You're on the third or fourth draft of your novel and can't think of anything else you could POSSIBLY do to it. You've scoured the pages for typos, hunted for plot holes, and came up empty. Sometimes, we look at our manuscripts so many times that our brains become numb to errors or gaps. We know our stories, they came from within us after all, and so everything makes sense. To us. But to an agent, editor, or reader, that typo and plot hole sticks out like a sore thumb. Sometimes you need a second pair of eyes to catch the questions that have yet to be answered. Or the set ups that have no pay off. Or the minor character arc that seems to fizzle out, forgotten. Or just that one misplaced comma or repetitive word.
I know the value of a second opinion. A second opinion that doesn't come from a friend or family member or a random person you found online who secretly just wants you to read THEIR story.
And that's why I'd LOVE to critique your manuscript. For reals. LOVE. From day one as President of the Creative Writing club in high school, I lived for those weekly meetings where we read each other's stories and brainstormed about how to make them better. And that love only grew when I obtained my minor in Creative Writing and then my Masters in it. I thrived in the workshop setting and looked as forward to editing and discussing everyone else's work as I did my own.
Aside from getting someone who ENJOYS critiquing, you'll also get someone with a strong background in the technical aspects of the English language. With a BA in English and, as a Native English Teacher, I can tell you exactly where that comma goes and how to better structure your sentences (syntax is very important for the flow of words).
But I will issue this disclaimer: all of my critiques come with brutal honesty. but I won't present it like a slap in the face, more like a strong poke in the cheek.
I'm not going to sugar coat anything. That doesn't challenge your skill as a writer nor does it encourage a stronger manuscript. So if you want someone to tell you "OMG YOU'RE AMAZING, EVERYTHING IS PERFECT," I ain'tcha gal. But I will ALWAYS tell you what DOES work along with what doesn't. Every writer has strengths and weaknesses--I'll focus on both.
If you can answer yes to the following questions, then critique services might be a good fit for you:
> Is this a MG, YA, or NA book? (My specialty is in all subgenres of Science Fiction and Fantasy. I'm not a great fit for literary, contemporary, or non-fiction novels.)
> Are you on the third or fourth draft of this manuscript?
(If I get the feeling this is a first draft fresh from NaNoWriMo, I'm going to have to politely pass.)
> Would you like your MS to be in the best possible shape before sending to agents?
> Or does your work seem to get continually rejected by agents?
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