Tag: critiques

Thursday Technicalities: What to Look for in Beta-Readers and Critiquers

Ariel Paiement
Marketing on Social Media

Introduction

By now, we’ve gone over where to find beta-readers or critique partners, and we’ve discussed their importance. Those are important, but now there’s the overwhelming process of selecting a beta-reader or critique partner. If you haven’t had much experience with this, you might be asking how you’re even supposed to know what a good one looks like. That’s what we’ll cover in today’s post.

Traits of a Good Beta-Reader

We’ll start off with the beta-readers. For a beta-reader, you’re going to want someone who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth. They need to be able to tell you where you lost their attention or interest, and they need to be able to do it without reservation.

But you also want someone who’s going to try to help you. Plenty of people would line up for a chance to criticize your work, but not many of them would actually want to help you or give constructive feedback. That’s what your beta-reader needs to be willing to do. Kind but frank feedback is essential to your growth. The truth might hurt sometimes, but a friend will tell you anyway because you need to know.

Beta-readers should also be familiar with your genre. It doesn’t help much to have a beta-reader who’s used to hard-core science fiction reading your horror story. They’re not going to give very good feedback, and they’re not your target audience anyway. It might be gratifying to hear back from them if they liked it, but it doesn’t do you any good. Pick someone who has high comfortability and familiarity with the genre you’re asking them to beta-read.

Along the same lines as the last point, a good beta-reader will know the basic elements that make a story good. They might not always know how to fix what’s wrong with your story, and that’s not really their job. But they will know what isn’t working and what elements are missing so they can tell you. This knowledge could be acquired either by extensive reading or because they’ve studied a little on the basics of storytelling. But however they acquired it, they’re going to be the most helpful if they understand how a story should work.

Traits of a Good Critiquer

For a good critique partner, honesty is again a must. If they can’t be honest but constructive in their critique, it won’t do you any good. So do yourself a favor and make sure to find someone who isn’t afraid to point out that the manuscript is bleeding so you can fix it up.

For a critique partner, it’s even more important that they understand the basics of writing and story than it is for a beta-reader. A beta-reader is basically a preliminary audience much like the one you’re going to be selling to. A critique partner should be much more. They may represent a portion of your audience, but they’re there to help you with the story. They can’t help you fix what’s wrong if they don’t understand it themselves.

Another thing that’s good but not necessarily essential is creativity. The better they are with brainstorming sessions and finding creative ways to help you work around plot or character issues, the better they’ll be when you go to them to bounce around ideas. You want them to be a true critique partner, and part of that means being around to act as a sounding board when possible.

One last thing that I would personally recommend is looking for someone with a solid grasp on grammar and the mechanics of writing. Particularly if you struggle with this, the critique partner will be better equipped to come alongside and help you catch mistakes while also explaining why it was a mistake.

Conclusion

My closing note is this. Find someone who is patient and whose personality meshes well with yours. You want this to be a rewarding experience for both of you, and it won’t be if you can’t work together because you’re constantly at odds. Find someone who is willing to discuss things and doesn’t always need to be right. They’re more likely to make your life easier instead of harder.

Have your own tips for what makes someone a good beta-reader or critique partner? Leave them in the comments below! I’d love to hear them, and I’m sure others would too.

Thursday Technicalities: Finding Beta-Readers and Critiquers

Ariel Paiement
Publishing with Amazon

Introduction

Alright, everyone. Last week we talked about our first topic on beta-readers and critiquers: why we need them. This week, we’re looking at how to find them. So, let’s take a look.

Beta-reader and Critiquer Problems

Finding yourself beta-readers and critiquers can be tricky. But you definitely need them because they’re the ones who will take your story for a trial run. So, now you’re stuck with the sticky situation of needing one but not knowing where to start.

To make matters worse, it’s really easy to get beta-readers or critiquers who don’t know what they’re doing, aren’t helpful, or are just straight up cruel. Most of us, if we’ve ever put our work out there on the internet anywhere, have had someone who comments and all they seem to do is shred the work. But they also don’t seem to know what the story is about or it’s just personal preference, not an actual issue with your story.

When people do that in comments, they’re considered trolls. Unfortunately, some of those kinds of people could be the ones you get stuck with beta-readers or critiquers. They’re the ones who rip your writing to shreds but don’t ever improve anything.

Though I sincerely hope that hasn’t been your experience, it’s possible that it has been. If it hasn’t, then great! You can start off with a clean slate and a clear idea of what you should look for. If it has, you may feel that a beta-reader or critiquer is useless or even harmful. To you, my recommendation is to go over the information in these posts about beta-readers and critiquers and give it another chance. Get the right kinds of people, and you’re going to be much better as a writer for it.

