The Weaver Reborn

[Maxine MagicFox]

So, as you should be aware I'm writing a novel that I hope to get published by a big name author after finding an agent and all that super-official jazz. It's in its final stages of editing. I'm looking for Beta Readers.

I will post only the first two chapters here. Tear into it.

For now, Chapter 1. Chapter 2 will come later when I'm done with it. I will also be posting my query letter later on to look for advise on that. (In case you don't know, a Book Query is kinda like a resume to agents and publishers. Well maybe better labeled as the cover letter of a resume.)

Book Synopsis



Click here if you'd rather download a nice formatted


No, seriously. Tear into it. I'm not interested in self-publishing (please don't even bring it up, I'm past that talk). I will be aiming for big name publishers, the sort that only an agent can help you get into. Don't hold back. If you think it sucks, tell me.

[Maxine MagicFox]

:\ wow... stirring response. thanks guys <_<

[sponge7325]

i'm sowwyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

I'm not a professional book critic or anything, and most of my criticism usually only amounts to an "It's good!" or an "I didn't really like it.". But this is an "It's good!" for sure, I'd totally continue reading!

I'll buy a copy once you get it published for certain cause i luve yuuuuuuu<3

[Maxine MagicFox]

Well, thank you for taking the time out of your day to read. I appreciate it.

[Trifkin]

Ah, took me a minute to find it! I checked the General Writing thread first, then resorted to good old-fashioned post stalking. I wouldn't have thought to check here for ages. Going to read it now!

EDIT: I absolutely devoured it. I want more, I wish it was a book already so I could get my grubby little hands on a copy to be inhaled in likely one sitting. Now, were you looking for copyediting expertise (grammar and spelling stuff), description/flow/this part doesn't make sense or is too long or needs more explanation type of feedback , or both?

[Tortuga774]

There are two mainpoints to consider when intentionally reading a book (or any other narrative writ).
-What is written (what is the story about and how you narrate it)
-How it's written (basically the style of writing)

English isn't my native language and I've never read any book in English language (except 'The Hunger Games', because school), which is why I can't look at your narration in exhaustive depth.

What is written
Honestly it doesn't really interest me. Not because it's boring or something like this. It's just, I'm not part of the target audience this book seems made for (probably, mostly female, teenagers?). It's also good to mention, that i can't say much about this topic, since I saw only some characters and maybe a part of the setting. :V

How it's written
The problem with this point is, there are different types of readers with different imaginings of how a good book looks like.
You don't have to be an Ernest Hemingway to write a good novel (for me at least), but you never know who is your critic (just mentioned because you want to publish it).

My English (and knowledge about Englisch literature) is way to bad, to criticize this point, therefore I confine myself to pure impressions.
Sometimes it seems to be a little bit repetitive:


But actually it isn't. It's just my perception (and this is almost inconsiderable) that mislead me to this assumption.
I wish I could say some helpful improvements...

I'm not an expert tho. I just have a blazing passion for literature in general.
[EDIT: That's why (and because it's your novel) I would like to read the 2nd chapter too.]

G'luck!, by publishing.

[Maxine MagicFox]

*blinks and re-reads again*

XD Well that was the most long way about saying of "I want to comment on your post, but it doesn't interest me and I don't really think anything is wrong with it, but maybe this ---" I've ever read.

It's cute and thank you so much for taking the time to read even when you have no interest in it and trying to post something about it. Haha, seriously if you are interested in reading chapter 2 I will supply it (I actually moved this into General Writing where most people normally view on the forum, haha, but I'll repost it here). Though you don't have to read just for my sake. If you have no interest I'm not sure what info you could provide to me.

^_^ Thank you for taking the time to read either way. The effort has not gone unappreciated.

[Tortuga774]

[Wolfling]

2015 so does this mean this thing is already publish? Where can I get?

I like this, the setting is kinda the same with the anime "Familiar of Zero"

[noodles]

it takes a lot longer than that to write a novel for most people

[Maxine MagicFox]

I haven't been around and I was just going to let this conversation go, but I can still keep it very relevant because it deals with timing in the publishing industry.

The publishing industry is SLOW. Very. Light years. Unless you are reading some great best selling author, the books that you read that were just released were probably written five years ago, if not longer.

Of course these facts change when you are looking at self publishing.

Here's a look at the process.
The hunt for an agent. This can take a couple of years at best, more at worst. You have to wow these professional of the industry (who are very inundated with other submissions) and prove to them that A) Your story is worth it B) You are worth it. C) Your story is a good fit for them. D) It's a good fit for the agency. E) IT WILL SELL!

Currently Weaver Reborn is not good because the market for it is not good. So I have tucked it underneath my bed for the time being. I will wait. It's time will come.

Once you FIND an agent, the real work begins. You and the agent form a partnership. They go through and edit it and get it to an even more presentable stage. That's right, they only accepted THE BEST but your BEST is still not good enough. Not for the people they know they have to impress. This takes roughly a year or so.

Then they start submitting to publishers on your behalf. Hunting for an agent was hard? HA! There are 5 top publishers in the world. ONLY five. And I can promise you they are not going to want something that isn't going to be a guaranteed success. this probably takes a couple of years.

THEN if by some MIRACLE you get a hit. A publisher accepts you, you sign the contract, you are then assigned ANOTHER editor. Who goes through and again cleans up your material to make it suitable by THEIR standards. That's about another year.

Then finally! the publisher agrees to publish it. That's about another year. They got to do all the marketing (no, wait, scratch that)

YOU, the author, have to do the marketing.

They'll help. Especially if you have one of the top 5. But seriously this is your chance to make some noise and make sure people know your book is coming out.

Let me emphasize that, though. You do not get to control your cover art. You don't get to control when it comes out. What the pricing is. If they decide to change the title, eh, they might care about your measly pleas.

And for all of that, you are the one who has to do your own marketing. They will HELP. It's a meet-in-the-middle relationship.

There we go. I hope that it proves fascinating and at least educates people.

[Lumnaya]

That's even tougher than I imagined… I really hope it goes well for you, the excerpts in the General Writing thread are promising!

Do you also have to accept all the editors' modifications, or is there at least some room for negotiation there?

[Maxine MagicFox]

Well I haven't gotten to that stage yet so there's parts that even I don't know. But I know like with agents it's a "partnership". At the end of the day I'm the writer. There are many edits that are obvious "clean up grammar" and then there are going to be many that are probably "make this section stronger" or "this character needs to sound cooler".

I'm sure there is room for negotiation if I don't like something they are saying but also at the end of the day the key component to remember: I'm the novice and they are the industry experts.

Why would I want to argue when they are trying to help make my book a success?