Fiction Writers Can't Find Readers for Early Drafts
Many writers are seeking feedback on their work, struggling with plot development, dialogue strengthening, and managing the writing process. There's a common theme of self-doubt and questioning whether more writing is actually improving their craft.
SOURCES (60)
“Hi! This is my first time sharing my work on the internet. I started reading fiction in my late teens, but I only really started writing seriously this year. I'm slowly building my stamina for longer and longer works, but, as a non-native English speaker,…”
“Hello all. I recently finished what will be my debut novel, a short horror novel at only 45k words. One final read through and polish is all that is left, well, that and the blurb. [All Jake wants is a final blowout with his mates before real life drags them apart. While backpacking through Europe, an invitation to a secluded Greek island feels too good to turn down. Free drinks. Free rooms. But what's the catch? While his friends throw themselves into the party, Jake knows something is wron”
“I tend to write horror flash stories in a series called Golden Stories, just a way to group some writing ideas and portray hauntings or slasher killers that come to mind. Currently, I'm writing a chapter called "Strašidelné". The idea is that a haunting materialized from a painting of a woman creates an obsession directed at the homeowner. My intention is to make it clear to the reader that it's something unsettling and sickening, and that Jimmy, the homeowner, feels horrified”
“Hey everyone, I’ve been sitting on a sci-fi/horror book idea for a while now, and I’m finally at the point where I want to start writing it in English. However, before I dive headfirst into the drafting process, I wanted to run the premise by you all to see if it’s something you would actually pick up. Here is the quick pitch/blurb: 'If your reflection smiles a second after you do... it’s already too late.” It starts with a glitch. A fraction of a second where your image in the mirror doesn’”
“Recently started planning and writing a book because I have writing experience thanks to dnd and I had a vague idea in my head, plus I saw a yt video on a really awful fantasy book and decided whatever I make will probably be better than that lol But now, I'm dealing with a frequent problem of mine; imposter syndrome and self doubt deep enough to dwarf the ocean, so it would be nice to have someone read what I have so far and tell me if it's ok. Main feedback I'm hoping for is if it”
hi i finally finished my first short story that i think is worth anything. leave a comment or dm me if you’d be down to give advice ! submitted by /u/Amazing-Injury6755 [link]…
“I'm hoping to get some feedback and opinions on what people think of my story idea, as well as some general grammar checks since I wrote most of this at night. So let me first tell you a bit about it before you read, so you get some understanding of what I'm trying to do here. While this story is an original work, it does pull a lot from dreamcore, weirdcore, liminality and surrealism. Generally targeting people who like strange and maybe a little bit creepy other worlds like the backroo”
“I'm writing a story about a boy who is persecuted by their medieval village by breaking one of the 8 sacred rules. The village hangs the boy, but the rope snaps, and he falls into the pit below him early. He progresses through this cave he's fallen into, but quickly the cave turns into an abandoned, modern facility with newer guns, and weapons. There's hostile entities galore, and he's going to have to learn how modernized things work, explore, and escape to take revenge on the v”
“I'm a 15 year old, and I'm writing a story about a boy who is persecuted by their medieval village by breaking one of the 8 sacred rules. The village hangs the boy, but the rope snaps, and he falls into the pit below him early. He progresses through this cave he's fallen into, but quickly the cave turns into an abandoned, modern facility with newer guns, and weapons. There's hostile entities galore, and he's going to have to learn how modernized things work, explore, and esca”
“Would anyone here care to read one of my two stories? I have a science fiction mystery at 16,000 words and psychology horror war story based on the early days of the Russo-Ukraine war at 35,000 words. And I would appreciate some feedback. submitted by /u/thesixfingerman [link] [comments]”
“Tagged NSFW just in case. I'm writing a sort of horror/thriller romance thing, and there are some relatively graphic murder scenes in it, so I'm not too keen on just posting it in the usual places that are recommended without looking into it a bit more. I know about many different websites, and have used several subs like r/DestructiveReaders , etc, but does anyone have a good rec for where to look for feedback on horror/thriller type writing that involves murder and such? submitte”
