by an unexpected and unwanted pregnancy.

As her relationship with Jason and sense of self start to crumble, she is driven to desperation, culminating in a series of events that are devastating and far-reaching.”

I’d love people’s thoughts on the general story/characters, and what sort of category it might fit into, as well as the overall flow and whether you feel it might have any chance of publication. Grammatical/spelling errors not such an issue, unless there’s a mistake I’m making consistently!

No real time frame but would love if someone could read it within three weeks or so.

Happy to swap but can’t promise speed!

TIA!

Okay cool! This is anxiety-inducing!

I've been working on compiling some of my poetry in one place, and now that I'm reading and rereading my work I'm quickly realizing the benefits of open myself up to constructive commentary and critique outside of my personal circles...

That said, I have about 16 individual pieces compiled as of now and my goal is about 32. I'd like to work on structure and syntax - while in my head many beats flow and rhymes sound flawless, I can't account for how others read them.

Themes: love, lust, grief, BPD

Only TWs: depression, mental illness, hemophobia

This is on no timeline but my own so I'm in zero rush - this is a labor of love more than anything else right now, so I'd love to find someone to read at their leisure. No pressure, just a handful of pieces I'll send links to for some extra eyes for personal growth.

Always happy to do a casual content swap!

In the enchanting world of Violeys, where eternal youth and beauty come as gifts from the ancient mother tree, Savvie, the first child born in centuries, is nearing her 2oth year when she will attend her first ceremony that will grant her eternal life. She meets Traz from Sinoles, a barron land without the blessings of the mother tree.

Her trust leads to betrayal, Savvie then begins a journey of self discovery seeking revenge on the man she loved, but she must find him, before her native land finds him first.

if you are a lover or character driven stories and vivid world building, I would love honest feedback, good and bad.

Thank you hope you enjoy!

UNDER THE MOTHER TREE.docx

Hi All! I'm hoping for beta readers or to swap manuscripts, and to get general feedback / thoughts on the story and how the narrative flows. Here's a quick blurb:

Wren Walker’s family has always had a strange affinity for fire. Her sister was convicted of arson after a stint of ecoterrorism, her brother is afflicted with a respiratory illness from the smoke of the town’s incinerator where he works, and Wren has her own fiery nemesis: She was a fire lookout the summer the Sweetgrass Fire burned through 9,300 acres of the North Cascades. When it came time to evacuate her position, she was found running toward the wildfire and away from rescue. 

No one believes that there was someone in the North Cascades with her, chasing her into the flames. Forest Service labelled her unfit to carry out essential duties, and her summer ended swiftly. Now, almost a year later, she is back at her mind-numbing minimum-wage job in the heart of the city, skipping her classes at community college, and living with her family in a cramped house that is being swallowed on all sides by the surrounding industrial sprawl. 

But the person who cost her everything last summer is still watching, she’s sure of it. They leave her gifts: Dead birds and cigarette butts, small fires left for her to put out as a test of her sanity. They could have burned her alive last summer, but they seemingly let her go. She sometimes wonders if what they really want isn’t to set her on fire, but to make her set the fire herself.

After a fallout with her family on her twenty-second birthday, Wren’s stalker is back once again. She reaches her breaking point, packs a box of matches and takes off in the middle of the night. Embarking on a surreal journey to escape the industrialized world and a family legacy of fire, Wren tracks down the flames of her past; from her pyromaniac sister in the Eastern Washington desert to arson on the Olympic Peninsula. And in the meantime – she will have to try and stop whoever is following her from sending her and her family up in flames.

Here's a sample of the story as well:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XpafFQeA5CH9BkQrfNNo2lhHUPKDZb7ICyAngIkOCHg/edit?usp=sharing

Let me know if you're interested in reading :) Thank you!

Hi everyone! I’m seeking beta readers for my novel following three women in a multi linear story as they navigate workplace sexism, government conspiracies, and most importantly, the cyclical nature of human history specific to nuclear conflict. Margaret Turner, a young nuclear physicist, fights for respect in a male-dominated field. Her groundbreaking model predicts a chilling outcome: nuclear war will trigger humanity’s extinction. As a missile crisis looms, Margaret must decide whether to risk her career and safety to ensure her findings are heard. Alysia Callen struggles to prove herself in archeology when she discovers an artifact bearing an uncanny resemblance to a relic from a Cold War lab. Her research points to an ancient civilization destroyed by its own technology, raising urgent questions about modern nuclear capabilities. And Taryn Vale, a former surgeon, survives a global nuclear war only to realize her most vital contribution may not be medical. With men clinging to power in the chaos, Taryn must challenge societal norms to preserve a future for humanity. Their stories converge to reveal that history's greatest catastrophes don't come from technology itself, but from the human impulse to silence those who see disaster coming. The feedback I am seeking is specific to plot/character development/world building and less about line-editing/grammar. I’d love to have feedback by the end of the year. If this sounds like a good fit, please message me. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm seeking beta readers for my Historical Fiction novel The Plague Angel. I’ve outlined the story below. Ideally I’d like to find a reader or readers fond of real-world Historical Fiction (no magic/fantasy). Please DM me if you are interested!

