#pre publication
Critique Partners:
Say: “These are all the things that subtract from the story you’re trying to tell and these are the ways I recommend fixing them if you want to reach your intended outcome.”
Must:Understand your personal writing style and your vision for the book, be at a similar writing skill level as you, and be able to communicate well with you in a constructive back and forth dialogue.
You should have: About 3 at any given time, though the number will vary though your writing carrier.
Your responsibilities: To respect their advice and give them the thorough, honest critique on their manuscripts in return.
Beta Readers:
Say: “This is what I understood while reading, this is why I came to that understanding, and this is what I think of it and how it made me feel.”
Must:Be a reader in (or near) the manuscript’s target audience, have the ability and desire to think deeply about a piece of writing, and convey those thoughts in a way that the author can make sense of.
You should have:7-15at the end of any given beta reading round. (The longer the story, the more likely it is that beta readers will drop out due to time constraints, personal life problems, or sheer forgetfulness.)
Your responsibilities: To keep track of their progress and encourage them to continue reading, to look for patterns or contradictions in their responses and decide what needs to be changed in order to receive the reactions you want from the majority of your readers in the future, and to ignore any advice you don’t firmly believe will make your book better.
Find out more about Beta ReadersandCritique Partners!
