Alpha readers
First eyes on the mountain.
Alpha reading is a private, invitation-adjacent program. You'll read rough drafts and offer craft-level feedback. This is not for the faint of heart.
What this involves
Early, messy, and honest.
Alpha readers receive chapter-by-chapter drafts, often delivered out of order and sometimes mid-revision. You’re reading the raw material before it becomes a book — before structural decisions are locked, before the prose has been polished, before even the author is sure it’s working. That is, by design, uncomfortable.
What’s needed is detailed structural and emotional feedback — not proofreading, not reassurance. Does the scene land? Is the pacing dragging? Does this character’s motivation hold? Alpha reading requires genuine craft engagement, real time, and the discretion to hold unpublished work with care.
Alpha reading spots are very limited and filled primarily through personal referral. This form adds you to the waitlist.
Alpha reader requirements
What I need from you.
- Able to commit 4–8 hours per reading cycle
- Comfortable with rough, unpolished prose
- Willing to provide detailed written feedback
- Discretion about unpublished content
- Familiarity with the fantasy genre
- Direct and honest — no need to protect my feelings
Join the waitlist
Express your interest.
I'll reach out when a spot opens. Please be detailed — it helps match the right readers to the right books.
The Dragon Watch
A letter from the mountain, every Sunday.
Quiet observations, small revelations, and the latest on works in progress. No marketing (except for my books). No “tips.” Just the Dragon Watch.