Beta Readers

Writers need Beta Readers - they need that fresh set of eyes to help improve and possibly shape the manuscript into something even more polished and likable.

But how can writers go about finding such a valuable creature?

K.M. Weiland  at http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com has some good advice on how to find and keep beta readers.  For more information, check out the following articles of hers:

Beta Reader Etiquette
15 Places to Find Your Next Beta Reader

The problem I'm running into is how to find a trustworthy Beta Reader (aside from using friends).  I've had two writer friends recently run into people stealing their ideas - one had trouble with beta readers in a local writers group and the other had trouble with beta readers from an online fan fiction site.

My internet search on the issue came up with very little other than the suggestion of having Beta Readers sign contracts. Thus, I turn this question over to you dear readers.  I know this problem is rare, but it still happens.  So, what suggestions and advice might you offer?  I personally like using friends because not only do I trust them, but I can also get together and discuss the ms with them in person, but not everyone does and friends might not be experts in your genre.

Reasons to Write . . . Gulp. . . Fan Fiction.

 For starters, I'll admit it is a little fun.

See, I have a close friend who has been bitten by the writing bug and decided to write fan fiction. She tells me all kinds of funny stories about what her characters are doing and how people are reacting to her writing.  It seems like fun.

So on this year's Thanksgiving road trip, I did a little google search on writing fan fiction and then decided to give it whirl myself.  Why not?  What else am I going to do for a five hour car trip?

By the way, I never did finish my story, but it was fun to do and it got me writing again.  But here is what I learned from listening to my friend, internet searches, and my own experience:





1. It is fun.
2. Good writing practice.
3. Learn to come up with and focus on new ideas and plots.
4. Acquire Beta Readers
5. Learn from reviews on how to be a better writer and what your target audience wants.
6. Build a following.

FYI - I'll keep y'all posted on whether I finish my fan fiction piece and if I decide to post it.

Writing Research: When Do You Need an Expert Reader?

Research is an inevitable part of writing. This is more obvious when you're writing in a genre like historical fiction, where you have to find out what life was like or which historical figures you can include in your novel. Or maybe you're writing science fiction set on a spaceship, and you need to get your facts straight about the way space travel works (or plausibly may work in the future).

But even the most contemporary of contemporary novels will require a certain amount of fact checking. For example, let's say your contemporary YA is set in Boston during December. You'll need to make sure you don't set any scene that needs to take place in the daylight after about 6 pm—because anyone who's ever been there will cry foul otherwise. Or what if you plan to include a character from a different cultural or religious background to your own? You'll need to make sure you get any specific routines and rituals correct.

Great, you say to yourself. I'm really good at research! I'll go to the library and check out a whole bunch of books. I'll do internet searches. No problem.

Hang on, though. It's important to keep in mind that there's only so much you can learn from books and the internet. When you're writing diverse characters (and I sincerely hope you are!), there's no substitute for having someone read your work who has experienced those circumstances/diversities. Sometimes known as a "sensitivity read," this is one of the best ways to make sure you're getting the details right.

Where to Find Expert Readers
The ideal scenario is to be hooked up with a local large, diverse writer's group. Who better to help you check over your work than trusted beta readers with whom you already trade work? But since this isn't a reality for a lot of people, here are a few other places to look.

• Online Writer's Groups: You're far more likely to find a wide variety of life experiences amongst a large group of writers, and some of the largest can be found online. You can find these groups through participating in contests, frequenting forums like the Absolute Write Water Cooler or Agent Query Connect, or reading websites and blogs focused on the type of writing you do.
• Social Media: There are tons of opportunities to find sensitivity readers and experts through social media channels. You can get hooked up with writers' groups on Facebook (many of which maintain an "areas of expertise" or similar document open to member contribution) or crowdsource information via Twitter.
• Absolute Write Story Research: There's a dedicated area in the Absolute Write forums that deserves a special mention—the Story Research section. This is a place where knowledgeable experts in a whole range of topics drop in and answer questions about everything from medical science to Russian language to the way the FBI used the internet in 1998.

Do you have any other sources to find expert readers?

How to Give Good Feedback

I just started to read a friend's current work-in-progress, so the topic of how to give good feedback for a critique partner is on my mind! I've been reading manuscripts for writer friends for years now, so I'm starting to get a handle on what kind of notes are most useful.

In no particular order, here are some tips for giving good feedback to a critique partner.

1. Critique work you like.
This may sound obvious, but it's important. Before you agree to critique for someone, make sure you like their writing. It can be a genre you don't write and a completely different style to yours... but if you don't respect and enjoy the writing, the whole process will be painful, and your notes will be less than useful.

And on the flip side, this is also important if you're exchanging work. How can you take someone's critique notes seriously if you don't respect his or her work? I suggest starting with a small sample first. If you don't feel you would be a good person to critique the whole novel, just say so—and save both of you a lot of time and trouble.