“I just finished this first draft and I need feedback for it (I know this is probably the laziest cover you could ever see but I don't really know how to make covers ok!) Little summary: In a world after the civilization came back from a devastating war, people has to rely on special equipment to survive, little did they know, these tools would be the very tool the most mischievous serial killer knows to man would use to kill them all https://docs.google.com/document/d/12bjfdc6sA43I6Ic437GO3F”
“In the Shadow of the Sun Tia'tiel is a clay mage who hides her curiosity behind her masks, fulfilling her job with a practiced smile. Questions are dangerous, inquisitiveness more so. When strange occurrences, unknown visitors and the revelations of lies within sacred doctrine bring Tia's curiosity to a boil she will have to decide how far she will go to learn the truth of her world. Endido is daughter of the Goddess of the Sun. Unlike her mother and sister she is made of shadow, an anat”
“I just finished putting all seven of my short stories into one Google Doc and (hopefully) put them in the proper format for publishing. I would highly appreciate it if someone could take a look and give their thoughts, letting me know if I did something incorrectly, things I need to add/remove, etc, Keep in mind, this book will be published 100% independently through Amazon KDP, no publisher deals or anything of the sort, just me. I’m also completely new to this and have zero experience. My only”
“I would like some feedback on a science fiction dark romance concept that I have. This is a rough outline so please be kind. The story takes place hundreds of years in the future when humanity is at war with an insect-like alien race. The FMC commands a platoon of human troops against the aliens. She is humanity's greatest war hero and their greatest military leader, revered by her allies and feared by her enemies. However, despite all of her accomplishments, she finds herself feeling alone”
“Just looking for feedback or advice on my writing. Thank you to anyone who has the time to do so! submitted by /u/Bastionism [link] [comments]”
“Heyy guys! i’m writing a dark romantic suspense/mystery book and looking for readers to check out the first 10 chapters! Blurb: Sofia’s brother died in a suspicious "accident," and she refuses to let it go. Digging into his encrypted files leads her straight to a shadow operation in Madrid—and into the orbit of Alexander Moretti. Alexander is cold, calculating, and secretly owned the shell firm her brother used right before he died. Now Sofia’s getting anonymous texts warning her to”
“I'm a writer working on short supernatural and psychological horror stories. Do you enjoy this kind of fiction? submitted by /u/StoryBrewer [link] [comments]”
“I’m new to writing and I been a big fan of horror fiction and the story isn’t finished “Crack.” My eyes open instantly after I hear the crack. I look at my clock. It’s flashing at 2:57 AM my power went out again. I got up and opened my side drawer, grabbing the flashlight. I hear the click of the flashlight. A beam of light comes out the tip. I head to the door of my room. My eyes are still adjusting to the light. I got out of the house and went to the breaker box. As I’m fiddling with the rusti”
“Summary: Mirror girl wants to trade places with Real girl WC: 2000 Does this story flow well? Do you feel the tension? Is the writing too stiff? Does the story make sense? Do you like it? Thanks in advance! https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WhDSU8n7yMd1DZSja6vHSj9HGdALBDG2unalryKHYW4/edit?usp=sharing submitted by /u/ellielovesbooks [link] [comments]”
“Hi all. I’d love some feedback on this bit from my current work, or even just thoughts on what you like, what works, and how this exchange makes you feel. I’m about 95k words into my first draft of a supernatural story (with some romance too) I’m aware there is a lot of description here, and I genuinely love to build atmosphere as I write. While I’m loving the process of working on this thing, it gets harder to be objective as I go along, and nobody has really read any of this yet, so it all fee”
“https://docs.google.com/document/d/1irNe5Zb1lFiZk9bQKi7-HE8ZgE0eaxNXtF4G0TTOymU/edit?usp=drivesdk Here is my Poe-inspired short story. I have written a book of short stories but this one is an outlier. It's not related to it in anyway. I would like some feedback about Is the language in this too stiff and archaic sounding for a modern audience? Is it clear to you what is happening/has happened in the story? Do you find my use of Latin phrases off-putting? (I use it as a vehicle to help drive”
“Hi! I’m working on a Curse of Strahd fanfic for fun and would love to find one or two people interested in exchanging feedback. The story is a gothic fantasy slow burn centred on Strahd and an original female character who enters Barovia voluntarily and is considerably less intimidated by him than he expects. Their dynamic is built around power, mutual fascination, political tension and two very stubborn people testing one another’s boundaries. It is atmospheric and character-driven rather than”
