The Importance of a Good Beta-Reader

From wiki commons, labeled for reuse

This week I'm sorting through feedback I got from three wonderful beta-readers. Betas are people who take my self-edited manuscript, read it, and respond with detailed notes about the current manuscript. I use a worksheet provided by my dear friend and fellow author Connie Jasperson, and it works wonders in eliciting honest opinions about my current work-in-progress.

Because that's what I need at this point: complete honesty. Glowing reviews are lovely, but in this creator's journey I desperately need signs and guideposts to help me to the next level as I develop this tangled mess that will, once day, be a somewhat polished book.

Luckily, I have those amazing betas to help. None of them held back in offering opinions, and it's an incredible thing to get inside their heads a bit while they detail what bored or turned them off as they read. All three are very intelligent, and they were quick to point out a huge section that has to be completely re-researched and rewritten.

Naturally, it would be great if the feedback was "Amazing! Ready to go to the publisher!" And of course, each time I open a beta's feedback form I'm secretly hoping for that. Instead, I always get a series of little reality checks to show me where I somehow lost my mind while I wrote. Characters 'appear' in rooms without explanation. Entire plot points make no sense. It's impossible to tell who's speaking in a scene. One character's ethnicity isn't described well enough. 

from flickr.com, labelled for reuse

It's as though I got the chance to go inside those readers' brains and look through their eyeholes, like a mad scientist. And what an amazing view it is! The feedback suggests entirely new journeys for my main character, for the antagonist, and I can't wait to get started.

I have an extremely tough job ahead of me, but it's going to be fascinating - like untangling a huge knot while simultaneously fighting a hydra and taming a pack of wolves. I really can't wait to get started.

As I do, I just want to say a huge thank you to my wonderful betas. You make writing my books possible. Cheers!

The beast SHALL be tamed. (wikipedia, labeled for reuse)

Late as Usual; Or, The Lucky 7 Meme

I've been hit up by the lovely, supportive Teresa Cypher at Dreamers, Lovers, and Star Voyagers to do a Lucky 7  post. She didn't know, when she tagged me, that I'm always, always late.

So here I am, running in to post my Lucky 7 stuff. My hair is askew, there is a runner in my stocking, and I've  probably dropped  a few  bags along the way. My phone needs charging too.

Let's ignore my usual Hot Messiness and explain the Lucky 7 dealio:

Once you are tagged:
*go to page 77 of your current WIP
*go to line 7
*copy down the next 7 lines/sentences as written and post them on your blog or website
*tag 7 other authors
*let them know they've been tagged
 

Here's the thing, though; I have TWO Works in Progress. So, without further ado, here are the lines from The South Sea Bubble:

Lizzie smiled. It was still a miracle to see Mam out of her chair and moving about. She was desperately thin, and she had never regained her full energy, but her recovery from being one of “those tonic fiends” had secured Doctor Draper’s reputation and filled his hospital.

“Now then.” Mam handed Lizzie her tea. “Where did you say Matilda went?”

“She ran off again."

And here is the set of seven lines from The Gramophone Society:

He made a sound of disgust. “Me, of course, unless my aunt gets her way.”

“You?” Julia leaned towards him. “Victor, you are not hideous. The other girls all talk about how dishy you are. You must have noticed.”

 Right. So now I have to tag some victims friends. Here they are:

Shaun Allan, at Sin's Blog

Lisa Yarde, at The Brooklyn Scribbler

Danielle  Raver, at Philosophies of a Young Heart

Rachel Tsoumbakos, at Rachel Tsoumbakos's Blog 

Lisa Zhang Wharton, at Eccentric Asians, Man-Eating Pandas & Other  Mysteries of the World (which is such a cool blog title)

Patty Sarro, at Otherside of Meh

Natasha Larry, at Paranormal Wire

 Please visit them! They are all wonderful writers and lovely people!