Finding Beta-readers and Critiquers

The good news is that it’s entirely possible to find the right kinds of people for these positions. The bad news? It’s going to take some research and searching on your part.

Other Authors in Your Circle

If you’re lucky enough to have a wide circle of other like-minded individuals who love writing and are seeking to improve, you’ve already got a good pool to work with. These people, most likely, understand that they aren’t perfect writers and neither are you. They’re more likely to share the knowledge they have in areas where you’re weak in ways that are palatable and constructive.

But not everyone has that. So, if you don’t, where can you start? If you’re on writing sites like Inkitt and Wattpad, you can often find others in the community who can help you out on this front.

Online Writing Sites

Just be wary as you search because, while there are plenty of nice, well-meaning people, there will also be a large number of people who enjoy reading (and might even enjoy your novel) but don’t have a clue how to help you make it better. Remember, we’re looking for beta-readers and critiquers, not a fan base.

So, if you’re searching for people to help you out with these two roles on a writing site that isn’t dedicated to quality review services specifically, you should do some research. Go look at their writing if they have any available. Chat with them a bit and try to understand what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Chances are, if they’re only telling you how great they’ll do and they don’t admit to areas where they can’t help much, they’re not going to be a good fit. Some might be, but most won’t because they have a view of their abilities that is inflated above what it really is. Similarly, if their writing is of poor quality, don’t expect them to offer you much help.

This doesn’t mean you should toss someone out just because they don’t immediately explain the pros and cons of working with them or because their writing is weak in an area. You have to way the benefits against the costs to see if it’s going to be worth it.

If they’re bragging and act arrogant about their own ability, it’s probably not a good fit. But if you ask more questions and they’ll happily admit that there’s a weakness in some area you asked about, it might be fine. On the writing end, they may be very good at the aspects that you’re struggling with. If they are, they might still be a good fit even if another area is weak. But if they’re weak in the same areas where you’re looking for help, move on. This is particularly true for critiquers.

Beta-readers have a little more slack because they’re supposed to read it like a reader would and comment on the overall story. Critiquers need to be able to deal with the story in a manner that’s somewhere between an editor and a beta-reader. They have to pick up on more things than a beta-reader would, but they’re not responsible for fixing every little grammatical error in the manuscript either.

Conclusion

This is just the beginning of the journey that working with critiquers and beta-readers presents. Finding the right one can be difficult, but once you do, be prepared for an experience that offers plenty of opportunity for growth.

Do you have any tips to share for where to look for beta-readers and critiquers? If you do, share it in the comments below!

Next time on Thursday Technicalities, we’ll take a look at some other things you need to know about beta-readers and critiquers. See you next time!

Thursday Technicalities: Why Beta-Readers and Critiquers?

Ariel Paiement
Marketing

Introduction

This week is the start of a new section on beta-readers and critiquers. For today, we’re going to discuss why you need these special people in your life and looking at your novel. Let’s face it. It’s easier not to bother with it at all. But that doesn’t mean it’s better not to bother.

Why Bother?

This is a valid question. If it’s a lot of work to find the right critique partner or beta-reader and even more to work through a book with them, then why would you even take the time? This post will explain that for those of you who have questions and haven’t worked with a good critiquer or beta-reader (or anyone at all).

Catching Blind Spots

Critiquers and beta-readers can give you an idea of where the manuscript still needs work. Your story is kind of like your baby. You don’t see anything wrong with it, or, at least, you don’t see it as being as bad as it probably is. But a good critiquer or beta-reader is going to notice all the bumps and kinks in the manuscript, and they’re going to tell you. So that’s one big reason you should have a critiquer and a beta-reader.

Knowing the Audience

Your critique partner or beta-reader is a representation of your audience. They can tell you what’s actually working and what isn’t because they (if you’ve chosen well) know the genre. They read it all the time, so if something isn’t fitting or is going to lose the audience, they’re going to pick up on it.

They may even be able to tell you how to fix it. It’s like getting reviews ahead of time on the book without ever having it affect how many people want to read it. Don’t throw away a chance to get this kind of feedback!

Third, they’re going to catch mistakes you didn’t. This is slightly different from the first point. By mistakes, I don’t mean plot holes or long narrative passages. I mean those pesky misplaced commas or grammar errors that can trip a reader up. Or how about when you said on page two that Susan’s eyes were blue but then said they were green on page fifty? Lots of times, beta-readers or critiquers will catch those things if you didn’t. A second or third set of eyes on the manuscript doesn’t hurt.

Thickening Up Your Skin

Giving your manuscript to a critiquer or beta-reader gets your book some exposure and thickens up your skin.

