The Importance of a First Reader
Sep. 16th, 2011 10:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
writingopedA first reader, or beta reader, is essential if you want to publish a well-crafted book. Whether you've a degree in English composition or you're in the process of learning English as a second language, you need someone else to look over your work.
So...why? What does a beta reader do?
A decent beta reader will let you know a number of things. He will tell you whether the timing and flow keep the pages turning. He'll catch typographical, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and word choice errors. He can spot plot loopholes, let you know if a character seems like a cardboard cutout, and point out any detail that throws him or her out of the story. He can also find those pesky adverbs that crop up no matter how hard you try to eradicate them. On the opposite side of the coin, he can tell you what bits of humor made him laugh, can point out phrases that he especially liked, and stroke your ego in general.
If you haven't had someone go over your book line by line, marking it up with the ruthlessness of a high school English teacher, then go do it! Find a friend or another writer and ask him or her to edit your work. The comment feature in Word works very well for this, as it allows the reader to point out problems without changing the document. From there, it is up to you whether to accept of reject the suggestions. The important thing here is that you will know in a very specific sense exactly what works and doesn't work for at least one person. This can give you a more clear idea of what will and won't work for your overall audience.
Regardless of your level of experience or how well-written you think your work is, show it to at least one other person (the more the merrier) before putting it in front of the public. This helps you to gain more readers, as most folks can't abide shoddy workmanship. It also helps indie authors in general, as it helps us to build a reputation for quality.
Do yourself, your readers, and your fellow authors a favor; find a beta reader for your work - preferably before you hit the publish button. You'll be glad you did.
So...why? What does a beta reader do?
A decent beta reader will let you know a number of things. He will tell you whether the timing and flow keep the pages turning. He'll catch typographical, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and word choice errors. He can spot plot loopholes, let you know if a character seems like a cardboard cutout, and point out any detail that throws him or her out of the story. He can also find those pesky adverbs that crop up no matter how hard you try to eradicate them. On the opposite side of the coin, he can tell you what bits of humor made him laugh, can point out phrases that he especially liked, and stroke your ego in general.
If you haven't had someone go over your book line by line, marking it up with the ruthlessness of a high school English teacher, then go do it! Find a friend or another writer and ask him or her to edit your work. The comment feature in Word works very well for this, as it allows the reader to point out problems without changing the document. From there, it is up to you whether to accept of reject the suggestions. The important thing here is that you will know in a very specific sense exactly what works and doesn't work for at least one person. This can give you a more clear idea of what will and won't work for your overall audience.
Regardless of your level of experience or how well-written you think your work is, show it to at least one other person (the more the merrier) before putting it in front of the public. This helps you to gain more readers, as most folks can't abide shoddy workmanship. It also helps indie authors in general, as it helps us to build a reputation for quality.
Do yourself, your readers, and your fellow authors a favor; find a beta reader for your work - preferably before you hit the publish button. You'll be glad you did.
