Quick Critters Group 

Quick Critters is designed to get manuscripts critiqued beta-reader fashion in under a month giving the author useful feedback with short turn-around times and meaningful edits.  

Authors must:

Have a finished manuscript of at least 50,000 words.

.      

Be able to critique an entire novel in a reasonable time. 

Between 50,000 and 80,000 words =2 weeks 

Between 80,000 and 100,000 words = 3 weeks 

Over 100,000 words = 4 weeks. 

To participate in the group: 

Post the basic information about your book, title, genre, length, link, target audience (YA, MG, etc.), short hook, and any other pertinent information such as adult themes. Include how you want to be critiqued, spelling and grammar, plot holes, character development, etc. in a reply to this thread. 

At the beginning of each round, I will post the list of all qualifying books and ask each person to make a list of the books they would most like to crit.  

You can post you choices here or send message me. 

I will assign a critter to each book based on you selections. That way you will be reviewing one person’s book while someone else reviews yours. Although swapping reads is nice, it doesn’t always lead to honest reviews. 

Critters must: 

Message the author, and me, letting us how you are progressing or if you are having difficulty finishing on time. 

Post a long review when you have finished the book, at least 500 words. 

Finish on time.  

You will not be assigned a critter unless you are critiquing, and will not be assigned a new critter until you have completed your assigned critique. 

Keep your critiques polite and constructive. Establishing a dialogue with the author is encouraged, but not required. 

Notify me when the critique is complete.  

I hope to start the first round on March 30, 2015. It takes quite a few active participants to make this work so if you are interested, please try to recruit a member or two. 

Thank you! 

I'd definitely be interested in critiquing someone's book and also having someone critique mine if they want (I'll be uploading the full manuscript by March 30). Message me when the first round starts and I'll be sure to start reviewing your manuscript under the given requirements.

Pleasant writing everyone!

HTV

To be fair, mine will be one of the books, not the only one, but if you want to give it a look see it is at

http://www.bookcountry.com/Bookdetail.aspx?BookId=7749

yes

I am not sure how I am going to work it all out but I will add you to the list.

Since you moderate the site, is there any way to send a group message. As is, I have to sent to each person individually which gets repetitious.

Hi Romana--We haven't developed group messaging yet but that's something I definitely would love to have in the future.

We can mention this discussion thread in the Weekly Update tomorrow.

PS for all --if you haven't signed up for Book Country newsletters yet, here's how!

Nat, if you want to read or join at a later date, add me as a connection so I can message you.

http://www.bookcountry.com/Community/UserProfile.aspx?id=8589940416

--edited by Romana Drew on 3/21/2015, 1:24 PM--

Hi! Here's my book and it's information:

Title: The Key to an Empire

Word Count: 147,518 words

Genre: High/Epic Fantasy

Link: http://www.bookcountry.com/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=7021

Blurb: Twenty years following a great war where the forces of good finally triumphed over evil, the world of Ragnoreth is at peace. A young girl named Eseleen, whose mother was a high commander during the war and whose father was a key player in a journey to overthrow the shadow that once haunted the world, searches to achieve greatness like those who raised her. The discovery of an old stone book bearing an ancient artifact near her home could be the chance she is searching for. Meanwhile, far in the north a young, high ranking captain named Rob struggles to maintain peace in Ragnoreth as a foreign enemy with dangerous powers stands on the doorstep. Though separated by thousands of leagues, Eseleen and Rob's journeys shall intertwine as together they battle against foes for the key to an empire. 

-HTV

Here is my book:

The Prince of Kaloria

Genre: Soft Science Fiction

Word Count: 109,870

http://www.bookcountry.com/Bookdetail.aspx?BookId=7749

A simple story about a young man, the woman he loves, the alien who kidnapped him, the evil bitch he has to marry, kidnapping, war, assassination. . .

Eshley escapes his kidnappers and finds his way back to his homeworld, but his vision has been damaged, and the kingdoms of Ashlaria and Lashon are still at war. In a desperate bid for peace, he marries Cendry, the Lashon king's daughter and heir to the Lashon throne. Since he is the heir to the Ashlarian throne, together they will someday rule the world, which should bring peace. Except he loves Volisha, Cendry is a evil bitch, and he doesn't want to rule anyone, Waylon church stirs up racial hostilities, and Volisha makes plans of her own to end the monarchy - a tale of love murder and social change set on a distant world.

Romana

Title: Flair

Word count: 155,472

Genre: Fantasy

Summary: The Deluvia family was trying to keep their daughters safe. When Xamalie learns of the teens existence, their safety evaporates. Leandra and Kelly are taken from their home and thrown into training. One week before their training will be over, the teens learn that their dads were taken prisoner and that they have been given the difficult task of rescuing the. With help from a banished Guide and a band of Rogues, the Deluvias start off to rescue the only family they have known.

Link to Story: http://www.bookcountry.com/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=7741

Also, I would be much obliged if you send me a Word document version of your story.  I have a reader on my computer that is not compatible with this website (really sucks).  So, in order to make it possible for me to get your story back to you in a timely manner, it would be very helpful if you send it to me in word.  That way, I can copy it into Scrivener and have the program read to me.  My email is jessplatt@yahoo.com.  I appreciate your help!

--edited by Jessica Platt on 3/23/2015, 7:18 PM--

Hi Romana and crew--so glad to see this taking off.

I actually don't have a long manuscript on Book Country (yet!), so I am going to bow out of this round.

Let me know how this goes, and if you need any help recruiting more members!

Lucy

I am posting this for Rob,

He did a great job critting my book.

 Hello again, I'm doing this more just to support my fellow writers than getting crits. However, if some one wants to do a read, The Hall of Doors is at

www.bookcountry.com/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=6762

 Genre: Science Fiction

length: about 53000 words

Review: General over view, does the story grab the reader and hold their attention, does the story flow well, and any suggestions the reader might have on character developement. 

The book is an introduction to a series detailing the scattering of of Earthling refugees across the galaxy and four groups have to deal with the ecology and circumstances of living on an alien world. The Hall of doors is a vehicle to draw the characters together into a scenario leading up to the abandoning the home planet. Earth has gone nuclear and is dying of radiation poisoning, and those able to use interplanetary teleportation have only hours to get what few they can gather off planet. There is more than one epilogue giving the reader a taste of each group as they appear on a new alien world.

 Thanks, Rob Emery

I'm going to have to follow Lucy and bow out of this round, too. My manuscript isn't quite 2/3ds of the way complete, so I still don't qualify for this challenge.

Hi Everyone!

I would love to participate in this. You will have to give me a bit of time though as I am in the home stretch of grad school! Depending on when the first round happens I may or may not have the time. Either way, I will post my info here for everyone.

Title: The Guardian

Genre: Postapocalyptic/Dystopian

Length: 89,019

Link: http://www.bookcountry.com/Bookdetail.aspx?BookId=7162

After four years of running, Rose finds herself in the middle of a war between the Guardians and the Rebellion. The Guardians will never stop looking for her and the Rebellion will never trust her, but her "abilities" and the item she stole from Number 1 are starting to connect missing links in her memory, her family, and her greatest weapon.

Honestly, it needs help and I know it. This was a NaNoWriMo piece that I haven't had the chance to edit much since I wrote it in that one month time span (thank you grad school). So, as you can imagine, it is rough around the edges. Any and all comments, suggestions, and critiques will be extremely helpful. I mention a little bit more about it in my author's notes, but overall feedback, plot, and continuity are some things to focus on.

--edited by Chelsea.Caslavka on 3/31/2015, 8:59 PM--