(Luckily, I've critiqued for my current partner before and love her writing!)

2. Catalogue your reactions.
Some of the most valuable notes you can give your critique partner are your reactions to various parts of the novel. Were you stunned by the big twist? Say so! Appalled by something the hero did to the point where you kind of hate him for the rest of the book? That's important information for the writer to know. They may have intended for you to have that reaction—but they may not have, which would indicate that some revision might be in order.

It's also a good idea to make note of times when you put the book down or had to force yourself to continue. Spots where the story is dragging should be prime targets for revision.

3. Make suggestions, but don't be offended if they're ignored completely.
When I point out a problem, I'll often offer up a suggestion for fixing it. I never worry about whether that advice is taken, though. It's not my story! If my suggestion sparks some other idea for a fix in the mind of the writer, I consider it just as good as if they took it outright.

4. Note typos.
You might get different advice from different people on this one. I've heard some say that at this stage, typos are the last thing to worry about, but I don't agree. I'd be mortified to send work to an agent or publisher with typos, so I'm always grateful when beta readers point them out to me. It doesn't take long to note them as you read for bigger issues, so why not?


Finding good critique partners is one of the best things you can do to take your writing to the next level. Return the favor by giving helpful critiques yourself!

Win a Teen Beta Reader: The Finalists!!!

Thanks to all of you who entered. It's been such a joy reading through your entries, and I can't wait for the kids to get their hands on the real thing. So, without further ado...

The Finalists:

Rachel Lynn Solomon  Twitch

S.Q. Eries                     Cynisca and the Olive Crown

A.K. Madison               Journey to Magic

Mia Kim                       Valora

Tiffany Simone             Falling Petals

Mike Saunders              Kids of Kingdom

Please submit the full text of your ms as a Word document to laurenmmonahan@gmail.com by the night of Sunday February 10. 

Thanks again to everyone who sent in your work; it was really good, and tough for the kids to choose.

Writing Contest!!!

Win a Teen Beta Reader

Who: 

Anyone with a manuscript (s)he want tested out by reluctant teen readers. Both aspiring writers and veteran writers in the revision process of a new book are welcome.

What: 

Email 

1. Title with a 1-2 paragraph synopsis (query text). Include word count.

                     

2. The first page of your ms.

                     IN THE BODY OF THE TEXT

                     to laurenmmonahan@gmail.com (don't forget the second "m" in the middle)

To finalize your entry "join our site" by clicking on the blue icon to the left and following instructions. :)

When: 

• Entries are due by 8PM PST Sunday Feb. 3
• Names of authors/ titles of books that are selected by the teens as the book each wants to read will be posted on this site on the night of Thursday Feb. 7
• Selected authors will email the full text of their ms as a Word document to laurenmmonahan@gmail.com by Sunday Feb.10 
• Selected authors will receive feedback from students, including the place they stopped reading (if they stopped reading) 
• Students will advocate for their books, and will select a book they most want to see get published.

             

Where: A high school classroom in Carlsbad, CA.

Why: Find out what reluctant readers think of your work AND empower teens with a voice in the creation of YA literature.

Initial post on the contest: here 

Announcement: Contest to Win a Teen Beta-Reader (No. You Don't Get to Keep Him)

 

Coming soon (submissions will be due in about a month), Thinking to Inking is bringing you a contest. More specific details (dates, procedures)to follow, but here is the premise:

Un-agented writers, agented writers, and published writers all have the opportunity to “win” a beta reader. These beta readers aren’t just any readers, though. They are, perhaps, even more terrifying than Simon Cowell. They are some of the toughest critics around: a fantastic group of sophomores in the reading intervention class at the high school where I teach (not my students).

The teens will be sifting through your synopses and sample pages to pick a book to read in class. Winners of the book selection game will be posted on the site for all to see who can lure in a very reluctant reader with their enticing premise and voice. Writers will then submit a “full” to the student to read. Students will read and  privately provide feedback to writers on what feels inauthentic, and quite possibly where the reader gave up (these are incredibly reluctant readers – no guarantees that they will finish reading your book).

At the end, students will advocate for/debate which book they think needs to be published most, and we will post the winner on the site so the whole world will know that the winner has reached some of the most unreachable readers.

Put your brave-boots on, writers, and get prepared to wow those who fill these desks…

PS Happy Holidays! I wrote a post a few years back on career histories of some of my favorite poets/authors along the lines of Jen’s inspirational “keep going” post earlier. If you’ve never heard the legend surrounding Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy  Evening”, or how David Sedaris got his break you may want to check it out. Oh, and it’s all holiday-themed for your snow-falling pleasure.

PPS If you’re in the holiday spirit and want a cool way to help the world, head over to Nathan Bransford’s blog to learn how to help Heifer International help the world.