Beta Reading: Giving Critical Feedback

By Iola Goulton @iolagoulton

Last week I outlined four possible approaches to giving feedback when betareading for other writers. Giving complimentary feedback is easy. The hard part is giving critical feedback.

And what feedback you give may depend on how the author sees a beta read.

Some authors use beta readers as first readers, to identify and iron out developmental issues such as plot and characterisation issues. Other authors use beta readers after the book has been edited, to act as unpaid proofreaders, or first reviewers.

Neither approach is wrong—or right.

But it might help to know which approach the author has taken before offering feedback. If the author is using beta readers to test an early version of the manuscript, then my view is that any and all feedback should be welcome. But the feedback should focus on the big picture:

• Is there a clear story question?
• Is there a clear three-act (or four-act, or six-stage) structure?
• Is there a clear character arc, including character goals, motivation, and conflict?
• Does the novel meet genre expectations?
• Does the author use point of view correctly?
• Does the author show rather than telling?
• Are there any recurring writing issues the author should be aware of?

For example, provide a manuscript assessment service (a form of paid beta read). I often receive manuscripts where the writing is solid, but the main character has no clear goal, there is no clear structure, there is a lot of repetition, and the author consistently gets the punctuation of dialogue wrong.

But it's not all bad: this is all fixable. I can usually see the potential for a plot, a structure, and a clear character GMC, but they are hidden behind excessive repetition.

If the book you've beta read is an early version, then the author should be expecting feedback on these basic issues. As a reader, you should expect the writing to need work—it hasn't been line edited or copyedited, so it will need work.

But what if you're not the first reader? What if you know the book has already been edited, and it's still not stellar?

This is where giving feedback gets difficult.

Is the fault with the writing or with the editing?

If you're beta reading an edited book, you have to ask: is the problem with the writing or with the editing? Or both?

It could be that the author didn't know what kind of editing the novel needed, so hired the wrong kind of editor. It could be that the author hired the cheapest editor (who proofread when the novel needed a line editor).

Or it could be that the author hired an excellent editor, then ignored the editor's feedback. I've had this happen. I've copyedited or proofread books where I've given the author advice on how to improve the book, and they've chosen to ignore me.

If an author is self-publishing, the editing is the author's responsibility. They write the book. They select the editor. They choose whether to accept or reject the editor's advice.

(Traditional publishing is another matter. The author is under contract, and the publisher won't publish a novel that doesn't meet their standards. That might mean the author has to allow changes they don't agree with.)

So it's important to know whether you're a first reader or a last reader before you give feedback, so you can concentrate on the right things.

Giving Feedback

Here are my tips for giving feedback:

State Your Assumptions

If you're assuming the manuscript hasn't been edited, say so. It's kinder than saying it hasn't been edited well (even if that's what you think). Then cite specific examples and sources of areas that need editing, so the author knows this isn't you being mean. It's you sharing knowledge.

Be Clear

Giving feedback is not a time for obfuscation or eregious advice. Say what you mean, and say it clearly.

Cite Sources

If you're giving feedback on a technical craft issue (e.g. plot, structure, characterisation, or point of view), then cite the source of your advice. Where possible, quote from a relevant craft book from a recognised author or publisher (e.g. James Scott Bell or Writer's Digest) rather than random blog posts or Pinterest pins (which might be wrong ... like that "101 alternatives to 'said'" pin).

Cite Examples

If there were parts of the manuscript which puzzled you e.g you couldn't tell which character was speaking, or you didn't understand something, then cite the exact example. It doesn't help the author if you say you didn't understand some things. It does help if you quote specific sentences and say what you didn't understand.

Focus on the Writing

Critiquing a manuscript is just that. Critiquing a manuscript. Critique the writing, but do not critique the writer (which is one of the reasons I don't edit non-fiction—it's a lot easier to stick to critiquing the writing in fiction! So be kind.

Finally ...

Finally (or first), remind the author that all professional writers go through an extensive revision and editing process. It's only the amateur who thinks a novel can be written in two weeks, and published the next. Seeking feedback from trusted advisors is an important and necessary part of being a professional writer.

The author friend who asked you to beta read is already several steps ahead of the pack. They've completed a manuscript. They've asked for feedback. Now they need to assess that feedback (from you, and from others), and incorporate the best feedback into their manuscript.

I hope that helps! What questions or suggestions do you have about beta-reading or giving feedback?

About Iola Goulton

Iola Goulton is a New Zealand book reviewer, freelance editor, and author, writing contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist. She is a member of the Sisterhood of Unpronounceable Names (Iola is pronounced yo-la, not eye-ola and definitely not Lola).