“This takes place in a gothic-medieval victorian world blended together. This world is not simple, but open to what is unknown. I wrote this in 15 minutes. The sky is pale. There are partial clouds in sight. Slight breeze. Meridith, walked the fields of endless grass. Her black draconic scaled armor had a fizzling effect, showing this black smoke flowing upward from the joints. She’s bruised up, battled damaged. She not only carried a sword but the head of a man. This man wasn’t just anyone. He w”
“Hi everyone! I’m currently launching my first independent short stories (my work focuses mainly on psychological fiction, magical realism/stories, and neurodivergent perspectives), and I’m at that familiar stage where it feels like publishing into the void. I've been experimenting with social media, newsletter platforms, and community spaces, but I’d love to hear about the real-world experiences of this community: Which free strategies or channels worked best for you to build your first c”
“Hey everyone! I'd love to get some beta readers for my first novel. I've been working on this one for a long time, and it's time to get some outside eyes on it. You'll be a great fit if you like character-driven stories, slow-building tension, intense/destructive first love, morally messy characters, intergenerational trauma, or depictions of mental health and recovery. I'll include the full details about the story below. If you're interested in beta reading for me, pleas”
“Title: The Ghosts of Galdhø I had posted the blurb and specific genre of this novel before for separate feedback, though I am intentionally opting to omit them here because the prologue is self-contained and extremely distinct from the rest of the book. You would read the blurb and be extremely confused by what the prologue offers, which is why I'd like to get feedback on it in a vacuum. I will specify that the setting can be treated as contemporary (near enough future as to be entirely reco”
“Hi there! I’m developing a limited animated series and am looking for a couple readers who can give me a perspective outside that of my friends and colleagues, all of whom say what I have so far is great but I don’t tend to take that kind of feedback at face value even a little bit. I’m aware of and signed up for StoryPeer, but I was unclear if I was able to post unfinished work there for feedback or not, so here I am. I’m looking for a couple people who might be willing to be readers through th”
“Hello, good morning. I've dedicated years to creating a science fiction and fantasy universe, in which I've introduced concepts, rules, and an entire cosmology. This year I published my first book based on that universe. I'd like not only to write about this universe, but also for others to do so and develop it. Even if they wish to write their own stories within the universe, for my benefit, the idea is that each person retains the rights to their own stories (similar to SCP). (And”
“Its my third draft of my first book :) let me know what you think Prologue: It’s a dog eat dog world The vibration of too many voices from too many bodies crammed together like sardines made the air oppressively heavy. Sweat from them clung to the air, raising the humidity in the small basement to beyond tolerable. The stench made everything much worse. Unwashed bodies who’d shown up right after working in the blazing sun or industrial buildings with the airflow of a pressure cooker. The wolf sn”
“Sound is so integral to this script I absolutely give at least a taste of it on the pages. I was thinking of simply inserting them right in the action lines as some kind of bracketed note that looks like this: [SOUND: half-beat of dead air. Audience now dreads the chime. Then, THE CHIME, on the boy slipping away.] submitted by /u/SoNowYouTellMe101 [link] [comments]”
“I’m linking the first few chapters of my first novel. I feel like the first chapter is the weakest but I’m happy with the overall direction. Touchstones would be The Matrix Trilogy and Highlander (first movie only). submitted by /u/croaker227 [link] [comments]”
“For my entire childhood I’ve read books. Now I felt like writing my own. I currently have no experience in writing but still want to try it out, buuuut I need some help. The Story currently has no clear path as I’m just wiring as I go! Now I know the grammar is a bit iffy since I wrote this in like two hours (idek how two hours passed so fast) What I desperately need help with is telling if my story is on a good line and if the world I’m trying to build is solid. I’m trying to dwell into a dark”
“Hey all. Short bit about me before I begin. Last month I completed a 122k word novel. It was an idea I had in my head since I was a kid, and I finally committed the time to write the thing. So I finally gave it an editing pass, trimmed it down to 116k, and now I put it to beta readers. So my writing style is more of a slow burn as opposed to jumping straight into things. It resembles many novels I read as a kid (I am in my 40s). The question I am trying to ask is this: has anyone ever gotten a b”
