Rate Your Story is a membership service for kidlit authors offering critiques and ratings, and for that reason, I'd like to hear from others who've tried it, before signing up and paying.
Membership at the reduced price opens Nov. 1 and it cautions, it cuts off once it's filled. So there's some impetus to register and pay sooner, rather than later.
I'm interested because one of the things I've noticed in critique groups, with the exception of the two in-person groups I was in for an entire year (each), is that the first 100-150 pages get critted exceptionally well, and then the rest...not so much. There's lots of reasons for this. Members write new books that are really rough and need a lot of editing, so you read / go over the same few chapters multiple times. Some members move or drop out. And in general, the feedback you get as the group ages tends to dwindle.
And where my MSs need work, what I need to work on, is the dreaded middle.
I wonder if this service would help? It says you get professional ratings and comments on 18 submissions of 2,000 words with the paid membership. You can check out the reviewers here. Many are PB and CB writers, but there are some stellar novelists in the lineup.
But that isn't where I need to learn. I mean, I do. Everyone can always work on their openings to make them absolutely stellar! But it's the middle I specifically need to work on. You know, the rest of the story.
The membership page does mention, separately:
·*NEW* option for a full-critique or other add-ons with Members*Only pricing!
·Occasional special discount offers on full or professional critiques.
I poked around and found the prices. They seem super-reasonable: a full MS crit and rating is listed as $65. So, at the membership price of $165, plus $65, that's $230 for a full MS crit.
Compare that to a WriteOnCon Critique Boutique full MS crit price of $525. (Ooof! My blood pressure went up just typing that figure.).
So I'm definitely interested, but I'd like to hear from some authors who've done the full critiques first.
If you were a member of the group, and paid for the full critiques, please comment or send me an email (it's in my description on the home page)! I very much want to hear from you. Thank you!