Iola holds a degree in marketing, has a background in human resource consulting, works as a freelance editor, and has recently introduced an Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Beta reading: Four Approaches to Giving Feedback

By Iola Goulton @iolagoulton

It's an awkward situation. An author friend has asked you to beta-read their book, and you agreed. But it needs work. What do you say?

Today I'm going to discuss four possible approaches to giving feedback:

• Be complimentary
• Be clueless
• Be complimentary and critical
• Be critical

Be Complimentary

Personally, I don't think being complimentary is a great idea. The point of a beta read is to find what needs improving in the story—and there is always something that can be improved. It doesn't serve the writer or future paying readers if the beta reader only gives positive feedback ... even if that's what the writer wants. A writer has to be teachable, and someone who only wants compliments but no criticism isn't teachable. And you're not helping the writer grow if you only share the good news.

Be Clueless

I had one situation where an author approached me to review their book (I also have a book review blog. It helps me stay up-to-date with trends in Christian fiction). The story showed potential, but the editing was beyond awful—to the point where the novel was actually difficult to read.

I went back to the author and said they appeared to have sent me the unedited version, not the final version. I'd be happy to review the final version, but this version had too many errors for me to read and review fairly, because I'd have to mention the errors in my review.

I'm a freelance editor. It's going to reflect badly on my editing skills if I give a stellar review to a book with obvious plot, character, or editing issues. Anyway, I never heard back from the author. I can only guess this was the final published version (edited or not). I suppose I could have offered the author my editing services, but I don't want to give the impression I review books as a way of soliciting editing work. Because I don't (but if you want to hire me, you can contact me via my website).

Be Complimentary and Critical

One piece of advice I often see is to use the compliment sandwich when giving feedback:

• Say something nice
• Give feedback on something that can be improved
• Say something else nice

I've heard this is the approach used by Toastmasters: when giving feedback, members have to find two things the speaker has done well for every suggestion for improvement. Employee performance reviews often take this approach.

I've found two potential issues with this approach:

1. The person may hear (or read) the compliment at the beginning of the feedback and the compliment at the end, but discard the critical feedback in the middle of the sandwich. That pretty much misses the point of giving feedback.
2. The compliment can come across as patronising: if I say you know how to write a grammatically correct sentence, you're likely to think that's a compliment for the sake of giving a compliment. After all, can't everyone write a grammatically correct sentence? Actually, no. At least, not based on some of the books I've read.

As a result, I don't use the compliment sandwich.

As a freelance editor, clients are paying me to help them improve their manuscripts. It's not good use of my time or my clients' money for me to spend twice as much time telling them what they're doing well as I spend telling them what needs to improve.

But that's not to say you shouldn't use the compliment sandwich in beta reading. It might be the best approach for you, depending on your relationship with the author in question.

Be Critical

You might think this is easy for me to say. After all, I'm an editor. People are paying me to make their writing better—to criticise. And I'm a reviewer. Publishers offer me ebooks so I can provide an honest review.

But it's not that easy.

I'm told some freelance editors hesitate to criticise, hesitate to "bite the hand that feeds them." (I missed that memo.)

I also know from experience that when some authors say "honest review", they mean "complimentary review". I've seen authors ask for honest reviews, checked out the Kindle sample, and realised the last thing they want is an honest review*. Sure, they need one. But they don't want one.

*For example, the "authors" who can't write a grammatically correct sentence.

But this is where we get to the nuts and bolts of the question: how do you give critical feedback on a beta read?

We'll discuss that next week. Meanwhile, what questions or comments do you have about giving feedback to other writers—especially critical feedback?

About Iola Goulton

Iola Goulton is a New Zealand book reviewer, freelance editor, and author, writing contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist. She is a member of the Sisterhood of Unpronounceable Names (Iola is pronounced yo-la, not eye-ola and definitely not Lola).

Iola holds a degree in marketing, has a background in human resource consulting, works as a freelance editor, and has recently introduced an Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

Tenacity

By Andrea Grigg

Tenacity.

What comes to mind when you read that word? A dog with its teeth bared in a growl as it pulls on a rope? A limpet on a rock? Incy-Wincy spider?

How about a writer bent over a laptop?!?

Writing (no matter which genre) is not for the faint-hearted, or so I’ve discovered. And having said that, take a look at this. I laughed out loud when it popped up on Facebook recently …

Oh, yeah, that’s me alright! Now, back to the point I’m trying to make.

