Random House Fiction Editor Critiques

Each month on YouWriteOn.com fiction editors from Random House, publisher of writers such as John Grisham & Bill Bryson, and Orion, publisher of writers such as Ian Rankin, read and feedback on the highest rated stories on the YouWriteOn Top Ten chart.


The three highest rated novel openings in the YouWriteOn Top Ten at the start of each month receive an indepth critique from Random House or Orion if they haven't previously received a longer indepth critique. For stories that have received an indepth critique previously, they can upload their story again six months after they get a indepth critique if they wish to try and qualify again for another indepth critique. This gives further opportunity for professional feedback after development, while giving other talented new writers fresh opportunities to get professional feedback.

The other stories in the top ten at the start of each month, including novel openings and short stories, receive a mini-review from fiction editors at Random House or Orion. They can qualify for two of these if the same story upload should feature in the top ten again on the 1st day of a subsequent month. The following are the mini-reviews from a Random House fiction editor this month:


Click here to view all the Top Ten Stories this year


Random House Professional Critique for Silverfish by C. S. Ntumy

I really enjoyed this and would definitely like to read on. I was intrigued by Miro and warmed to Maya instantly. I liked the way Miro seems almost other-worldly, particularly given how this ties in with the revelation that comes later.


I think the opening’s very strong and really draws the reader in, making them want to know more. It’s pacy and I like the early twist, which actually I wasn’t expecting at all!


I think you have a good writing style and some of your phrasing is lovely. I really felt like I’d entered Maya’s world even after just these few pages. I warmed to her and also felt rather sorry for her.


In fact, I’m rather struggling to find anything I don’t like about it! I’d like to read more and see exactly where the story goes. I hope you sustain what’s a great start in the rest of the narrative.

Random House Professional Critique for Postcode by Kate Hanney

Knife crime, especially in London, is a really contemporary issue and there have been a number of titles for young adults on that subject recently, many of which have been extremely good.


I liked what I read of this and thought it had a relevant contemporary feel, particularly the dialogue. However, one thing I wasn’t totally sure of was where you were taking the story. I think the opening is very hard-hitting, but I wasn’t sure whether we would now follow Jase in the Young Offenders’ Institute?


I was also slightly sceptical about Jase’s conviction. Miscarriages of justice do occur, but wouldn’t the police be able to test the knife and check the fingerprints and then see that Al’s were on top of Jase’s? I also wasn’t totally convinced that Al, a generally nice guy, would just turn on someone who’d been trying to help him and lie in Court. I’m not sure it all adds up. It might be worth doing a bit of research and perhaps adding in some more contextual detail to make this part of the story a little more convincing perhaps.


This seems to be aimed at an older teenage audience and I think it is worth being aware that that area of the market is quite a difficult one to publish into because most older teens read adult books and as I mentioned above there are also already a number of books out on this topic. That said I did like what I read and I think it’s a promising start.


Random House Professional Critique for bcc by Daniel Lewis

Congratulations on being well rated by your peers on YouWriteOn. I have read stories in the press about people sending personal emails at work which then end up in the public domain so this story has a contemporary feel.
I did however really struggle to sympathise with any of the characters – they all seemed pretty unpleasant. One could sympathise with the pain the narrator felt at being cheated on by her boyfriend, but she seemed a vindictive and condescending character, who by her own admission found it difficult to be friends with anyone. Luke’s a liar and a cheat and his friends don’t seem to be a nice bunch either.

I also found it quite naïve of Luke to not realise that, although the narrator shouldn’t hack into his emails, she would probably have the expertise to do so, given that she works in IT and at the same company. Surely he would have been a bit more careful that he seems to have been?

I’m sorry this isn’t more positive. I hope you aren’t too disappointed by the above criticisms. You are of course entitled to ignore them, and you should certainly not be discouraged, because you have clearly been well rated by your peers.