Description

The story is set in 1348/9. Plague has come to England and to an abbey of nuns in Oxfordshire. The plague causes an exodus from towns and cities. The governing abbess seeks to exploit parents seeking refuge in the isolated abbey for their unmarried daughters. Rather than accepting the girls as gifts to the Church (as was the custom), the abbess offers "novice" admissions only to those whose parents can pay. But the money-making scheme goes disastrously wrong. There is violence and there are deaths. Now, unknown to the nuns, the abbey is under investigation, and our hero, an agent of The Entity, the intelligence service of the Catholic Church, is on his way. Our heroine is unexpectedly elected abbess after the old abbess dies of plague. But the abbey has secrets to keep, including heresy, a pregnancy, and the disappearance of all the so-called novices they had been caring for, not all of whom have died. For clarity, there are no angels, miracles, magic or fantasy elements in this book.

Details

• Genre: Historical Fiction
• Word Count: ~80,000
• Content Warnings: Alcohol use, violence, descriptions of disease.
• Feedback Desired: Feedback on plot, pacing, and character development. Overall impressions on style, readability, interest / engagement
• Format: Available in PDF only

Timeline

Ideally I’d like feedback within 4 - 8 weeks (January/February 2025)

Critique Swap

Happy to read and give feedback on other Historical Fiction manuscripts, but be aware that I have no experience as a beta reader.

Hey everyone! Looking for a beta readers for a short story I've been working on, working title Black Slugs. It's a story that focuses on a runaway with a unique ability. I am looking for feedback focusing on the pacing as well as the ending, but of course, all feedback is welcome. I'd be happy to exchange works as well! I

Here's a little blurb --

The way the man infront of me looked so much like my father could have made me laugh. Black-cropped hair, judgmental eyes and the stench of liquor. A sort of poetry, I thought. I ran away from him, and now his lookalike had found me. Life has a way of repeating itself. Wasn’t that the reason I ran away?
The man ran his fingers on top of the deck of cards I had set on the stone bench. “What’s your name, kid?”
I brushed my long black hair away from my ears. The constant noise of the downtown made it hard to hear. “What’s that?”
“Name. What’s. Your. Name.”
“Clark.”
“So, Clark. I pick three cards, and you have to guess all of them correctly. If you get one wrong, then I win my bet?”
 I motioned to the bristol board taped to the bench. “That’s what the sign says, doesn’t it?” 

Please let me know if you'd like to give it a read or exchange works. Cheers!

Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I6gc4Jo7xuHasIImnj5gz_VfrNQfVMu7LMzcWXG-pA4/edit?usp=sharing

Hey there! I’m looking for beta readers for my psychological thriller, We Were Here Before You, an emotional and tense thriller that explores themes of survival, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter.

I’m specifically seeking feedback on pacing, character development, and any general thoughts you might have before I dive into my next round of editing. If you’re interested, please DM me, and I’ll send over the manuscript.

Blurb:
Alice Kendal has spent most of her life feeling invisible to her mother, Sarah, whose struggle with alcoholism left Alice to fend for herself. Their relationship is fractured, filled with silences and unspoken resentments. But when a sadistic man abducts Alice, Sarah is thrust into a fight she never imagined—one to save the daughter she fears she has already lost.

In captivity, Alice discovers a notebook, filled with the desperate messages of the girls who came before her. They warn her of his rules and cruelty but leave her with hope, strategies, and a call to fight back. With their guidance, Alice must confront not only her captor but also her fear that no one is coming to save her.

Meanwhile, Sarah grapples with guilt and the consequences of her neglect, determined to make amends and prove that she is not the broken mother Alice sees her as. As she uncovers the truth behind her daughter’s abduction, Sarah is forced to confront her past, the darkness of her own choices, and the lengths she’s willing to go to bring Alice home.

We Were Here Before You is a gripping, emotional story of survival, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter.

