THE REVIEWS ARE IN … SORT OF
THE DISAPPEARED is a solid book in part because I’ve worked hard and haven’t given up on it. But the other reason it doesn’t totally and completely blow chunks is because I’ve had amazing reviewers along the way. My bestest writer friend, Ellen, read the book like three times and got it to higher ground with endless supportive critiques. Her input, early on, when the book was 20 pages old, was critical. And my good fried Colleen also read it and picked up on things like cliché dialogue, character flaws, and plot potholes.I benefited so greatly from outside critique and input – I can’t imagine a writer producing a successful book without it. Maybe Truman Capote or something. But I’d be stymied in a publishing quagmire without good friends that I trusted with my text, and their exceptional perspectives.
THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO GETTING PUBLISHED has great tips for getting outside perspective on your manuscript. If you don’t want to buy the whole book, some of the tips are online and can be viewed as a PDF for free.
For what it’s worth, I bought the book when I was working on my nonfiction book for teens, MAKE THINGS HAPPEN: THE KEY TO NETWORKING FOR TEENS. It totally helped get me published.