“(Hi, I'm looking for feedback about my writing. Keep in mind i'm absolutely beginner, I can't make my dialogue dramatic, my writing is so boring, but I had fun doing it, my story genres are science fiction/military/cult/vampires. I was trying to come up with new story ideas, but this is the only thing in my mind. I didn't take any writing classes, so my writing is kinda cringe at the moment. If this was not obvious, I'm trying to make a novel, any piece of info and advice wil”
“Looking for feedback on a story I’ve been working on. It is a Dark Fantasy/Weird West as the closest genre description. I’ve just finished the first act, 13 chapters so far. 1/3rd of the planned story. If interested just shoot me a DM or comment and I can share the Google Drive link. Thanks! submitted by /u/baldr03 [link] [comments]”
“Im writing a book that im planning to publish, around 70% of that is Philosophical Horror, i know how to write that. but 30% of that is supposed to be Romance/slice of live novel. I really Cant write that genre, so i need someone who knows how to do that. if you might be interestet comment and i'll contact you. obviously if theres revenue, you will get your share of it which will not be less than 30%, maybe even more. submitted by /u/Synthix_Music [link] [comments]”
“Rashi runs errands for people who don't explain themselves. Glass eyes. Laser guns shaped like antiques. Paintings retrieved from museums nobody visits anymore. It's a living. Barely. The Drowning City has always been this way — acid rain, neon bleeding into floodwater, a motel that plays the same song until the song becomes structural. Rashi knows the city the way you know a bad relationship. Intimately. Grudgingly. Without any clear memory of when leaving stopped feeling like an option”
“I write poetry a lot as a coping mechanism and decided to experiment with write a short story instead. I really liked how this turned out but would love if more experiences people could take a lil peek at this and say what they think? The Fox and The Tree. The wild dogs chased the fox up into the tree, snarling and barking, but they could not climb. Their breath rose like white ghosts in the frigid air, dancing and looming as they circled the base. Eventually, the dogs left, and the fox realized”
“*This is just a small snipit of a story I'm working on. I want genuine input on if I have any ability in writing, or if I should just give up.* I tried so desperately to breathe, but no air came in. It was as if the air around me simply didn't exist. I could feel my lungs start to burn up, it was an agonizing pain. All I wanted at that moment was for it all to end. Then it did as everything turned black. No, that isn't right. It didn't turn black. It didn't turn anything. It”
“Any thoughts on this chapter of a story I’m writing? I would love any feedback or critique! The story is, as of now, in its very early stages and absolutely subject to change, so any suggestions would also be appreciated. submitted by /u/Lopsided_Act_1038 [link] [comments]”
“As the title says, I’m curious about the first impressions of the novel I’m revising. It’s a character driven story that starts off as literary fiction/dark comedy but slowly becomes science fiction/horror. I’m curious whether the humor lands, whether the dialog seems natural, and if you’d keep reading after this chapter? Big picture impressions are especially helpful. Thank you! submitted by /u/jakedillingerwriting [link] [comments]”
I have been editing this short story for 3 months and I think I am at phase where I need beta readers. I have sent my work to two really kind reddit…
“Hey everyone! I'm an amateur writer working on a story inspired by the real-life experiences of a friend's brother The premise is simple: he falls head over heels for a girl and confesses to her. She likes him too, but rejects him for a very nuanced reason. He keeps confessing every day, and she keeps turning him down. Years later, she finally accepts I know that probably sounds like hot garbage on paper, and maybe it is, but I really liked the story anyway (they're apparently still”
“In the novel I'm writing there are a lot of entities/creatures that live in an inter-dimensional world where they are all trapped, some fo them reaching the Lovecraftian category. This fragment from chapter 2 describes the first one to appear and sincerely it's one of the creepiest by far: "Ignoring my friends' warnings—they had chosen to keep their distance and watch from afar—I sprinted toward the commotion to see what was happening. After a brief but desperate struggle, the b”
“Hi everyone, This is a very rough draft from a YA post-apocalyptic/fantasy story I'm working on. Right now I'm mostly experimenting with character voice and dialogue, so I'm less concerned about grammar, punctuation, or sentence-level edits and more interested in reader impressions. Based only on this excerpt: • What can you infer about Micah and Zach? • How old do they seem? • What's your impression of their relationship? • Does the voice feel YA? • Would you keep reading? Any f”
