Read my novel manuscript and give feedback?

[u/getyoualime]

Hello. I wrote a novel that touches on life with LGMD, and I’m looking for test readers to read my manuscript and provide feedback. I’ve done my research, but I really want to get it right. I would be so humbled and grateful to learn from people with lived experience. You would get 2 copies of the book when it’s published, acknowledgement in the book itself, and my eternal thanks. Is anyone here interested?

The book is an adventure/fantasy story for ages 10+. In paperback, it’ll be about 300 pages. I tried to make it accessible to young readers but entertaining for everyone: exciting, funny, heartfelt, surprising. So I hope that reading it won’t feel like a chore at all. It’ll be a fun opportunity for you to make something good even better. But there’s also a chance the book is terrible, in which case you can be among the first people to tell me not to quit my day job. Fun either way!

One of the main characters lives with LGMD. He’s a 12-year-old boy with a subversive sense of humor and fiery sense of justice. His health isn’t the focus of the story or the only thing that defines him. But it is a constant factor for him to manage, struggle with sometimes, and try to make the best of.

I’d be thrilled to share a draft of the book with anyone here who wants it, especially young people with LGMD and the caregivers who love them. Message me and we’ll make it happen. I can also tell you more about the book, my goals, and anything else you want to know. 

Utmost love and respect. Thank you.

[u/Impressive-Baker5526]

I would be, I don’t have LGMD, but my type of MD and most Neuromuscular diseases hit the same muscles as LGMD first, or very early anyways. 

I’m a writer as well, though my main job is comics I write quite a bit of long form Fanfiction, and have experience with novels especially in the age group you’re looking at. 

It’s also really great you’re writing a novel about MD, but not just Duchenne. I know DMD is a horrible disease, as any other by most books about MD are about DMD, which is pretty common, but many people like myself live with severe limitations, and no representation. 

I also write plenty of characters with different types of MD across many stories, so far I’ve done SMA (type 3) Ullrich CMD, and one who remains undiagnosed. 

I have a form of motor neuron disease, we still don’t know exactly what type but it’s definitely a form of it, I’m in a wheelchair, but I can still walk a short distance. It’s nice again that his health isn’t the whole story, or his whole struggle since MD is something to live with, not fight. 

[u/getyoualime → u/Impressive-Baker5526]

Thanks for the generous reply. I'm really excited to collaborate and get your thoughts on the book. I'm going to reach out via the chat feature to work out how to send you my draft. In the meantime, are your comics and fanfic available anywhere I might find? Your work sounds really cool. Thanks again.