You can’t write in a vacuum. Or, perhaps I should say you can’t write well in a vacuum. What do I mean by that? I mean that you’re never going to get better or go anywhere if you don’t put yourself out there. Writers have to have very thick skins. Not everyone will love the book even if you wrote it in the best way possible. It could be amazing, and someone is going to give it a bad review.

But I’m going to tell you now. If you’re just starting out and you haven’t had many people really work with you to develop your skill, it’s not going to be amazing. It probably sucks. That’s okay because you’re learning and you have to crawl before you walk. But you need to be aware of reality before you’re going to make any progress.

Beta-readers and critiquers give you a chance to hear the bad news from someone you’ve built some connection with. It helps prepare you to take criticism in stride if you respond to it properly. And it gives you a chance to fix what’s wrong before anyone else sees it, which is always a bonus.

Conclusion

Hopefully you can see now why a critique partner or beta-reader is so important. They’re as important as having an editor can be. More so, even, if you’ve been unable to afford an editor and had to self-edit. Don’t write off these important partners. They can really make a big difference in getting to your finished product.

Do you have other ways that critiquers or beta-readers have proved themselves invaluable? If so, feel free to share it in the comments!

Thursday Technicalities – Sorting It Out: Constructive or Destructive?

Featured Ariel Paiement

Introduction

We talked about how to find critiquers and beta-readers as well as about how to figure out what kind you need, but let’s talk about one last important thing regarding this area before we move on to a new discussion. You have to know how to sort out the constructive feedback you get from the destructive feedback. So let’s dive in and talk about each.

Constructive Criticism

We’ll start with constructive feedback or criticism. This is, obviously, the kind you want, but sometimes it can be hard to tell whether something is constructive or not. Not everyone who offers destructive feedback is a troll or someone who just hates you and your book. Many times, they’re very well-intentioned and think they’re helping. So, how do you know the difference in those cases?

First, constructive feedback is going to be relevant. It will be commentary on areas that don’t fit the needs of your audience, things that are just outright incorrect (usually grammatically), or areas that aren’t clear. This by no means an exhaustive list, but typically, constructive criticism is going to focus more on what is wrong than specific ways to fix it. The ways of fixing it come as you have a discussion with the individual offering the feedback. While that individual may offer some ideas for how you might go about fixing something, they may not always know, so more questions are typically necessary to figure out what the best solution for the problem will be.

Please note that we’re talking about people doing more of a high-level review of your book. They themselves may not be writers, and they very rarely are editors. You want your critique partner or beta-reader to be someone from your audience, not someone looking at your book for how to make it read like a best-seller. An editor, if you have chosen well, will know enough about writing and, ideally, your genre to know whether or not something will work to make your fiction marketable, not just a bunch of text you put together in a semi-useful way. The editor does a different job from a critique partner or beta-reader, so you won’t handle that interaction exactly the same way.

Second, constructive feedback will be specific. What do I mean by that? Well, you’re trying to make sure everything in your book is clear, engaging, and focused. A reader will notice points in the book where this isn’t the case, and if you’re getting good feedback from a beta-reader or critiquer, they will too, and they will make note of it. They will not offer you a general, vague opinion of the book. That’s something a general reader might do, but it’s not much use to you if you need to fix anything.

Finally, constructive feedback will be an honest assessment. And by honest, I mean frank about the good and the bad. Constructive feedback has to recognize both what you’re doing well and what you’re not so that you can keep the good and fix the bad. If all it points out is the good stuff or only the bad, you’re imbalanced in your perspective. Only good things will result in an inflated view of how good the book really is. But overwhelming commentary on all of the bad undermines your confidence, causes you to write poorly, and results in you–most often–changing even those things that weren’t bad to start. The person offering the feedback will, of course, have their own biases, but you want to find someone who will offer their opinion in addition to clear feedback on things that are obviously working well or working poorly. You don’t want them to try to change the entire point of the story, but you do want them to help you see what you may not.

Destructive Feedback

In most ways, destructive feedback is the opposite of constructive feedback. So we’ll just briefly go over what signs to watch for with destructive feedback. Destructive feedback will often be feedback that tries to change the heart of the story. It isn’t correcting a problem that actually is real. Instead, it’s just feedback on everything the reader personally didn’t like about the book and an essay on what they would write if they were you. That’s clearly not helpful, and if you follow that kind of advice, your book will change with every reader. You’ll end up destroying anything that was good about the book to start.

Destructive feedback is also feedback that’s irrelevant, too general, or unbalanced. Any of these can derail a book and the entire story you were trying to tell. Allowing someone who predominantly offers this kind of feedback to influence your decision-making process is extremely unwise.

