Your Beta Reader Options

 

Thinking about enlisting beta readers for your manuscript? Great idea—but let’s clear up a common misconception: Beta reading isn’t a watered-down substitute for editing. In fact, it’s an entirely different step in a book’s development.

Beta readers and editors each bring unique insights to your work, playing distinct roles in your book’s evolution. Understanding the differences is key to making the most of each process.

Think of developmental editors as literary coaches. Where copyeditors strive to correct and polish the writing, developmental editors steer you toward clarifying and enriching the content. As analysts by trade, they address content issues in the story and craft issues in the way the story’s told: story structure, character arcs, scene technique, genre, and more. Rather than fixing the issues for you, they recommend alternative techniques or approaches and guide you toward creative solutions.

Beta readers, on the other hand, aren’t writing or publishing professionals. They’re avid readers—and that’s the point. Beta readers bring the average reader’s perspective to your book. They’ll tell you where they put the book down and where they couldn’t stop turning pages. They’ll tell you which characters they disliked and which ones they wanted more of. They’ll spot holes in the plot and ask hard questions about how and why.

Beta feedback isn’t merely less analytical or deep than feedback from an editor. It’s qualitatively different. Writer Brad Pauquette characterizes the distinction like this:

·        Beta readers answer the question If I published today, what would my Amazon reviews look like?

·        Developmental editors answer the question What steps should I take to comprehensively improve this manuscript?

Should you hire a pro?

The emerging trend of paid beta reading as a service offered by professional editors strikes many writers as a smart option. Why not get a read-through from someone who knows all about how stories work, right?

The risk, however, is that the genuine reader’s perspective will be missed. Professional beta readers may prioritize craft and technique over genuine reader concerns such as relatability, pacing, and genre expectations. They may frown upon nontraditional narrative choices rather than engaging with them at face value.

That’s not to say a professional beta reader couldn’t contribute insightful feedback. But feedback from amateur betas—genuine readers—provides a number of unique advantages.

Nonprofessional beta readers represent your target audience. Free from the influence of publishing industry and market trends, amateur betas offer a typical reader's perspective on your book.

Amateur beta readers are enthusiasm-driven. As fans of your genre or even your own work, they bring genuine excitement to the process—crucial support for manuscripts still under development.

Nonprofessional beta readers are less prescriptive. They’re less likely to push industry trends or infringe upon your story vision or creative voice.

Amateur beta readers can often be more accommodating to individual author deadlines, lines of inquiry, and reading expectations.

Nonprofessional readers build your community of readers. Using amateur readers fosters relationships among your followers and supporters, potentially gaining you loyal fans.

Amateur beta readers bring a broader scope and diversity of perspectives to their reading and feedback. A group of volunteer betas usually offers a wider range of perspectives than a single professional.

Volunteer readers are typically free, making them ideal for authors on a tight budget.

Nonprofessional beta readers help you stave off premature editing. By offering you early feedback on high-level issues, they keep you outside the professional ecosystem until you’ve more thoroughly revised at the story level, allowing you to refine your book before paying for professional time and services.

Remember, beta reading isn’t a budget-friendly version of editing; it’s an entirely different beast. By embracing the process for what it truly is, a gut check on how your book connects with actual readers, you’ll gain a powerful tool to refine your manuscript while staying true to your vision and connecting with your audience.

 

Lisa Poisso is a story coach and editor working with independent authors and new authors seeking representation. She helps emerging authors tune their manuscripts to publishing industry standards and craft commercial fiction that resonates with readers.

Website: https://www.lisapoisso.com/   

The Writes of Fiction newsletter & community coaching: https://lisapoisso.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LisaPoisso

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaPoissoEditorial

X: @LisaPoisso, https://twitter.com/LisaPoisso

 

Article photo: https://pixabay.com/photos/reader-reading-garden-book-8211917/

Ghost in The IWSG Day Machine

 

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to this page and display the badge in your post. 

And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back.

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

Our Twitter handle is @TheIWSG and hashtag is #IWSG.

The awesome co-hosts for the October 2nd posting of the IWSG are Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jacqui Murray, and Natalie Aguirre!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Remember, the question is optional!

October 2 Question - Ghost stories fit right in during this month. What's your favorite classic ghostly tale? Tell us about it and why it sends chills up your spine. 

Got any favorite ghostly tales? I'm trying to think if I do. Does Ghostbusters count?

Ones based on "real" life I tend to find interesting. Whether that is interesting in an eye roll worthy way or in a creepy way, I guess that all depends on the tale.

The Mothman is one that just popped into my head. Not really creepy, as he/she/it was never truly evil by the retellings. Poor Mothman was just there to try to warn people.

Think of any good ghost stories yet? Ever hear of The Mothman? Maybe it is related to Bigfoot and Nessie. You think?

Using Tropes: The Good, the Bad, and the Amazing OR How To Upcycle Tropes and Keep Them Fresh

 

TROPE: A common or overused story element (a character type, plot structure,

theme, device, setting, etc.) that appears in many stories

 

The chosen one, a sunrise as a symbol for new beginnings, the enemies-to-lovers plotline… we’ve seen these time and again in multiple stories across multiple genres. That’s what makes them tropes, because they crop up so often they’ve become recognizable to a wide audience. Ironically, their widespread use is why they sometimes get a bad rap. But when they’re applied properly, they do more good than bad and can really enhance your story.