My first novel poured out of me like lava down a mountain. I relished the planning process (I’m a plotter for sure) and spent hours researching and making folders full of images and research notes.

I fell in love with my characters; I delighted in the way they told me what to write and changed the dialogue right under my fingertips. I even savoured the editing process, chopping and rearranging sentences and words a gazillion times, thrilled when my ‘baby’ was finally mature enough to appear in public.

So what happened this time?

Again, I love my characters to bits. I know them inside out and back to front – ask me anything about them and I can tell you. My files are full of interesting facts and pictures. During the editing process I’ve had a blast getting rid of thousands (yes, thousands!) of words because the story is so much better without them.

I’ve been in the zone, hidden in my cave, delighted in being in a parallel world … but it has taken for-ev-er.

I’ve literally growled at my laptop and figuratively thrown it away. I’ve been kept awake at nights by an elusive phrase, paragraph or scene, and then fallen asleep over the keyboard the next day. (One time I ended up with half a page of ‘k’s when I dozed off. Some clever person suggested they should’ve been ‘z’s …)

I have sniffed, sighed and seethed with frustration, and vented via FaceTime with my wonderful writing buddy across the Tasman. While she deserves a national holiday named in her honour, I should be awarded a PhD in procrastination. It got so bad I even did the dusting!

Why was it a worthwhile experience, one I'd be happy to repeat?

Because it taught me perseverance (a character trait mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5).

Because I now really appreciate and empathise with other writers about the effort needed to produce a book.

Because I now know that my passion for writing has been tested and tried and has cemented its place in my heart.

I’ve had to be tenacious as a reader, too. I’ve been tempted to give up on a book and then been so pleased I haven’t because it delivered in the end. I love reading really long books, and that requires tenacity. I belong to a book club, and although the recommended book isn’t always my thing, it’s been good for me to persevere because it broadens my horizons.

So what part does tenacity have in your life as a writer or a reader? When have you had to grit your teeth and battle on regardless? I’m looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

About Andrea Grigg

Andrea writes contemporary romance. Her second novel Too Pretty will be released on August 1 by Rhiza Press. Her first novel A Simple Mistake was a finalist in the CALEB Awards 2012

Andrea would love to hear from you via her website or Facebook page:
http://www.andreagrigg.com/
https://www.facebook.com/author.andreagrigg

What do I Need Now?

By Catherine Hudson

Last time I wrote for ACW I talked about Beta readers. You can read that post here. Now I want to talk about after you’ve received your work back from the Beta readers.

First of all, breathe. All that red ink may be giving you heart palpitations and we don’t need a coronary on our hands.

What’s needed now is a teachable spirit.

Huh? Well, no one ever grew or changed for the better without hearing some good home truths that motivated change. It can be hard to have someone find fault with your manuscript, and it can feel like a personal attack. You may even sit alone in your office and yell at the Beta readers and critique partners.

But that backstory needs to be there! Otherwise the reader can’t possibly understand why she avoids falling in love!

But that cliché is the perfect description!

I’ve cut 50,000 words. It’s impossible to cut any more!

The classic: But my mother loved my story!

Or in my case, My dialogue is not torturous! That’s how they spoke in 1870!

Ok, let’s take another deep breath and grab some tissues. This is not personal, it’s not the end of the world, it will pass, it will be worth it and you will thank the Beta readers—after you finish yelling at them in the privacy of your office. Don’t go emailing them. Sit on it a day or two. A week or month maybe. And, most of all, pray.

As Christians we know that we have a flesh or sin nature that can inhibit our ability to see things as they truly are. We can agree and disagree over the same issue more than once in our lifetime and retrospect gives us the ability to see the benefit of a painful truth—but generally only later.

As Christian writers it is essential to have our hearts soft enough and in tune with the Holy Spirit to hear and address what is necessary. This is a teachable spirit.

Our writing (or us personally?) will grow—but only if we move past the point of hurt, anger or offence, and be willing to hear. I didn’t want to hear that my dialogue was torturous.

But. It. Was.

I took those hurtful words and researched better writing craft. And I realised something—I could make the necessary changes without loosing the message contained in my story. If anything, most advice will tighten your work and make the communication clearer and more appealing—it did for me.

And isn’t that what we want?

Industry standards are set for a good reason, but we cannot benefit from those who have gone before us unless we are willing to listen, change and grow. All that starts with a teachable spirit.

I’ll leave you with something my prayer partner taught me. If there are two ways to take something and one offends you—choose the other option. More than likely it will leave you a better person, or in this case, writer.

