Dear Beta Reader

It may be one of the most nerve-wracking moments of life–turning over a manuscript to someone who wants to give you their opinion.

I am not the most sensitive person in this regard, but I have known people who have thrown out a manuscript based on another’s opinion. I’ve known people who never wrote again after a critique, and the critique wasn’t even disastrous. Even though I’m not as easily shaken as some, I can sympathize.

Writing is personal. Writing a memoir is the equivalent of posting nude photos of yourself at unflattering angles. Writing fiction is revealing all those weird things you think about that you hope no one ever knows (but for some reason, you put them in a novel). Writing non-fiction is an invitation for every expert to tell you you’re wrong. Writing poetry…well, we all know what that’s like.

Condemnation can hurt. Rude rejections can hurt (I’ve heard stories of rude rejections, but I have never received one, unless a form letter rejection is rude. Yeah, that’s rude.) Lies that should be rejections hurt, but those are usually based on a relationship that should never have included beta reading. “I liked it. Really. Let’s get some coffee.”

Then there are people who offer to read who shouldn’t offer. These are the ones who want to hijack your story and tell you what should have happened. This happened to me in a memoir situation. I had to explain to this woman that the story was factual. What happened, happened. Pretending something else happened is what put me in therapy the first time.

What inspires me to write about beta readers, however, is the fact that I have found four amazing ones. I think all writers should have a team of readers with some of these qualifications:

1. This reader has been through similar writing experiences as me–workshops, classes, submissions–with successes and failures, and she knows all the technicalities of what is expected in a manuscript. Her feedback is full of all the things I learned, but through her eyes. Instead of criticism, she asks questions. (“Would Vanessa really say this? Really?”) You have to have a reader like this!
2. I can’t believe my luck that I found this reader. Her background in writing consisted mainly of writing government documents, which doesn’t sound promising, but as a fiction reader, she does something no one else has ever done for me. It reads like stream-of-consciousness, but it is exactly what is going through her mind while she’s reading my work. In some ways, it is my own story told back to me, and that is helpful. Is my point getting across? If it’s not, she’s not feeding it back to me. She always includes emotional impact, too.
3. He’s a guy who is very picky about what he reads, and he probably wouldn’t read my work if he wasn’t my friend. He’s kind, but critical. If something’s not working, he WILL bring it up. Unfortunately, this one costs me a lot in liquor paybacks, but he’s worth it. He has brought up issues that my other readers overlooked or ignored. I’d say that’s worth a bottle of Grey Goose.
4. She’s a bookworm and gets lost in books for days. Because she reads so much (and so much more than I ever will), she gives me a lot of feedback about what my work reminds her of. Of course, I’m happiest when it reminds her of nothing, but it’s useful information. She will only tell me the good news, though. That’s just who she is.

Dear Beta Readers I’ve found, if only you knew how valuable you are. While I get great satisfaction writing for the sake of writing, and for no other reason, feeling a little love from it brightens my day. Keep reading.