Hello! My name is Victoria, and I'm writing a book on the insanity of my life. As a schizoaffective, autistic, trans juggler and alchemist, I often have a hard time understanding people, as I'm sure the feeling is mutual. I'm looking for people to tell me if what I'm saying in the introductory part of my book conveys itself well enough that a layman to the life I live can at least walk away understanding what I meant. With talk on the CIA, aliens, the Illuminati, and God, I expect there to always be those people who don't believe me or think I'm just a nutter, but it would be nice to know how well I reach the average person instead of just relying on other eccentrics like myself to give me feedback.

That's the gist of what I'm looking for in a beta-reader; someone who can help me set the stage at the beginning of the book so I don't immediately lose readers because it's too obtuse. I'd of course appreciate any feedback you have to give me, but my goal is to put a [completed] tag on these first seven chapters and finally move on to editing the later parts and then writing the last few chapters. I'm holding off on doing that currently because I have to make sure I covered certain things properly before I can carve the finale out of stone.

Ok, now for what the book's about. It's called Of Vic and Vince and it tells the story of how my best friend taught me to love unconditionally. But, that's not all! See, throughout the book, I go on extended flashbacks to my past where I tell the stories of how my mom died, how my dad abused me, how I got over my crippling social anxiety through juggling, how I realized I was a woman (it was an acid trip), and speaking of acid, I have to also mention the time where I thought the CIA contacted me on an acid trip which led to a six-year psychotic break where I would join a cult, escape to become homeless as I traveled across America, and even tried creating a cult of my own (protip: it was a sex cult) is present as well.

Bizarre, right? Well, I think I've got one hell of a story brewing. I'm seventy-seven thousand words into writing it and it just keeps growing as I add more and more good stuff to it. But, all of that is a mute point unless I make sure the initial hook of the story pulls readers in en masse. So far what I got in these chapters is a meeting between two internet friends and a gradual reveal into their new life together, which should be both relatable and alien for the typical person. I've been told it's interesting, but I've only showed it to people who already like my writing, so I likely got some bias in my critiques.

So, here's what I want from you. I want to send you a Google docs link with the first seven chapters and have you comment on it before giving me a short synopsis of your thoughts on what you just read. Anything you can say will be appreciated, but as stated I'm mainly interested in how you interpret the stranger elements of my story. I'm very thick skinned and eager to make my writing the best it can be, so really let me know if I've lost you. Although, having said that, some of the things I say are not meant to be explained until the next series of chapters, which are a flashback to six years prior explaining the strange circumstances of how Vince and I met. I still think what I have prior to those chapters is adequate at painting the picture that I'm crazy, but I'm still sane. Human, at the very least.

Oh! I almost forgot, I start each chapter off with a little poem. They're there for you to enjoy, and I'd accept feedback on them too, but I know what my poetry is and isn't, and it is doing an excellent job providing additional pedagogical material to the book. Which reminds me of something else that slipped my mind. This book will be entertaining, but I also want it to be educational/inspirational. If you could tell me if I've opened your mind to something like how free will is a skill or how love is the most important force in the universe, let me know. I keep it low-key so not to overload the reader with what I call Awakening Propaganda.

So, hit me up and I promise you won't be bored. If I like your freedback, I'd like to invite you to read other sections of my book, but that will be done piecewise, because I am a little paranoid about someone stealing my hard work and submitting it as fiction to some publisher. Irrational I know, as things like the sex cult are a bit disturbing and I think I'm the only one with the balls to admit how deranged I was in my psychosis. Now I'm just rambling. I think that was a good, extensive request, and I look forward to hearing from y'all!

Edit: after reading the automoderator comment. I've decided to include a link to the Google doc in question, so no need to message me for requesting access. Still want comments and a short synopsis of your thoughts though.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nMtGoWKwHtZF_ZhxE58I138zvzyQoZWpsjQQFPYvMaI/edit?usp=drivesdk

2nd Edit: very willing to swap manuscripts with someone also submitting a novellette length work!