Beta Readers

No, I'm not ready for beta readers. I've goofed off most of the summer. I guess there is a first time for everything.

Recently I was reminded again how lucky I am to have the beta readers I have. It took a bit of prodding, but they eventually understood that telling me they love every word wasn't helpful. I do want to know what they like and what works - so I don't change those parts, because after a couple of rewrites it all looks like crap to me.

What really helps is when they point out problems like they got lost in the dialogue or there was no transition to a location change, which was confusing.

Sometimes they will say, find another word (you're over using this one), this sentence needs changing (it doesn't make sense), or this paragraph is out of place. Usually when a sentence needs to be rewritten, there is no fixing it, it needs DELETED.

I'm not afraid of the delete button. I have been known to cut 5,000 words in a weekend marathon read.

The thing is, no one's first or second draft is ready to shop. The first few drafts are to bang out the story - from beginning to end. If an ms is shopped before its time, that lit agent or publisher has been lost. Once they reject an ms, they don't want it back - unless they say the story has merit, but rewrites are needed.

Usually I won't read for anyone who won't make changes or take suggestions. Why bother to read for them? It is simply a waste of time. All they want is to be told it is wonderful and frankly that is their mom's job, not mine.

Most of the time, when someone calls their ms their baby, they aren't ready for useful beta reads. Let's face it, we think our kids are wonderful. We aren't supposed to be objective and detached about our kids, but we are supposed to be objective about our mss during the rewrite stage.

So if someone reads for me and says it is wonderful, I either figure they love me very much and can't see the trees for the forest or they have no clue about writing. Same goes for crit groups when no useful suggestions are given or taken. It is a waste of time, unless it is serving the purpose of a feel good session - but it is also a set up for lots of rejection letters from literary agents.

It is a good mix to have reading maniacs and writers (two different groups) on your beta reader list. Readers can point out what works and doesn't work for the general public. Writers can point out craft tool errors. Friends help friends, not whitewash the truth about their ms.

So there is that, find yourself really good beta readers.

First Draft

If you read last week's posts you had to notice right off that first drafts are no where near the end result. That's why I keep saying that a finished manuscript isn't finished until rewrites have been done, beta readers have gone through it, and an editor (not an English major from University) has put their ink stained fingers on it too.

Why not an English major as your editor? Simple, there is more to producing a good book than perfect grammar, though that is important. I like to have a couple of English geeks as beta readers because they do catch HUGE goofs. Also, I have a couple of very serious readers as beta readers because they will let NO bogus stuff pass in the story line or with the characters. Plus book editors add a dose of commercialism to the book by sending it back to the writer to add or subtract scenes and characters.

Frankly, some very prolific writers do just the first draft and hand the ms off to their team to polish, while they go off and write the next book. How else do you think they crank out so many books in a year?

So the posts last Thursday and Friday are the first time though drafts. They are flat. The characters, set, and secondary characters are just bare bones and need fleshing out on the rewrites. And it will happen. The book excerpts on my website are further along in the process, yet even those aren't the final edition. The lesson here is not to judge a writer by drafts or excerpts posted on the internet. They might be the finished product, or as in my case, only a representation of what is in the book. The published book IS the finished product.

Go look at the excerpts and compare the writing to last weeks blog posts. See the difference? http://www.nadinelamanbooks.com/

And thank you for taking the time and interest to reading what I write.

So far the vote is: ACT = 6 and RPR = 4. I should have set up a poll for you, but didn't think of it in time. Oops!

Test readers

It is amazing to watch a reader when they get a book in their hand. They look it over, read every word on the cover, then start leafing through it. I know someone who always reads the last chapter first. Others read the first few pages, still others skim through stopping randomly to read until they decide the book worthy of their time.

Writers get the same high from writing. It is a good match -- readers and writers.

Once in a while a reader will contact the author and tell what they liked about a book, or maybe didn't like.

I love hearing from readers. The first bunch I hear from are my beta readers. They test the story and ask questions that help with the final polishing before it goes to the editor. There are several kinds of edits that occur: content editing (which my beta readers do); grammar, punctuation, and spelling; and proof reading or line editing.

It takes a long time to produce a book.

I was lucky enough to catch my friend in England, Carrie, reading the last couple of chapters of Storm Surge. We had our web cameras on and I watched her read.

Her eyes quickly moved back and forth. Once in a while she made a face or smiled, even laughed. It was amazing. I've never seen anyone read my books before. I wanted to interrupt and ask what part she was reading and what she liked about it. But I didn't.

Writers don't get the audience's applause at the end of a book, like a singer does. Watching her read was a rare treat. I hope the rest of you enjoy it as much as she did.

My beta readers are: Judith McKee, Jan Zitek, Mary Edington, Carrie Sheppard, and Ilene Wood. Personally, I think these women are the best team on the planet. Thank you, Ladies!

Oh...almost forgot. Watch for my May newsletter, there is going to be something very different about the cover of Storm Surge.

Newsletter link: http://nadinelamanbooks.com/newsletter.html