I've been putting off this post for a while. No one likes to admit when they are wrong, but when I saw that Author
Erica Orloff was talking about
beta-reading, I figured Iåç'd stop ignoring the nudge inside and blog it.
Confession #1: I took 4+ months to read two beta-reads. They were both great stories. I liked one better than the other because it was my genre, but both were wonderful. They were stories that I would love to see on a book shelf one day. But can you imagine what it must have felt like to wait that long. I'm pissing in my pants if my CP hits the three day mark with anything I send her. What was I thinking? I wasn't. I disregarded the fact that not only was my plate full, but so were the other five plates that I was juggling.
There are writers who are just writing, still learning. And there are those who are actively pursuing publication. Granted I don't think any writer should have to wait too long on a beta-read but I especially don't think one who is actively pursuing publication should have to wait. The waiting game of publication is painful enough, that's just the way it is. Fellow writers should not add to it. You have to pay attention to your life and know when not to ask, say no, or schedule it for a later time. Other wise Nina might come after you. *crack*
Confession #2: I rewrote another writer's work. Erica Orloff touches on this in her post. Now, when I first read, "DO NOT REWRITE ANOTHER WRITER'S WORK {insert many exclamation points}" I was like, well, duh. But then I read her example and realized that I had done that! Just call me Sherlock (Go read her post). Though I've found that this is debatable among writers, I think I might steer clear of it.
Confession #3: I shouldn't have been beta-reading. I didn't know the first thing about beta-reading. I was in writer mode, not reader mode. I should have stopped and done some googling. Orloff isn't the only one writing about this subject. I failed my fellow writers and myself when I failed to google. Also, I shouldn't have been beta-reading outside the genre I read. I only read romance. I don't read sci-fi or anything else. If it's not a romance, I don't buy it. Unless it has kick ass cover art like The Breach (I'll be blogging about it this week, it's awesome stuff.), and then I just have to buy it. The reason I shouldn't read outside my genre is because if there isn't romance, a happy ending, and some good sex then I immediately frown on it. That sounds snotty but it's just my personal preference. The frown is not b/c I don't think it will be good, but because I simply don't enjoy any other genre, and that blurs my judgement as a reader.
Beta-reading, in my opinion, is like beta-testing (where I assume this term originated from in the first place). Once it's passed initial test, when the author feels like it's finished, they pass it on to someone else who has no previous assumptions about what they are about to read. They are reading it as if they have pulled it off a book shelf and will tell you what worked for them and what didn't work for them. Other than doing it in a timely manner and knowing what you are doing, that's all you are doing. You are a reader, not a writer or proofreader, when you beta-read.
The writer's I beta-read for never had the first negative thing to say to me. They were too sweet because really, some one should have put the breaks on and said, "Hey! Learn what you are doing before you actually do it!" I can only hope that they will give me honor of reading some of their future stories.
Okay, so I'm on a roll. In my first year of crawling out of the writer's closet, with sunglasses firmly in tact, I've admitted to two great errors: Devaluing craft and being a horrid beta-reader. It is so someone else's turn.
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