Luv Them Betas!

Beta Readers. Ya gotta love ‘em. They are your first line, your first critics, and sometimes your first fans. These are people who actually take time out of their schedules to read the words YOU put together and (hopefully) share some honest input on how they feel about what they have read. Saints of the writing world, one and all. At least in my opinion.

Here’s the thing, though. You have to be careful who your betas are. Did your husband/wife/significant other beta your book and tell you it was awesome? Your Best Friend? The counter jockey at Starbuck’s? These people are usually (not always) more interested in making you happy than in giving an honest critique. Another important question is this: Does your beta reader ever read for pleasure? Lots of people don’t, and those people might not get anything out of a book that is truly well written and unique, or they might just say “Meh, I didn’t like it” and have no idea why. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just not very helpful to you as a writer.

The best type of beta reader is one who doesn’t know you at all and reads for pleasure all the time. These are the people who are going to know why they do or don’t like your book, and not be afraid to tell you. Personally, I don’t want my feelings spared by any of my beta readers. If they don’t have something bad to say (a plot hole or inconsistency or clumsy wording, etc.) I would worry. If my book sees print, total strangers are going to rip into it without a thought or care for my personal feelings. For some people, that is their job, and they won’t hold anything back. After all, their livelihood and reputation is at stake.

This is why I like the online writer’s forums like Absolute Write. In addition to the great people you meet, the wonderful tips you can find, and the leads you can dig up, there are also a few total strangers who are more than willing to read your work and tell you if it stinks. Even though much of reading is subjective, usually you can tell if something just isn’t that particular reader’s taste or if it’s a real trouble spot. That kind of honest, even harsh, advice is very valuable for those of us who are struggling to get a book published.

Right now my fondest wish is that my novel does see print, if for no other reason than just so I can thank several people who so deserve it (you all know who you are). Here’s hoping.

Got my fingers crossed (darn hard to type that way, too…).