Alpha Readers Wanted for Murder in Heliopolis

As you may already know, Murder in Heliopolis, my solarpunk thriller/murder mystery, is going to be my main project for 2024. I already know that there are a few edits that will need to be done, but I'd also like to have a round of alpha readers take a look at it and let me know their thoughts so I can maybe keep in mind other things I hadn't previously considered.

In particular, I want to know a little more about:

• Characters: Which characters you liked/disliked, which characters you felt were underdeveloped, which characters/decisions made sense and which didn't, etc.
• Settings: Descriptions that were good/bad, settings that felt interesting/boring, settings you wished you got to learn a little more about, etc.
• Plot: Pacing and progression - did it feel good, slow, too fast, or inconsistent? (Disregard the ending; I know that was a bit abrupt and it will be one of the first elements I'll be changing.)
• Anything else that sticks out to you - things you liked/disliked, for example, or things that didn't make sense to you at all.

Since this is pre-edit, and since the whole draft is published on Royal Road, I'm not going to be doing a sign-up sheet, and I'm keeping the process a bit loose. What I'm doing instead is I'll be adding Qs for alpha readers at the end of each chapter, in hopes that my alpha readers can either comment on each chapter or send me their feedback in a private message on RR.

(If you don't want to make an RR account, we can find another way - perhaps commenting on a specific post on my blog or reblogging a post here on tumblr with your notes or something along those lines?)

As I get a new draft done, I'll set up a call for beta readers, and that one will be a little more organized, with sign-up sheets and all that good stuff. Alpha readers will get priority.

If that sounds like something you'd be willing to do, check out Murder in Heliopolis and please let me know your thoughts!

Once again - no need to sign up to be an alpha reader. Just take a gander at the story and let me know your thoughts.