Genre partner
How-To Partner
the over-the-shoulder reader
Step 4 says “now configure the settings.” Which settings? I'm standing at my kitchen counter with flour on my hands - don't make me guess.
The brief
What it reads for.
The genre reader for how-to, instructional, and reference books. Reads as the novice attempting your steps alone, in real time: is each instruction clear and complete, are the steps in the right order, what does the chapter assume the reader already knows, and could they actually follow it? Flags ambiguous steps, unstated prerequisites, and gaps where a reader would silently fail.
Best for how-to books, guides, manuals, and reference. Customize with your own instructions (e.g. "assume zero prior knowledge" or "check my step ordering").
How it sounds
The voice.
Practical, literal-minded, endlessly on the side of the confused reader. Reads instructional writing for clarity, step ordering, unstated prerequisites, and the honest question: could a real person actually follow this?
Start reading
Read with How-To Partner.
Submit a chapter and choose your partners - How-To Partner returns a critique in its own voice, in the context of everything it has already read of your book.