This is a link to my prologue. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nNGS6swzwkmptbY9mI1OB8Ptw8qg4vY-U6Op6hSM__M/edit?tab=t.0

Hi, this is the 1st chapter of my fantasy novel. I want to prewarn that the beginning involves a lot of slice-of-life bits, and there's also mention of blood and gore, although it's not overly descriptive. The story is set in a rather dystopian setting and involves a fair bit of action.

I'd love any feedback possible, of course. Pacing, grammar, plot, dialogue, enjoyment value... I've only recently began my writing journey, so I'm curious to know if I'm making any major flaws or anything like that, although I'm aware that writing is a very subjective craft.

I'm open to heavy critique. I'm open to everything. And, if you'd like, I'm happy to exchange reads of similar length.

Thank you :)

Link to the 1st chapter - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OwDZWpKphm0Gf18Fax3HfvO98qTE71ynEILRePBP3e4/

Welcome to the monthly r/BetaReaders “First Pages” thread! This is the place for authors to post the first page (~250 words) of their manuscript and optionally request feedback, with the goal of giving potential beta readers a quick snapshot of the various beta requests in this sub.

Beta readers, please take a look at the below excerpts and reach out to any users whose work you’d be interested in reading. You may also provide authors with feedback on their first page if they have opted in to a first page critique.

##Thread Rules

• Top-level comments must be the first page, or a page-length excerpt (~250 words), of your manuscript and must use the following form:
  • Manuscript information: [This field is for the title of your beta request post ([Complete/In Progress] [Word Count] [Genre] Title/Description) ]
  • Link to post: [Please link to your beta request post so that potential betas may find additional information about your beta request, such as your story blurb and the type of feedback you're requesting. You may also link directly to your manuscript if you choose. However, please do not include any other information about your project in this thread; that's what your main beta request post is for.]
  • First page critique? [Optional. If you would like public feedback in this thread on your first page, you may opt-in here (in which case we encourage you to publicly critique another eligible first page in this thread). Otherwise, you do not need to include this field; we understand that some users may not be comfortable with public feedback, may not want their first page formally critiqued outside of the context of their manuscript as a whole, or may not feel their manuscript is ready for a single-page line-edit critique.]
  • First page: [Please include only the first ~250 words of your manuscript.]
• Top-level comments that are too long (longer than 2,500 characters, all-inclusive) will be automatically removed. Please remember that this thread is only intended for the first 250-ish words of your manuscript. It's okay if your excerpt cuts off at an odd place: even a short selection is enough for most readers to determine if they're interested in your writing style (they'll message you if they want more). Shorter submissions keep this thread easily skimmable, so please, keep them short.
• Multiple comments for the same project are not allowed in the same thread.
• No NSFW content—keep it PG-13 and below, please. Excerpts that include explicit sexual content, excessive violence, or R-rated obscenities will be removed.
• Critiques are only allowed if the author has opted in. If you requested a critique, we encourage you to publicly critique another eligible first page as a way of giving back to the community.

For your copy-and-paste, fill-in-the-blanks convenience:

Manuscript information: _____

Link to post: _____

First page critique? _____

First page: _____

Welcome to the monthly r/BetaReaders “Able to Beta” thread!

Thank you to all the beta readers who have taken the time to offer feedback to authors in this sub! In this thread, you may solicit “submissions” by sharing your preferences. Authors who are interested in critique swaps may post an offer here as well, but please keep top-level comments focused on what you’re willing to beta.

Older threads may be found here. Authors, feel free to respond to beta offers in those previous threads.

##Thread Rules

• No advertising paid services.
• Top-level comments must be offers to beta and must use the following form (only the first field is required):
  • I am able to beta: [Required. Let authors know what you’re interested—or not interested—in reading. This can include mandatory criteria or simply preferences, which might relate to genre, length, completion status, explicit content, character archetypes, tropes, prose quality, and so on.]
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For your copy-and-paste, fill-in-the-blanks convenience:

I am able to beta: _____

I can provide feedback on: _____

Critique swap: _____

Other info: _____

I need a beta reader for a short, a modern retelling of "Spirit in a Bottle" from the Grimm Brothers. My version features el cucuy, a creature from Mexican folklore.

Harold knew where his father hid the liquor and that usually caused trouble. Only once did it prove to be helpful. We will get to that later. Earlier on that July day found Harold, his brother Will, and their first cousin Fritz riding horses near Terlingua. The three boys rode horses while their parents were part of an event at a charity golf resort in Lajitas. This kept the three out from under the feet of their parents as the adults played golf and poker, ostensibly for a good cause. An old house off the trail got Harold’s attention.

“Let’s go there,” said Harold.