A Word of Caution

Please know that many people give a mix of the two kinds of feedback. Unless they really just hated the story, they’re probably going to have some feedback that is helpful and constructive with some feedback that is destructive mixed in there as well. It’s just how this sort of thing tends to work because everyone has different ideas of what makes a good book. Not everything you have will be their preference, even if it might not be a problem. That’s why getting a few different people to critique or beta-read is extremely useful for writers.

In the end, unless someone is only giving you destructive feedback, don’t toss them out as a possible option simply because you see some destructive feedback in the mix. Be fair and be realistic. If you were reviewing something for someone, you’d have a mix of feedback too. And if you were the one doing it, you wouldn’t think twice. A mix of feedback would be acceptable. So, afford your critiquers and beta-readers the same leniency you’d give yourself here. Just make sure that, when you look at the feedback, you sort through to see what you should keep and what you should toss.

Conclusion

That’s it for today’s Thursday Technicalities. I hope this has been helpful for you all! This also concludes the section on critiquers and beta-readers. On upcoming Thursday Technicalities, we’ll be discussing editors and the principles surrounding the editing process. I hope to see you all join me for those posts as I know this is an area that many authors are unsure about, particularly when it comes to self-published authors. Until then, have a great week!

Thursday Technicalities – Interacting with Your Critiquer

Featured Ariel Paiement

Introduction

So, we already discussed interacting with your beta-reader, but as you know, beta-readers are different than critiquers. So, while some principles will be the same, not all of them will be. Let’s take a look.

Do’s and Don’ts of Interacting with your Critiquer

1. Do not argue with your critiquer.

This goes for beta-readers too, but a critique partner ought to be someone with more knowledge of your area of writing and of writing in general. While they can make mistakes or poor judgment calls, chances are much higher that they know what they’re talking about. If you’re defensive or arrogant, no one—not even a less experienced critique partner—will be happy working with you. So no arguing.

2. Do ask questions and discuss areas you aren’t clear on.

If your critiquer has said something to you that doesn’t make sense or that you’d like further pointers on, you should ask. Unless they tell you they aren’t open to further questions (which is unusual for a critiquer), you can ask about whatever you need to. Just keep rule one in mind and avoid shutting them down.

3. Do discuss.

Along the same lines as rule two, you should discuss things with your critiquer if you don’t agree or if they seem to be missing something important to the story. Explain where you’re coming from and ask their opinion. After you have that, ask any clarifying questions you have and thank them for the input. Then you can decide if you want to take the advice or leave it.

4. Do not behave in an inconsiderate or arrogant manner after you get the feedback from them.

This should not have to be stated, but it unfortunately does because there are people out there who do forget this and need to be reminded. Your critiquer is human too. I’ve seen many writers treat critiquers poorly and harshly or put them down as people because the writer didn’t get the feedback they wanted. These kinds of people are a misery to work with. Literally, I can promise you that if you’re like this, you are going to be the person we hate working with most because not only is it likely your work is poor quality because you ignored advice from three people before us, but you’re not going to fix it after we review it, and you’re going to be rude to us in addition. Kindness will get you much further.

Hopefully, no one reading this is like that. But I recognize that these people are out there, so if you are one of those people, please know that you are shooting yourself in the foot first and foremost. We’re not going to be happy with you, obviously, and some of us may get upset over how you treated us, but in the end, you are the one to suffer because arrogance or defensiveness mixed with rude behavior will make your journey from writer to author much harder if not impossible. I hope that no one reading this is in that position, but, this needs to be pointed out because too many times people don’t stop to be grateful that the critiquer took time to go through their work.

If you didn’t get a glowing review, be doubly grateful! They took time to pin point the book’s problem areas instead of reading a polished book off a bookstore shelf. Critiquing badly written work is way tougher than doing so for a well-written work. Show your appreciation and be mindful of their feelings too.

If you aren’t, I guarantee they’ll spread the word to anyone else they know who might consider working with you. And the Internet makes that very easy. I’ve heard stories myself from fellow Wattpaders and writer friends, and I have some of my own. Rude behavior lost one writer a chance at joining a critique group because people in the group had worked with the writer and shared their awful experience. This individual was refused on the grounds that their behavior ruined the previous critique group they’d been involved in. Please don’t let that story be yours too!

Conclusion

This isn’t an extremely long post because the main point is that you should be polite and professional in every case. If you aren’t, you only damage your own image and give another writer cause to say bad things about you. Being polite and courteous goes a long way toward avoiding ruffled feathers or smoothing them over if they occur. In the end, it’s your book, and you can do what you choose to do with it. The best way to handle dealing with a critique, good or otherwise, is to take whatever you can from your critiquer’s input to make your book better, but don’t feel obligated to use the rest. Throw it out and move on.