My Writing Process... Beta Readers!
Hello! I get a lot of questions about writing and how I do it, so I thought I'd share my process. Hold on to your laptops, it's time to embark on a journey filled with typing, deleting, and frustration... but also, words!
Beta Readers: They're the taste testers. Literally… well, not like they're licking the pages, but in the sense that they provide valuable feedback to make sure the story doesn't fall flat on its face.
As the author, I’m in the story. I know what’s going to happen before it happens (most of the time) so it’s not unusual to miss something or assume something makes sense but actually doesn’t. Because of this beta readers are integral to the writing process. I am lucky enough to have a group of wonderful women who help me by being brutally honest as well as supportive!
Beta readers also help with getting over the fear of putting yourself out there. It's a small group of friends, or preferably strangers, who test your work before it goes out to the masses. I say 'preferably strangers' because they're usually more willing to deliver bad news than your friends or family. Usually. And authors should want so-called bad news. We need to know where the story doesn't make sense, or a scene is extraneous, or a character is an unrelatable asshole!
Being an author means having to hear things you don't want, but on the flip side, hearing how much someone loves a character you created or someone who can't wait to devour your next book is euphoric! Basically, you have to learn how to handle constructive criticism (because it should be constructive, not rude or demeaning). But you also get to hear how amazing your creation is!
It’s better to hear it from your betas than in a review on Amazon!😱
One more step before the big day! Next week it’s ARC Readers. Until then, Happy Reading!
