# Looking for novel reviewers (paid) **URL:** \ **Category:** Marketplace\ **Created:** [July 29, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719 "2011-07-29T08:28:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/1 "2011-07-29T08:28:53Z")
I’ve written a suspense novel for [Clive Cussler’s Adventure Writer’s Competition](http://www.cusslersociety.com/writers_competition.html) and I’ve already had a professional editor look at it. In the interests of getting as many eyes on it as possible, I’m turning to the Dope. Anyone can read/download the novel [here](https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B1JtraED8shnNTNiYjVlNzAtOGI1Yi00ZTQ2LTk4OTUtNjNlMWE5MTRmOWNk&hl=en_US), but I’m willing to pay eight Dopers $125 each for reviews. I’m not looking for professional critiques, but I’d like something more substantial than “don’t quit the day job.” If you’re interested, I have three requirements: [ol] [li]No lurkers. At some point in the not-too-distant past, you must have contributed enough to a conversation to verify your fluency in English.[/li][li]You must have a PayPal link or similar mechanism for me to pay you.[/li][li]You must PM me with your payment information. I’ll let you know if you’re one of the first eight Dopers.[/li][/ol] The novel is like a lot of spy thrillers: a secret organization has launched an evil plan and only the protagonists know anything about it. While the protagonists do their best to the thwart the plan, the organization has unleashed its agents of darkness to eliminate them. In the background, the lawful authorities are struggling to figure out what’s going on. Here’s where it gets weird. My two protagonists are Army sergeants who’ve taken an experimental drug that induces identity loss. One sergeant thinks he’s Robert E. Lee and the other thinks he’s Lord Horatio Nelson. This presents an element of comedy that some (including my editor) found off-putting. If this doesn’t interest you, please don’t read the novel. So there you are. I think of it as one part Ian Fleming, one part Tim Powers. But keep in mind that it’s my first novel, so don’t expect perfection. BTW, the novel is 381 pages long, approximately 94,000 words. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/2 "2011-07-29T20:32:30Z")
I’m in. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/3 "2011-07-30T19:23:30Z")
Seven reviewers so far. One spot left. There’s no rush, but if the reviews could be done by September 1st, the Thursday before Labor Day, that would be great. My main concern is the content - What parts of the novel do you find confusing or boring? If there’s anything in the novel that makes you want to set it down, please let me know. But all assistance is welcome, so if you feel like helping with typos, that’s great too. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/4 "2011-07-30T21:19:35Z")
And we have eight reviewers. My thanks to everyone for taking part. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/5 "2011-07-31T07:54:36Z")
Mis-post ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/6 "2011-07-31T17:35:12Z")
Do you want feedback from those of us that aren’t getting paid? I’ve done enough critiques of scholarly writing for my colleagues in the past, that I can at least offer in a unique ninth insight! ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/7 "2011-07-31T17:43:28Z")
Also, (not that I’m asking for such a file, since you rightfully have to be careful of such things on teh Inturrnetz) are you providing your reviewers with PDF or .doc files? Because it seems to me that had you asked me PERSONALLY to review the manuscript, I would rather like to use trackback commentaries right in MS-Word. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/8 "2011-07-31T18:59:00Z")
Hi **Antonio** , Thanks for your willingness to help. Anyone can download the PDF [here](https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B1JtraED8shnNTNiYjVlNzAtOGI1Yi00ZTQ2LTk4OTUtNjNlMWE5MTRmOWNk&hl=en_US), but if you’d prefer an MS-DOC version, please send me an email: mattscar at gmail dot com. In response to **astro** ’s post, you’re right: my novel is fairly odd. But I’ve always been disappointed with suspense-novel protagonists. You either have the James Bond type who can fight his way out of anything, or the Robert Langdon type who can barely fight at all. In the first case, it’s hard to sympathize with James Bond, and no one worries that he might fail. In the second case, Robert Langdon can never be placed in serious danger. The only real variation on this is Jason Bourne, who combines the vulnerability of the everyday Joe with the mysterious know-how needed to hold his own in a fight. My story has a SPECTRE-like evil organization, but that’s not the focus. My novel is intended to be character-driven, not plot-driven. I won’t claim to have succeeded - it’s my first novel after all. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/9 "2011-07-31T19:10:17Z")
I’ll give it a go - but if I’m hating it I won’t finish. I have no interest in the money anyway, so no worries on that score. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2011, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/10 "2011-07-31T19:35:46Z")
Thanks **Khadaji**! ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/11 "2011-08-01T04:07:37Z")
wish i’d seen this in time! reading for money? wouldn’t have to twist my arm. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/12 "2011-08-01T11:35:39Z")
> [@expectopatronum](#): > > wish i’d seen this in time! reading for money? wouldn’t have to twist my arm. Yeah, but you’d have spent all your time correcting Sefton’s unnecessary capitalization at the beginning of sentences. 😛 I might check it out for free, but I have to admit that I have a feeling your editor was right. Spy thriller + humor = Does not compute. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/13 "2011-08-01T19:26:49Z")
Was planning on giving this a go today - I have a lot of spare time where I’m at during the day - but couldn’t access it from the computer I was on. I’ll still try to give it a go when I can. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/14 "2011-08-01T19:59:42Z")
If you can’t get to the Google Docs site, or you’d prefer an MS-DOC file instead of a PDF, please shoot me an e-mail: mattscar at gmail dot com. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/15 "2011-08-02T06:31:04Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > I might check it out for free, but I have to admit that I have a feeling your editor was right. Spy thriller + humor = Does not compute. I don’t know: Harry Turtledove’s alternate histories, Bujold’s space operas and E. E. Knight’s Vampire Earth series all mix those elements to a certain degree, and all of them have quite a few books on the shelves. Spy thriller + slapstick, no. Spy thriller + main characters who are sometimes confused by the world around them due to loss of memory… will work if done right. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/16 "2011-08-02T09:38:46Z")
I liked it 🙂 Review coming… ---
**Author:** ![expectopatronum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/expectopatronum/32/173_2.png) [@expectopatronum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/expectopatronum)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/17 "2011-08-13T00:54:15Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Yeah, but you’d have spent all your time correcting Sefton’s unnecessary capitalization at the beginning of sentences. 😛 well, hmph. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/18 "2011-08-18T16:29:02Z")
Sent back. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/19 "2011-08-18T18:07:13Z")
Thanks, Nava! ---
**Author:** ![SandyPJN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SandyPJN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyPJN)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719/21 "2011-08-22T04:49:57Z")
I would love to be one of your reviewers. As far as competency with the English language, I was an editorial assistant with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service Scientific Publications Office, for what that’s worth, and I’ve tutored Engish and Spanish and taught ESL as well as written resumes, grant proposals and helped edit various dissertations and theses and the like…I can spell, and I enjoy the suspense/mystery/thriller genre(s) when I read for recreational purposes. I’ve also been on the wrong end of a divorce from a lawyer (when I didn’t think I needed one for myself because of course he wouldn’t do anything of the sort … yada yada…) and I am trying to re-establish some sort of a life without any kind of income to speak of, so this would be a wonderful experience - recreational reading that is also paid work! I’m probably much too late, but I just joined here, and I’d very much like to be an active participant wherever I might be able to contribute. As far as other general info, I’m not sure what to say other than I have a Liberal Arts degree and I have enough credits for another except for those pesky little math and science credits… I have the work experience but not the classroom credits. I’ve worked as an editor, proofreader, ghostwriter, and…well, I’m rambling. I just hope you will consider me. Thanks either way for your time! Good luck to you; it sounds like a great plot! Sandy [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-novel-reviewers-paid/590719.md?page=2)