One of the hardest things for writers to do is edit their own work, especially later drafts that are close to being submittable. There comes a point when a minor grammatical error or plot hole has been overlooked so many times, it becomes “camouflaged” by the sound parts of a narrative. That’s why it’s so important for writers to have other writers read and review their compositions.
Traditionally, there are two types of readers who should review your work before it’s sent to a publisher or agent. The alpha reader is usually a fellow writer or at least someone who has a good grasp of the English language. This person provides detailed feedback about the building blocks of your book, i.e., the premise, plot, characters, and language use. The beta reader comes later. This individual may or may not be a writer, but in any case, he or she has not read any previous drafts of the work. Thus, an alpha reader cannot also be a beta reader for the same book. To be sure, a beta reader may do some of the things an alpha reader does, but the former focuses more on the totality of a book rather than its building blocks. A beta reader might ask such questions as the following: How does this book make me feel? Is there cohesiveness and clarity to the plot? Are the characters consistent and engaging? Is this book something I would read even if I hadn’t been asked?
My YA novel-in-progress Diary of a Girl in Trouble (DOAGIT) has been reviewed by no fewer than 10 alpha readers, so when fellow writer Doris told me about the Inlet Beta Readers Club (IBR), I paid close attention. But Angela, the club’s founder, took a somewhat different approach to beta reading. She wanted “craft-informed writers willing to provide a reader-focused read for a complete or partial novel manuscript they have not critiqued.”
As planned by Angela, the IBR would offer the following benefits to writers:
- Find beta readers more easily
- Get a fresh read on pages already critiqued.
- Shift from critique fix-it mindset to reader-need mindset, imagining your completed book in the hands of a reader. Then get a real “beta test” result from a reader reading the opening
- Receive a fast gut-reaction impression of your novel’s first 10 pages (or first 50).
- Supplement critique feedback with fresh perspectives from readers reading as if plucking a book off a shelf.
- Shift into the mindset of a reader and remind yourself what readers are really looking for.
I joined IBR, and in so doing took a pledge to read (without red-ink pen in hand) at least one manuscript submitted by another IBR author and to share my observations about the manuscript with the author in a one-to-one conference. Following Angela’s instructions, I prepared a bio, which included my writing background, the reason I’m writing DOAGIT, and a brief summary (logline) of what the novel is about. Here’s the summary I put together: What does a high school boy do when he finds the diary of a female classmate who wants to escape an abusive relationship? Why he sets off to rescue her, of course, and expose the abuser for the monster he is. In the end, however, it may be the high school boy who needs to be rescued.
In addition to posting a bio, Angela wanted each club member to format his or her manuscript, preferably as a PDF, according to certain specifications that would make it easier for other club members to review it.
Once my manuscript was formatted and my bio posted, I was ready to reach out and offer myself as an IBR reader to at least one fellow author and hope at least one such author would agree to be an IBR reader for my DOAGIT submission. I didn’t have to wait long.
After I expressed an interest in reading his mystery/thriller The Antagonist, Jim reciprocated and requested my DOAGIT manuscript. We have a Zoom conference scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, during which we’ll share our comments about each other’s manuscripts. Not long after Jim contacted me, Jane volunteered to read my submission, and I returned the favor by agreeing to read her 50-page submission from Tumbling into Trouble, a middle-grade historical mystery. Jane and I will share our thoughts about our respective manuscripts on May 9. Farther down the road, I’ll do the same with Vicky who has written a fantasy novel, War Ender.
Judging from Jim’s writing in The Antagonist, he has a creative mind and a strong command of the English language, which leads me to believe his comments about DOAGIT will be valuable. Though I haven’t started Jane’s or Vicky’s pieces yet, the summaries of their books make me eager to read them and to get their feedback on DOAGIT.
Angela recently told me she’s hoping to give IBR a “second wind” by opening it up to new members and encouraging current members to read manuscripts they weren’t able to read in April. If you have a book in progress that’s already been critiqued by members of a writers’ group or other alpha readers, you would do well to consider joining IBR. You’ll find an application at https://www.angelarydell.com/inlet-beta-reader-overview/.