“Hello. I'm just looking to gauge people's reaction to my first chapter. I want to make sure it draws the reader's attention. Any comment is welcomed. INTERVAL 01 – INITIATION The body was pinned to a tree with its limbs spread out in the shape of an X. We didn’t know for sure what was keeping it up there, but it seemed the thick, black, and viscous resin coating its hooves had something to do with it. Not that it weighed much. Aside from a few patches of skin under the chest area, mo”
“The competition is to write the beginning of a story of your chosen genre (I chose horror): As I sway side by side, I see dust fall from the rafters like the first falls of snow, snow I haven't yet felt in years. The iridescence of man faded from me as ants crawled upon my leg finding the soft spots, latching on and sucking my human essence out along with blood. My vision faded in the barn I decided to be my forever home, a home that seemed so close to what I truly wanted. The silk of aged a”
“The story is still in the draft so don't expect some things to change or something deleted or add it depends (also English is not my first language) Also the reason why the post looks like that i did a copy form another sub reddit r/world building that's why it's looks like that The story will be #The dao of the thousand road For people who don't know Dao=path or way And the genres will be Dark Fantasy • Psychological • Action • Philosophical • Tragedy The concept In a world wher”
“Script: Hello, my name is Skullio and I am an aspiring author who is currently in the process of trying to self publish my first book. What is this book? It’s called “Anzuverse: Chapter One”. What is the Anzuverse? The Anzuverse is a series of short horror stories that I have written over the past five years and are written to be within the same continuity. The Anzuverse currently consists of seven stories which make up “Chapter One” of this universe. Here’s a brief overview of each story: “Ms.”
“Chapter 1: Autumn Dreams I awoke from nocturnal nightmares lost in an autumn forest with nothing but my other senses. I was cold, dreary and alone , left here to discover what I desired most. Close by, among the pine trees, were chirping nightingales and a festering acrid smell of death. The smell was foul and pungent, and I knew its cause was close by. I followed the scent to its source and found that it came from a rotting corpse and by the corpses side was a sword and shield. I didn’t hesitat”
“How do you get to the point of sharing it, and then to a publisher. submitted by /u/Responsible-Ad7683 [link] [comments]”
“It's a letter from the main character that serves as epilogue/final chapter. submitted by /u/Miserable-Weird6529 [link] [comments]”
“https://docs.google.com/document/d/12hqgzyJMv6WUlQ9JpznZT4-G1rYzGaCdj7SGtou2ENU/edit?tab=t.0 I'm normally a fantasy writer but taking a stab at a more lit-fic style piece for a uni assingment. This is my first draft and the assignment said it has to be within a thousand words so I found it diffcult since my short stories are usually between 3000-5000 words. Thanks in advance. submitted by /u/Purple_Seaweed316 [link] [comments]”
“I’m writing a y/a contemporary romance, and I need some extra eyes to let me know if I’m doing good— or if there’s things that may need changed. So if you’re interested in that genre and are willing to help a writer out, it would be greatly appreciated (: Comment below if interested submitted by /u/dazzlingwordsxx [link] [comments]”
“Basically what the title says. I have a couple chapters where I fleshed out the main three characters. It’s kind of a drama, I guess? Here’s the beginning: I have an unconventional roommate. To be fair, I didn’t know about his secret until a few years ago. It’s a miracle he managed to keep it from me for so long. Did I tell anyone about it? Of course not! He wouldn’t appreciate that. He’s not nice to live with when he gets upset. But hey, all I have to do is keep his secret, give him a hand here”
“So this is 100% a recurring question here, but ive been getting jnto prose and horror literature recently, anf ive felt the itch to try writing something of my own, but I am not sure where to start. Ive got a few vague ideas, and my first guess would be to first expand on those ideas, pick one, solidify it, make a structure and then start writing, but how do you all approach the start to a project? I'm mainly looking at this from a short story/concept music perspective and any help would be”
“Hi everyone, I’m working on a short story called Always Friends? It’s currently around 6,700 words, though I may expand it slightly because there are a couple of missing chapters that fill in important emotional links. The story is an emotional erotic drama about three adults: Cody, Ellie, and Ben. It focuses on grief, longing, blurred boundaries, jealousy, emotional dependency, and the painful difference between being needed and being chosen. I’m not looking for line-by-line edits at this stage”