It's also that this particular book, or what I've read it, needs so much work. SO much. It was the first ms. she ever completed, which is great, but if you ask me, it's one for the box under the bed unless she's willing to, like rethink the entire plot.

That's a serious editorial letter, not a few thoughts. Blech.

"Can you read my whole book and give me your thoughts?"

I hate this part. Because ... I could get paid for that.

Oh, my. I think that's one of the questions a pubbed author has to field a LOT though. PITA.

Send her my way, and tell her peeps get paid $60/hour to do it...REALITY CHECK.

I agree with Liese. Set the boundaries now.

I hate this part. Because ... I could get paid for that.

"That's kind of you to ask, and I know this book is important to you. I don't have a lot of time beyond this writers' group, so I think we should probably stick to the pagecount/boundaries agreed on here."

That's also a huge ask the day after a first group.

Don't misunderstand - I've read books for people, and will again - and have had very generous folks offer to read my ms. as well - it's not that. It's a huge ask when you're just coming into a group, and you haven't offered anything like this to anyone within the group (but you could be working your way towards doing it for everyone if you do it for her, which? NO. You have projects on the table, missy.)

Oh, I get it, believe me. I'm just sort of amazed she did ask, the day after she met me.

Yes. Me too.

You are very busy, Amy.

Don't misunderstand - I've read books for people, and will again - and have had very generous folks offer to read my ms. as well - it's not that. It's a huge ask when you're just coming into a group, and you haven't offered anything like this to anyone within the group

THIS, as my addendum to my earlier remark.

Yeah, I'll read a book for a friend, no problem. For someone I just met (and I'm betting because I'm a former editor as well as published)? That is asking a lot.

It really drove home, too, that I need to buckle down and figure out what proposal I'm going to ... propose. Four ideas enter, one leave. But I'm worried now that it's going to take a while -- I sat with Cold Kiss for a few months before I did much with it, mostly because it was still brewing. And then I hadn't had that time with Glass Heart, and writing it was a hell of a lot harder.

I may post the four basic ideas in here tomorrow just to get some feedback, if anyone's up for it.

I may post the four basic ideas in here tomorrow just to get some feedback, if anyone's up for it.

I'd be very up for it!

Also, asking someone you'd just met to read an entire manuscript and give detailed feedback for free? Not cool. Although I do suppose I would have pulled shit like that back in my early 20s. I was just. that. clueless.