Swap: I will read up to 4K words as a swap.

Time: Please get back to me in a week.

I'll share a link to the story to people who message me, or post an interested message in the comments.

Genre: Adventure Word count: ~170k Content warnings: Violence, blood, addiction, drug and alcohol use, strong language.

Synopsis: After years of conflict with the northern kingdoms, the Empire begins to crack under its own weight. While the emperor desperately clings to power, The Six Fingers, a secret organization with excessive ambitions, continues its advance. From the shadows, this mysterious faction sets their plans in motion, determined to overthrow the government and reclaim control.

Amid growing political tension, a group of souls scarred by the devastation of war and imperial oppression are drawn into a game of survival. They do not seek glory or power, they only long for a respite from the constant struggle that has consumed their lives. However, The Six Fingers follow another path, and their web of intrigue threatens to plunge the Empire into a new wave of chaos and conspiracy.

As dark forces, both within and without the empire, converge in their quest for power, it becomes clear that the fate of the kingdom rests in the hands of a battle that could alter the course of history forever.

Details: Comments Desired: I welcome honest opinions on plot, pacing, and character development. I'm also interested in general impressions about style, readability, and how much it manages to engage the reader. Format: Available in PDF/docx/Wattpad (under the same name/author: Guildast)

Chronology: I'm flexible, but would love to receive feedback within 4-6 weeks. It's okay if you need more time to delve deeper into the analysis.

Review exchange: I'm open to exchanging comments! Although I have no experience as a beta reader, I am an avid horror and thriller reader, so I can offer a detailed and honest perspective on stories in similar genres.

Content warnings: This novel contains violence, blood, foul language, addiction, and drug and alcohol use. Please take these elements into account before accepting.

If you are interested in participating as a beta reader, do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for considering my story!

I'm not an author by heart. Most of my past humanities teachers have found my style plain, blocky, or mechanical sounding. This is probably all true on behalf of my background being in engineering. I, however, did want to try writing a novel, but I've hit a creative block and am having a hard time judging whether I should continue or not. I don't know if I'm bringing anything new to the table, or if my writing is even pleasant to read. I know there will be grammatical errors and hard to process sentences, this is a very rough draft of the first few chapters. In truth I just want to know if what I'm writing is worth continuing, and if it isn't I'll take a step back to breath and try and create a novel that I can be proud of.

Below is a google-doc link connecting anyone to the document as a "viewer", I appreciate anyone who will willingly give their time to reading a bit of it. I know it's a big ask, but hopefully you enjoy at least a bit of it.

Thank you all.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13MjhQS2cTAmdx3fcb4BfChAuTUoAkw71zhdZwtzpvRU/edit?usp=sharing

P.S. It is unnamed and I am notoriously bad with names. If I finish it you can bet either I'll choose some awful name for it, or I'll have someone else name it; if you have any ideas I am 100% ears.

inspired by infinite jest, a story set in a fictional medieval-victorian kingdom (sprinkled with technology way too advanced for the time period) where people are named after words, some puritans, some simpletons, some royals, some hedonists. one is all but one, another is again all but one.

sypnosis: a philosopher with a complex outlook sets eyes on a common simpleton who is to be executed for a petty crime.

contains NSFW.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bpgEd8Dndv5lEQ_PlN6C5ptpZ55LsulQ5y94a7IMYkM/edit

This is the first 2 chapters of a novel I’m writing it involves magic and action sequences as well as a lot of nature. I’m hoping to learn if it’s engaging or drags on or if it’s hard to understand what’s happening. My grammar isn’t the best but I’m more looking for content critique.

Thank you for taking time to reply and I appreciate your input. I can read some shorter excerpts if you would like to swap. But I am currently working so it could be a bit.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10uPJMbbBcKVHArGxDIPuGynCZ42KVp0Fxy3Bps-V_8g/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vf0BBNim7_AlAK40e8iJXhE23lvDIHxGlfjaZhLHGT0/edit

Hi there,

So I've recently finished writing and editing a story that has filled my mind for so long, and I believe it's time to share it with you guys and the world.

Title: Treacherous

Word count: 74k

Genres: Romance, Thriller, Suspense

Logline: What if a spy marries a CIA agent to kill a very important man without anyone finding out about his identity and past.

Synopsis: Right mission. Wrong partner. In a world of secrets, one spy couple must navigate love and deception to Complete their missions in this thrilling romantic suspense.

Blake Adler, known as "Shadow," is a master spy with a dangerous mission. Ruby Evans, codenamed "Mist," is his equally skilled—and unknown to him—rival, posing as his loving wife in a secure gated community. The plan? Use their fake marriage as a cover to complete their opposing missions. The problem? Neither of them knows the other’s true mission.

