[OPEN] Astania's book club for those in search of a structured format and constructive feedback. Sign up to be placed in bi-weekly pairings, where you'll read six chapters and exchange extensive comments!
See our profile for other book clubs!
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Are you open to new members?
Yes! Unless we state otherwise, we are always open to new members. Please see the Form chapter for instructions on how to sign up.
Note that the club will be on break for the month of December, and the acceptance process may be delayed.
Can I be a member of both your clubs at the same time?
Yes! We welcome this. Please make sure you can complete all your assignments in a timely manner, though.
What are quality comments?
Quality comments are thoughtful and insightful comments left on a story. They are more than just "LOL" or multiple emojis. They show you are actively reading and have opinions and reactions about the narrative.
For assignments, you may make non-quality comments, but they will not be counted towards the minimum requirement.
Examples:
Quality comment: "The way you described the emotions here is so realistic and relatable! Great job!"
Non-quality comment: "lol mood"
What are outline comments? What about inlines?
Outlines are comments done outside the main text of the story. This means they are not attached to a paragraph; rather, they are done using the bottom of the chapter where there's a general comment adder. This is where you'll put your constructive criticism comment.
Inlines are the opposite. They're attached to specific lines in the chapter. At least 6 per chapter are required for every assignment. To add an inline comment, on desktop, hover your mouse over a line and click the plus sign to the right of the paragraph. On mobile, press the plus sign to the right of the paragraph.
What audience is my book intended for?
This should already be classified in your book, but generally:
Children's Fiction: <13 years of age
Young Adult: 13-18 years of age
New Adult: 18-25 years of age
Adult: 25+ years of age
Do stories need to have a minimum number of chapters to participate?
As of now, you only need 6 chapters to join the club. This is to ensure your partner can complete their assignment in full. However, you should strive to join when you have more than 6 chapters; while it is allowed to join with the minimum, it just means there will be less chapters for other members to read, and less feedback.
Does length matter for the comments?
No, but we both know whoever is receiving your comments will be very disappointed if you're just saying, "Great grammar!" or "Nice dialogue!" and we may not count it if it's a short and lazy comment. Make your comments effortful, and it will pay off for you. We promise.
The outline comment requirement requires over 100 characters, detailing what you liked about the chapter and what you thought could be improved (maybe only one or the other for specific chapters if you saw nothing of note).
To meet the minimum requirement, at least six inline comments per chapter must be thoughtful and insightful, plus the outline.
Do I have to vote on what I read?
No. Only vote if you enjoyed it. But it can brighten someone's day if you do vote.
Do I have to leave a tag in my comment?
The official tag for our book club is ABC (I know), but you can use any tag that would direct someone back to this club. So, for example, you'd say #ABC, and continue on with your comment as normal. This is by no means required, but appreciated for exposure. In addition, feel free to add the #AstaniaBooks tag to your book!
What counts as a chapter?
Any chapter with substantial, narrative content. You make the call when reading—it's suggested that, for example, if you're reading a very short prologue (i.e. 400 words), don't try to force your comments. Just move on to the first chapter and do your assignment like normal. We won't penalize you if the chapter genuinely isn't long enough to leave good comments. Non-narrative chapters such as author's notes, character aesthetics, and content warnings do not count as chapters for the purposes of this club.
What if my assignment doesn't have enough chapters to read?
Whether you've been assigned your buddy's story before or they don't have six chapters yet, you will only be responsible for reading as many story parts as are out. Please note, if you're considering applying with less than six chapters, we will likely only accept you if you're at five chapters and soon reaching six. But for our readers, you only have to read as much as you can. If that means you only have one chapter to read, then you have a light assignment!
What is the Discord server?
Our Discord server, The Writer's Hoard, is a marvelous server with fellow writers and readers. It's a tight-knit community that's open to everyone with contests, write togethers, movie nights, game nights, and much more. There's a lot of writing help as well, if that's what you're looking for. For more information, the link is in our Carrd in our bio!
How do Partners work?
If you like a member's story, you can ask them to be your partner. Partnering with another member will ensure you receive a book every assignment that you enjoy.
To ask someone to partner with you, leave an inline comment in your section under "Partner" and politely tag them with your request! If someone refuses, please respect their decision.
I want to join! Where do I sign up?
Awesome! See the "Forms" chapter to sign up, and we can't wait to have you!
