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This sounds heartfelt, and yes, we& #39;ve all been there. So follow the hashtag to collect them all! #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP https://twitter.com/tadethompson/status/1252986233854230529">https://twitter.com/tadethomp...
1. If you& #39;re a writer, chances are you get regular requests from people to "just look over" their manuscript. Some of these people are friends; others are total strangers. Either way, they should know better, and it& #39;s okay to tell them so. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
2. Reading and critiquing a manuscript is a specialist job. Some people make a living from it. By asking a writer to do it instead, you& #39;re not only assuming they& #39;ll work for free, you& #39;re asking them to take someone else& #39;s job. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
3. Obviously, most people who make this request probably don& #39;t realize how rude they& #39;re being, or how much of the writer& #39;s time it would take for them to do the job properly. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
4. But reading a manuscript takes time, and so does writing feedback. A professional manuscript evaluator might spend a week on a job like this, and would (quite rightly) charge accordingly. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
5. Some authors get dozens of these requests per week. Even if they wanted to, they wouldn& #39;t have time to respond to them all. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
6. It& #39;s easier to refuse such a request from a stranger. But when the request comes from someone you know, it can feel like an obligation. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
7. But unless you& #39;re in a writing group in which you routinely critique each others& #39; work, it& #39;s usually a mistake to approach another writer - even if they& #39;re a friend - for feedback on a manuscript. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
8. If the writer knows you, it may be embarrassing for both of you if they think your manuscript isn& #39;t of a publishable standard, and their saying so might jeopardize your relationship. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
9. Quite apart from the etiquette issue, there& #39;s a practical copyright issue, too. A professional writer just can& #39;t afford to put themself in a position where someone might accuse them of having stolen their unpublished idea. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
10. So if you need feedback on your work, hire a professional editor or manuscript evaluator. Yes, it costs money. Most services do. But if you& #39;re starting a writing career, you don& #39;t want to do it by taking other writers for granted. #TenReasonsNotToAskAWriterToReadYourWIP