What’s been your experience? Tell us a time you had a cry/rant/rave then decided to hear the truth of what was said, and put in the time to improve your manuscript (or yourself).

Andrea Grigg will be posting on 4 April, offering us another attribute needed to get through the dreaded editing-after-beta-readers. Look forward to seeing you then!

Catherine Hudson writes Historical and Contemporary romance for the CBA market. She was a finalist in the 2013 MARA Fiction from the Heartland contest.

Some Readers are Beta than Others

By Catherine Hudson

We know writers like to hide away in their cave with copious amounts of chocolate and coffee, but what happens after they type ‘the end’?

This is where the Beta reader comes in. What is a Beta reader? Wikipedia defines them as:

An alpha reader or beta reader (also spelled alphareader/betareader …  is a person who reads a written work, generally fiction, with the intent of looking over the material with the intent to find and improve elements such as grammar and spelling, as well as suggestions to improve the story, its characters, or its setting. Beta reading is typically done before the story is released for public consumption. Beta readers are not explicitly proofreaders or editors, but can serve in that context.

Elements highlighted by beta readers encompass things such as plot holes, problems with continuity, characterisation or believability; in fiction and non-fiction, the beta might also assist the author with fact-checking.

Your mother is not your Beta reader. She is your mother. I don’t care if she meets all criteria below (and mine almost does—she is a published fiction writer and has taught English), your mother cannot be your sole reader. Same goes for your best friend. They have rose-coloured lenses on for a reason—they love you and cheer you on. Let them continue to hold that position.

So, how do we choose the right person to view our work? Here is a list of some of the kinds of people I try to find as my Beta readers:

1 Audience with accuracy:

• They read plenty of fiction
• They are a fiction writer themselves, published or unpublished.
• They read/write good quality books in the same genre of that manuscript.
• They read books from around the world not just near to home so they have an ‘international’ viewpoint.
• They have read books published recently; in the last five years, preferably some published traditionally through an established company.

These requirements sound stringent, but readers who are widely read know what is considered quality in today’s market, and therefore are going to give me advice that is going to move me closer to publication. 

An avid non-fiction reader or writer may love a good novel, but fiction differs greatly from non-fiction, it is a moving target as far as guidelines and style of writing. You want your reader to know whether your manuscript is hitting the mark. Advice that is inaccurate or out of date may harm, rather than improve the manuscript.

2 Expert or Spy:

Technical material must be correct—is your character a nuclear physicist? Try and find one. You would be surprised who God can bring across your path if you pray. If you the writer are the expert, great, then find a colleague in your field to vet your research. They can spy out your fictional territory from a real-life perspective and find those mistakes that weasel their way into those early drafts.

3 Age/socio-economic status/race/creed/religion/culture/background

Often as writers we research from the comfort of our swivel chair and keyboard, and we miss intricate details, intrude upon the story with our own world view. I’m not saying we have to experience all the gamut of things we put our characters through, but consider your character’s age and social status alone—have you used their style of speech? Particular way of interacting? Accurate endearments or slang?

One wrong word and your readers are pulled out of the story. Find a Beta reader who closely resembles your character in real life. 

Authenticity is believability. 

4 Target Market

We should know who is going to buy our books. Find a potential fan with none of the specific traits listed above—a Joe or Jane Bloggs, if you will. These readers will tell you whether your work will sell. Did they enjoy it? What didn’t they enjoy? Were there any areas of confusion? 

These readers are the ones who will compliment you and spur you on—the bread and butter clients we want to entertain, and whose lives we want to touch.

5 Mechanics and detail

Some readers have an eye for that misspelled, misused word or inaccurate date/distance/time frame. If you find one of these they are worth their weight in gold, as they pick up many problems that would otherwise go before the editor at your publishing house.

6 Honesty

At least one reader who will in no uncertain terms, say what they DID NOT like in a manuscript. Without fail this beta reader often gives the best advice. This person must love you and have a generous supply of chocolate to soothe your wounds as they take a red pen—or in my case, scissors to your work.

Final advice: DO DO DO use an editor. Whether or not your publisher supplies one, this is an expense that should not be spared. We often have one chance to impress either reader, agent or publisher. Put a polished, pedicured, pampered foot forward—you get the picture. 

What criteria do my writerly friends here at ACW have for their Beta readers? Who thinks they would make a Beta reader than another?

Catherine Hudson writes Historical and Contemporary romance for the CBA market. She was a finalist in the 2013 MARA Fiction from the Heartland contest.