Randal with one L

August is my favorite month of the year. No, I’m not going to explain why. Other than it being my birth month, I don’t really know the why.

So what is on my agenda for this wonderful month of August:

• Do a book signing at Dragon’s Lair the wonderful everything comics, gaming, and cosplay store here in Austin. (Completed)
• Finish the draft and first round of rewrites for the sequel of Etiquette of Aeons. (45% complete)
• Work with my artist and obtain cover art for said sequel. (10% complete)
• Treat my wife to at least one nice dinner. (Pending)
• Get my son through a crazy summer and back into school. (80% complete, 4th grade here we come!)
• Obtain some honest feedback on Etiquette of Aeons.

It is that last point that I really want to speak to now.

I am not an incredibly social person, and like many in the gaming and nerd community I must force myself out of a shell. At first glance, writing seems a perfect way to do this; it’s remote, personal, and allows sharing of ideas without all that pesky eye contact. It also leads to a problem for some writers, including myself, the fear of rejection or criticality.

This is something that is common in the community I run within, self-confidence often runs on fumes and there is a strong desire for others to like or enjoy any content created. I want people to have fun reading my book, find a gem of ingenuity in a Magic: The Gathering deck I brew up, or discover wisdom in whatever random fact I have processed and felt the need to share. There is little I fear more than having those illusions shattered, even if I know they are impossible to maintain.

As a writer I need critical feedback, I need to know what I did wrong just as much as I need to know what I did right. I had hoped to depend on reviews from Amazon to cover this need and that was a mistake. I had previously decided to limit the number of beta readers, to not join local writing groups, and just close my eyes and hope that everyone loved my work.

While I am still not comfortable posting chapters in semi-public forums or vastly expand my beta reader network I do need feedback and real criticism especially as I finish writing the second book.

So a call to arms is required! Please, please give me some honest feedback. I want to know what you didn’t like as much as I want to know what you did. Fill up the comment section here with all the dirt and mud you can stand, tell me what you really think.