I'm the author of How to Escape the Prison of Sadness, a nonfiction book that explains where happiness and sadness actually come from, and how to create happiness at will. It is not a typical self-help book. I'm looking for honest gut reactions from everyday readers to the first 93 pages before publication.
This is a reader-reaction job only. The manuscript is final. I am not looking for editing, proofreading, developmental editing, or critique services, and proposals offering those will not be considered.
Who I'm looking for
• Men roughly 18 to 35 are a strong fit, though anyone curious about the title is welcome to apply
• You do NOT need to be a self-help reader. If you're skeptical of self-help books but the title makes you curious, you may be exactly who I want
• Native or fluent English reader who reads for pleasure
What you'll read
About 93 pages: a short author's note, the introduction, Part One ("Hope"), and the core of the theory. Title page, disclaimer, and table of contents are included but are quick to skim.
A note on "The Story of Stories" in Part One: this section borrows classic story structure only as a metaphor to show readers they are not at the end of their story but at its turning point. Please don't critique it as story-structure craft. Just tell me whether the metaphor worked for you as a reader.
What I need back
Please read it as if you'd picked the book up in a store, then answer:
1. Would you buy the full book to finish it? Yes or no, and why.
2. Where did your attention drift, if anywhere? Give the page number.
3. Did anything confuse you, put you off, or feel wrong? Point to the exact page and passage.
4. Which ideas or lines stuck with you? List as many as you noticed, with page numbers, and mark the one that hit hardest.
5. In your own words, what is this book promising to do for you?
Every reaction must point to the page and passage that caused it. General impressions without examples aren't useful to me. Honest "this lost me" answers are worth more than praise.
Terms
• Fixed price: $100 for the full read and written answers
• All feedback is delivered in full as part of the fixed fee, with no follow-up services
• Turnaround: within 5–7 days of receiving the file
• The excerpt is confidential and not for distribution
To apply, answer these two questions in your proposal
1. After reading the title How to Escape the Prison of Sadness, what do you expect this book to do for you? Would you pick it up? Why or why not?
2. What are the last two or three books you read for fun?
Proposals that skip these questions will not be considered.