 

What’s Good About Tropes?

 

Let’s see how tropes are beneficial and why you may want to incorporate one (or more) into your WIP.

 

They Come with Certain Baked-In Elements. Tropes are identified by a set of common aspects. Take the reluctant hero, for instance. There’s a lot of room for variation, but at the heart of this trope is a character who is underachieving, has commitment issues, is driven by an underlying fear, and clings to the status quo. So if you’re story calls for this kind of protagonist, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. You already have a basic outline for who they are, which makes your job that much easier.

 

Tropes Are Familiar to Readers. Most of us have seen tropes like the reluctant hero many times. This makes them easily recognizable to readers, who will know (to a certain degree) what they’re getting. In this way, tropes can provide familiarity and comfort, which enhances the reader’s overall experience.

 

They Set Expectations. Each reader has their own preferences, which results in them being drawn to certain kinds of stories. We see this when a person repeatedly opts for happily-ever-after romances, or books with ensemble casts, or a rags-to-riches plotline. Each kind of story has certain characteristics that make it that kind of story. If you know what your readers like, and certain tropes fit the bill, including one can increase your chance of giving them more of what they want.

 

What’s Bad About Tropes?

 

Unfortunately, tropes work a bit like dual-edged swords because if they’re not handled well, the things that make them beneficial can also do harm.

 

Tropes Aren’t Original. Because readers have seen your character/theme/device before, they have a general idea of what to expect, and that’s a good thing. But while some familiarity is good, most people also want variation. They want familiar, not identical, and as authors, we fail to deliver when we stick too close to the trope script. We write it exactly as we’ve seen it before, and the trope becomes clichéd and hackneyed. If our story elements lack originality and imagination, they’re not going to hold a reader’s attention for long.

 

They Can Be Too Predictable. Again, some familiarity is good, but if a trope is so commonplace that readers know exactly what’s going to happen…poof! The magic is gone.

 

We Tend to Overuse Them. Sometimes we writers can get overly comfortable with a successful plotline, device, or character type, and before we know it, it’s going into every one of our stories. I have a favorite author who writes books with female protagonists who, for some reason, always end up accidentally pregnant at some point. Each book has different characters, motivations, and scenarios, but the same device is used in all of them. It started reading as inauthentic—a crutch for the author rather than a meaningful event for the character—and I found myself looking for other stories to read.

 

So, tropes can be really useful, but only when they’re handled properly. If we want to keep readers engaged and coming back for more, we have to mix things up and use old tropes in new ways.

 

The Right Way to Use a Trope

 

So how do we embrace tropes while avoiding predictability, cliché, and a lack of imagination?

 

1.       Identify the non-negotiables. The common elements that define a trope are important to identify because, like bumpers in the bowling gutters, they keep you on course. So if you’re thinking about writing a trope, research the elements associated with it, and make note of which ones you want to include.

 

Let’s say you’re writing a story with a Hero on a Quest plotline. Here are a few of the common elements for that trope that you might want to include:

 

·       A call to adventure that sets the protagonist on their path

·       Extensive travel across a realm or world

·       A series of trials that tests the character’s mettle, worthiness, or dedication to the goal

·       Taverns as gathering places

·       A system of magic or supernatural powers…

 

2.       Now ask yourself: Which of those elements can be reimagined? This is where we save the trope from becoming a cliché. We take the common factors, and we tweak some of them so they’re fresh and unusual but still recognizable. A reimagining of our Hero on a Quest elements might look like this:

 

·       The call comes, but the hero doesn’t heed it. He rejects it the first time around (à la Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit), and needs a second, more urgent call to get him moving.

·       Instead of the protagonist jet-setting around the world, their travel will be limited to their own city, or a nearby castle, or an amusement park.

·       Rather than the standard tavern, the protagonist will meet up with others in coffee shops or in deserted buildings on the outskirts of each town that have been claimed by outcasts and travelers.

 

3.       Meld Genres. Tropes are often tied to genre, so a good way to keep them fresh is to see how they could apply to a different kind of story. This can be especially helpful in the planning stages—when you don’t know what the story’s about but you do know it includes a certain trope.

 

The Hero on a Quest plotline is most often associated with fantasy, but how might it be incorporated into other genres?

 

·       Romance: A pen-pal relationship blossoms into what could be true love, so the protagonist crosses the world to meet their possible soulmate.

·       Mystery: The sleuth protagonist’s quest revolves around solving a mystery, the clues for which are scattered abroad.

·       Horror: To survive and find freedom, the main character must sneak (unscathed) from the top floor to the ground level of a zombie-infested office building.

·       Science Fiction: The protagonist’s quest will take them to new places via virtual reality instead of on the back of a horse.

 

This is a great exercise for reimagining a trope. It also can also result in new story ideas you hadn’t considered before.

 

Bottom line: Tropes can be super useful—when we don’t write them as tired and overdone. With just a little bit of brainstorming, they can become new and interesting while maintaining the familiarity readers crave.

 

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and other resources for writers. Her books have sold over 1 million copies and are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online resource for authors that's home to the Character Builder and Storyteller's Roadmap tools.