Beta Readers=Test Audience

 The deadline for sending my newest manuscript, Exit Signs, was quickly approaching.  I needed a test audience to tell me if this story was any good. I needed beta readers.

What is a beta reader?

A beta reader is a volunteer who reads over a rough manuscript and offers feedback on what’s working and what’s not. This feedback can range from a general reaction to a full-on critique.

Why is a beta reader important? I can give you an example of how beta readers helped me with my latest manuscript.  

I’m extremely lucky that I mentor a group of writers in a critique group that meets nearly every week. Over a glass of wine, we read excerpts from our WIPs (works in progress) to each other and talk out what we like and what we don’t like. 

When I finished Exit Signs and readied it to go to the publisher for editing, I asked our group to read the manuscript and give me their feedback.  They caught a lot of things I hadn’t seen when I edited the manuscript myself. Some of what they pointed out were typos, of course, but they also flagged questionable dialogue and action. They pointed out where I’d used the same word or phrase way too many times.

All of it was easily fixed.  But what became increasingly evident was the troubling ending.  

I’d kept waffling when I wrote the ending; I’d changed it multiple times.  The group's take was mixed.  Some liked it, and some didn’t. My agent disliked the ending, but a professional editor who had looked at the book liked it. 

Hell, I was uneasy about how the book ended, but wasn’t sure why.

I had one more beta reader that I hadn’t heard from, so I cornered her before a meeting we were both attending and asked her what she thought.  I had asked her to read my work because she’s a fan of my past books and she reads constantly.  She was brutally honest.  She hated the ending.  

In one simple sentence, she asked a question that showed me the problem. “Where is the character arc?”

It was like a flash of light.  The protagonist had gone through hell but essentially ended up in exactly the same place he started.  He hadn’t grown.  He hadn’t learned anything.  

I added a few pages to the ending, changing it completely, and it was infinitely more satisfying. 

I asked that beta reader why she’d waited so long to talk to me.  She said, “I was afraid to criticize your work.”

That’s the whole idea of a beta reader.  Tell me what you think.

Why have beta readers?  When a company rolls out a new product or advertisement, they’ll test it with people they hope represent their customer base. For a writer, beta readers are your test audience.  

If you can, find someone who enjoys the same genre that you’re working on.  I had a mix of writers and readers look at Exit Signs, but they all enjoy mysteries. 

My advice is to find readers who don’t mind criticizing your work.  Writers should have a thick skin.  If you want to be a writer, you’d better be able to hear someone say that they didn’t like what you wrote and why.  

It’s the why that’s most important. You can’t fix a problem unless you know what the problem is. 

Look for the release of Exit Signs, due for publication in May 2027. 

So? When your critique partner cracks the whip on overused words.

Catherine Dilts

I’ve been in critique groups large and small over the years. Currently, one writer and I exchange manuscripts once a month. Beth lives way up the pass, and I’m in the middle of the "big city". She and I meet via Zoom calls. I am happy with the arrangement.

During a recent meeting, Beth advised me to do a very specific search. She suggested I check how many times I used the word “so” at the beginning of a sentence. Mostly in dialogue.

I found that an amusing request, but Beth is typically correct in her assessments of my writing. I did the search. I was horrified to realize my characters use “so” like other people have nervous tics. Remember the old Valley Girl stereotype of young women using the word “like” as a filler word, similar to a speaker repeating “um” in ridiculous quantities? Yes, like it was totally like that.

On one page, I used “so” at the beginning of sentences five times. I did believe “so” was justified at the beginning of a few sentences in the manuscript. I left those. But most were trimmed off with no ill effect to the meaning of the sentence.

Once Beth pointed that out to me, I became hyper aware of “so.” Hopefully not to the exclusion of the overuse of other words.

What should writers watch for in their work? “Really” and “very” are typically mentioned. Here’s a longer list: https://www.writeacademy.com/blog/how-to-identify-and-cut-your-crutch-words/

Whether it’s on an overused word list or not, if you notice a particular word repeated on a page, or worse, in a paragraph, it might be time to do a word search of your manuscript.

We don’t rely solely on each other’s evaluations. I also have Beta readers who review my work, and so does Beth. Fresh eyes are always welcome. Even the best critiquers can miss typos, choreography errors, or inconsistencies.

I have heard tales about other critique groups that continue unbroken for decades. My own experience has been that situations change. People move, or lose interest in writing. Feathers get ruffled. Personalities clash. Writers may simply find better feedback in genre-specific groups.

Beth and I have stuck together on this writing journey for well over a decade now, but in different critiquing iterations every few years. We share not-so-fond reminisces of some former critique partners. Others I learned a lot from, through their kind instruction.

Can you call a two-person critique group a “group”? I do, out of habit. Will we ever admit new members? Doubtful at this time. Critiquing, and being critiqued, requires trust. When you have hit upon good chemistry with another writer, it’s best to stay the course.

And if your critique buddy suggests you do a search for a particular word choice or phrase, do it! 

Critique Groups

 By Thomas Kies

In my creative writing classes, I often suggest that the participants join the North Carolina Writers Network and the local organization, our Carteret Writers.  It’s good to be in the company of people with similar interests. 

In addition, I suggest that they join a critique group.  Indeed, when my last class ended last spring, everyone asked if I would stay on and lead a critique group.  They even offered to pay me.  I told them that I would do it, but not for money.  I was working on a book at the time, and I wanted them to critique chapters as I wrote them.  

I loved it.  Plus, I finished the book. Oh, plus plus, we held the group in the side room of a cozy wine bar called the Club at the Webb.  It's in a historic old building that used to be a library and now is a meeting place and a coffee shop (and serves some of the best wine in the county).  See the photo above.