As they play house and try to gather intel on the mysterious Mr. Smith, Ruby starts to uncover more than just secrets about their target, and her fake husband. Blake has his own suspicions, but falling for Ruby was never part of the plan. With time running out and their missions colliding, they’ll have to decide who they can trust—before their carefully constructed cover blows up in their faces.

If you are interested please fill out this form and I'll send you the manuscript, looking forward to sharing Blake and Ruby's story with you guys 💜💜

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEdEB2A8PU_stHtTzcTUr9hZJAjr6ZFt_mTSpDsCQaoKMPpA/viewform

Hi everyone! I’m looking for beta readers for my first novel, a thriller romance. It’s about a psychologist and a police officer who share secrets to stay safe after the death of the psychologist’s ex-best friend. As they get closer, they uncover more than they bargained for.

I’m hoping to get feedback on the following areas:

Pacing: Does the story flow well, or are there parts that feel too rushed or too slow? Overall Impact: Did the story keep you hooked? Were there any plot holes or confusing elements? I’m also looking for general proofreading, including grammar, spelling, tense, and readability.

If you're interested, feel free to let me know! I’d be happy to read and give feedback on your work in return.

Thank you so much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Hi,

I'm seeking beta readers for my crime / mystery novel. Below is a description about the story. Please DM with interest!

Description

Jeremy James lives a quiet life with his wife and young son in Minneapolis. His brother, Jeffrey, goes by El Rey and is a suspected drug dealer for the Sinaloa Cartel. The James brothers have a loving, but tumultuous, relationship. When Jeremy suspects Jeffrey has gone missing, he is swept up into his brother's world of crime, and has to confront his own demons.

The novel touches on themes of trauma, addiction, and class. It's a gritty story, with a touch of dark humor and sardonic wit. I imagine it as a poor man's Dennis Lehane or Carl Haasen.

Details

• Genre: Crime / mystery fiction
• Word Count: ~80,000
• Content Warnings: Addiction, drug and alcohol use, violence, strong language
• Feedback Desired: Honest feedback on plot, pacing, and character development. Overall impressions on style, readability, interest / engagement
• Format: Available in PDF or docx via dropbox or email

Timeline

I'm flexible. I'd love feedback within 4 - 6 weeks, but no hard deadlines if people are digging it and have lots of thoughts

Critique Swap

I’m open to swapping and providing feedback! I have no experience as a beta reader, but am an avid reader in the horror and thriller genres.

Hello, I am seeking a beta reader for my psychological horror story. I am willing to swap if the stories are similar in length. Dm if you are interested! Link Below.

Simon Neville, a retired operative, joins his son, Remmy, a zoologist, on an expedition to a remote island to study a newly discovered species of vampire bats; aboard the research vessel Spearhead, their journey takes a deadly turn.

Dark, unseen forces invade the ship, slaughtering or abducting the crew and passengers one by one. Simon and Remmy struggle to survive, they face a desperate race against time—trapped in an endless expanse of ocean, hunted by creatures beyond their comprehension. Can Simon’s skills as a former operative protect them both, or has retirement dulled his edge and slowed his step, thus sealing their fate in the veiled darkness?

Find out in Crooked Fangs.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sksSFH5t1upwzpjZ-K9LzCTprU6ricltUtebLuLaiV8/edit?usp=sharing

This is a summary for a story I’ve been working on. I’ve started on the first draft but I’m interested in seeing what other people think of the story. I’m sorry in advance for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors I haven’t been sleeping much while I wrote this and it was more meant for me to get the story down then create an experience.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-W1sx-amtFv8iZgEKHmI1gLwKoZNL1dm_f_JNqTuEtM/edit

The story centres around a self centred college student in Ottawa. He is gifted a magical amulet by a demon that has the ability to control people through the format of the game truth or dare. He goes down a path of self destruction as his pursuit of power causes him to abandon all morals and cut off all connections to humanity as a coalition of students and professors form to stop him. The story is intended to analyze the human psyche and the great man theory. It also serves as a warning against nihilism and narcissism.

There’s references to gore, sexual violence.

I don’t have a specific type of feedback in mind anyone who can be bothered to read through it all is welcome to share their mind unfiltered although any ideas to improve the story or characters is more then welcome. Take as long as you like to read over it I am in no rush I really just want to see what other people think.

Edit: I’m not sure if this should be counted as in progress or complete since it’s a summary and some plot lines were left incomplete or removed for this but the main story is complete