The Point of Beta Readers
I know, you are probably waiting with baited breath, or at least pretending to, on information about that cryptic NaNoWriMo project. Surprisingly, I haven't finished yet.
I don't have a title.
Or a cover - because of lack of title mostly.
So that reveal will have to wait.
Some of you might even be waiting for an announcement about The Trouble With Chasing Aileen - The Hastings Sisters number 2. - Soon. I promise. Final rewrites and Beta reads got caught in the middle of finals (for the Beta) and NaNoWriMo (me).
Now, to the point of the blog - Betas. What are they good for. (Absolutely nothing!)
Joking. Joking. That's a dig at my current Beta who is only still around because she's my best friend and she's in college while dealing with a four year old. Betas aren't perfect, after all. They can't spend all their time reading over your manuscript.
Why? It's my livelihood isn't it?
That's right. It's YOUR livelihood and, if you are poor like me (What? Indie Authors don't get paid much. Many of us have second jobs. Third jobs. You get my point.) you can't afford to send your manuscript off to some company who will look over it with a fine tooth comb.
But if 'I' can find time to write, why can't my Beta find the time to read? That may be crossing your mind at this point.
Betas Readers do more that just read. And you might be sending them so many manuscripts to read over.
Maybe you are taking the traditional route and want your manuscript perfect before you send it out to agents. Maybe you are taking the Indie Self-Published route and want it perfect before you hit submit.
Here's the thing. It won't be perfect. There is always that typo or misused word that some lovely reader - or yourself - will pick up on later. And here's the thing, even well-establish authors have the same mistakes. Susan Elizabeth Phillips realized that there was a typo in her first edition of one of her latest (I don't recall the exact latest - I think it was First Star I See Tonight). Julia Quinn messed up an eye color of one of her characters in her Bridgerton Series (either Francesca or Eloise).
But those are romance authors you say. Even romance authors - and check out the stats on romance novels if you are a naysayer - have to tackle the writing process.
Outlines.
Plots.
The Rough Draft.
Drafts 2- infinity
The Beta Readers and Editors
Revisions
The Beta Readers and Editors Second read
Maybe even more revisions and edits.
until finally... The Final Draft
So you have your Beta Readers. What do they do?
- They notice typos.
- Misused words.
- Possibly do some editing for you.
- They notice when sentence structure is difficult to read.
- When dialogue needs adjusting.
- They might even notice that your main character's eye color changes.
- What seems absurd and unrealistic (I do have to remind them on occasion that I'm writing fiction and I doubt my readers want completely realistic).
- And at what point they lose interest in the story.
I've read over my manuscript at least three times before handing it over to them. Then I touch it twice more after that. My eyes have seen each word 5 to 10 times before I upload it and then I see them again as I check KDP formatting and then - if I remember - CreateSpace's formatting.
Your Betas are a fresh set of eyes. Get multiple Betas if possible. But remember, you aren't paying them either unless it's a signed copy of your book (Yes, I'm still keeping a list of who I owe what book to, Betas. I haven't forgotten!) or an exchange of services.
But remember, it's okay to 'fire' a Beta if they don't do the work. It might be a good thing for your friendship as well.
Alicia
I don't have a title.
Or a cover - because of lack of title mostly.
So that reveal will have to wait.
Some of you might even be waiting for an announcement about The Trouble With Chasing Aileen - The Hastings Sisters number 2. - Soon. I promise. Final rewrites and Beta reads got caught in the middle of finals (for the Beta) and NaNoWriMo (me).
Now, to the point of the blog - Betas. What are they good for. (Absolutely nothing!)
Joking. Joking. That's a dig at my current Beta who is only still around because she's my best friend and she's in college while dealing with a four year old. Betas aren't perfect, after all. They can't spend all their time reading over your manuscript.
Why? It's my livelihood isn't it?
That's right. It's YOUR livelihood and, if you are poor like me (What? Indie Authors don't get paid much. Many of us have second jobs. Third jobs. You get my point.) you can't afford to send your manuscript off to some company who will look over it with a fine tooth comb.
But if 'I' can find time to write, why can't my Beta find the time to read? That may be crossing your mind at this point.
Betas Readers do more that just read. And you might be sending them so many manuscripts to read over.
Maybe you are taking the traditional route and want your manuscript perfect before you send it out to agents. Maybe you are taking the Indie Self-Published route and want it perfect before you hit submit.
Here's the thing. It won't be perfect. There is always that typo or misused word that some lovely reader - or yourself - will pick up on later. And here's the thing, even well-establish authors have the same mistakes. Susan Elizabeth Phillips realized that there was a typo in her first edition of one of her latest (I don't recall the exact latest - I think it was First Star I See Tonight). Julia Quinn messed up an eye color of one of her characters in her Bridgerton Series (either Francesca or Eloise).
But those are romance authors you say. Even romance authors - and check out the stats on romance novels if you are a naysayer - have to tackle the writing process.
Outlines.
Plots.
The Rough Draft.
Drafts 2- infinity
The Beta Readers and Editors
Revisions
The Beta Readers and Editors Second read
Maybe even more revisions and edits.
until finally... The Final Draft
So you have your Beta Readers. What do they do?
- They notice typos.
- Misused words.
- Possibly do some editing for you.
- They notice when sentence structure is difficult to read.
- When dialogue needs adjusting.
- They might even notice that your main character's eye color changes.
- What seems absurd and unrealistic (I do have to remind them on occasion that I'm writing fiction and I doubt my readers want completely realistic).
- And at what point they lose interest in the story.
I've read over my manuscript at least three times before handing it over to them. Then I touch it twice more after that. My eyes have seen each word 5 to 10 times before I upload it and then I see them again as I check KDP formatting and then - if I remember - CreateSpace's formatting.
Your Betas are a fresh set of eyes. Get multiple Betas if possible. But remember, you aren't paying them either unless it's a signed copy of your book (Yes, I'm still keeping a list of who I owe what book to, Betas. I haven't forgotten!) or an exchange of services.
But remember, it's okay to 'fire' a Beta if they don't do the work. It might be a good thing for your friendship as well.
Alicia
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