Writing is a lonely activity, but humans are social animals, and we crave community. We want to be part of a supportive environment.  As we write, we need feedback.  That’s why I strongly suggest that if you’re a serious writer, you join a critique group. 

When I teach a class, I try to be as positive as possible. Maybe, overly so.  My success is when a participant continues to write even when the class ends.  But in my critique group, the participants wanted me to be more forthright, less positive.  A good critique group should be honest but should offer constructive feedback.  It’s meant to help writers improve their craft.  

Sometimes that feedback is difficult to hear, but hopefully, it’s offered in a way that’s not hurtful but helpful. 

Different people offer different insights.  There were occasions when I thought certain pieces that were read in class didn’t work.  Not everyone would agree with me.  And that was okay.  Writing is an artform that’s subjective. 

A critique group forces you to write.  I know that life can get in the way and it’s easy to let your writing slide.  But if you have a meeting scheduled on a weekly basis, it makes you make time and that’s important if you’re going to succeed as a writer. 

A critique group can help you become more critical in your reading and your listening skills.  You’re spending more time thinking about the words and the context and how they’re put together.  

Yes, critique groups can be scary.  After all, you’re sharing your baby with the world.  You are asking people in the group to tell you what they like…and what they don’t like.  That’s not easy.  But one thing I tell my class when I teach, if you want to be a writer, you’d better have a thick skin.  Not everyone is going to like what you write. 

So, the bottom line is if you’re a writer, spend time with other writers and, of course, readers.  I can’t recall ever meeting another writer that wasn’t helpful and friendly.  

Writer in Residence

I enjoyed reading Tom's entry about critique groups. I've belonged to a venerable group for years, and they have been invaluable to me, especially by helping me decide which way to go on stories. One thing I've learned from allowing my work to be critiqued is that often what I think I wrote and what readers think I wrote are two entirely different things. One difference between my group and Tom's (besides the wine. I must make a note about that) is that my group is quite small and is made up of only traditionally published authors.

However, a good critique group is a fabulous resource for any writer! So if you write, find one that meets your needs!

Speaking of sharing knowledge, I'm going to be spending the next three months as Writer in Residence for the Glendale Arizona Public Library system. Writer in Residence programs are meant to inspire both budding and experienced authors. I've done WIR programs before, and sometimes I learn as much as the attendees! It's quite an intense experience, so check your local library's website to see if your town offers such a program! Residents can ask questions and bring writing for the WIR to review during free, half-hour consulting sessions at the library. The WIR also offers free writing workshops during their tenure.

Here are the workshops I'll be offering this fall at Glendale:

Creating the World of Your Story: Learn how to create a setting that is authentic as possible at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 at Heroes Regional Park Library, 6075 N. 83rd Ave.

The Plot Thickens: Learn techniques to maintain readers’ interest throughout the novel at 3 p.m. on Sept. 21 at Foothills Library, 19055 N. 57th Ave.

Dialog, Dialect and Voice: Discover how you can use dialog to reveal information about your characters at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Velma Teague Library, 7010 N. 58th Ave. 

Memoir and Autobiography: Learn how to use personal memories in powerful storytelling at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 21 at the Main Library, 5959 W. Brown St. 

Characters are Everything: Explore proven techniques for creating compelling characters at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 at Foothills Library, 19055 N. 57th Ave.

Getting Published: Delve into ways to get your book or story published at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 21 at Foothills Library, 19055 N. 57th Ave.

To learn more about the Writer in Residence and other Glendale Public Library programs, visit Home - Glendale Public Library (glendaleazlibrary.com)

 

Head Hopping

 

By Thomas Kies

For the last few months, I’ve been mentoring a critique group that meets every Monday night at a local wine bar.  The perfect location for the perfect Cabernet or Malbec and pleasant discussions about writing.

Most of the members of the critique group are holdovers from my last creative writing class. Once the class was over, they surprised me by offering to pay me (real money) to run a critique group.  I declined the cash but instead said that I’d run the group on one condition—that they critique chapters of the book that I was working on at the time. 

They accepted and we’ve been working together and drinking wine ever since.

One of the more heated discussions we entered was initiated by a writer who has self-published four books (a series of mysteries) and is eagerly looking for an agent and a traditional publisher.

When she read chapters from her new work in progress, I mentioned that she “head hopped” and I couldn’t get invested in the characters. 

I had warned them that I would be honest in my critiques of their writing.

Head hopping is when a story or a chapter is being told from a character’s perspective or point of view and then abruptly, it changes, and the story is being told from a different character’s perspective. 

When I mentioned this, she couldn’t believe that she’d done it.  I took her chapter home and physically marked off all the places she changed points of view…sometimes in the same paragraph.

She asked, “Why is that bad?  How else can I tell the reader what the characters are thinking?”

Let’s start with why it’s bad.  For one, it’s distracting as hell.  One of the reasons I was having a problem relating to the characters was that I was never sure who I was supposed to be relating to. When I read a book, I want to be immersed in that world, which means I’m seeing it through the eyes of the characters in that particular scene.  

You can’t do that if you’re flip flopping from character to character, hearing the thoughts of different people from one sentence to the next.

I suggested that the writer show me what someone is thinking.  If Sally is having angry thoughts, demonstrate it.  Have Sally throw a coffee cup across the room, screaming words that would make a sailor blush.

If Charlie is embarrassed, have him blush and turn away, staring at his own shoes.

Head hopping keeps the reader from becoming emotionally invested in a character and, worse yet, is confusing.

So, can you change POVs?  Of course you can.  Especially if you’re writing in omniscient third person POV.  But when you do, you should do it in some kind of scene break or in a new chapter.  Otherwise, it’s jarring and confusing.

So, that was a discussion that lasted over more than one glass of wine. 

Same writer, different discussion was the value of plot over character.  We’ll save that for another blog.  That also was a two-glass discussion.