“I loved it, Mama, I thought it was perfect.”
Yay! Somebody likes my book!
Yes, ok, I know it’s my own 12-year-old daughter, but still, she was my first beta reader–a person who reads through a manuscript to see if the whole thing holds together. She was the first person to read my story from start to finish. And I was desperate for her to finish. “How about now, Abby? You have time to read now?” “It’s ok, you can stay up late tonight–if you finish another chapter.”
When we got to the end (I read it with her) I was so nervous. “Does it make sense, Abby? Do you see why Lyra did what she did?” “Did you like it?”
Turns out she did.
Whew.
But that’s only the beginning. I need more than feedback from my own kid (no conflict of interest there, eh?). I need other people to comment on plot holes or character changes or other things I might have missed because I’m too close to the story. They don’t have to be professionals. I don’t expect a literary analysis–just a thumbs-up or thumbs down, really.
But the beta-reader step is hard for two reasons:
- Asking friends to give up their own precious time to help. It’s not like I’m asking for a five-minute favour. I’m asking them to give up hours of their time to read a whole book. And then face me with their feedback. (How’s that for testing a friendship?)
- Fear. Fear of sending the manuscript out the door, into the light of day, then waiting with baited breath. (What if they don’t like it? What if I’ve wasted almost three years of my life? What if I’m deluding myself into thinking I can write? What if my best efforts comes up short?)
The manuscript is now in their hands, the hands of my beta readers–the ones who aren’t dependent on me for food, clothing, shelter and homework help.
Now I wait.
Gulp.
