Tales from Burkeland Tale 20
You have an author friend (or two, or three, or four). They’ve asked you to read their work and offer feedback. Of course, you said yes! But how is offering critique different from just reading? What do you offer feedback on? And how do you even know if you’re comments are good?
First, take a breath. If you’ve been asked to critique an author’s work, they already trust your story judgment. Now, read on for answers to those other questions.
Know what kind of critique is being asked of you.
This is the most important step as it will determine how detailed your critique needs to be.
If you’re being asked to alpha read, you’re getting an early draft of the story. Your author friend is likely looking for a high-level critique. Is the main story idea interesting? Is the main character interesting? Are they missing a vital side character? Do you see any glaring plot holes? At this stage, you’re helping the author develop the story, so be ready to brainstorm!
For a beta read, read with more of an eye to detail. You’re getting a draft that’s been through a few edits but hasn’t been polished to perfection. The story should read like a complete story, so pay attention to places where something seems off. Did the pacing feel too slow? Was a scene rushed? Did a character act unlike themselves? Did the beginning hook your attention? Did the piece fulfill your expectations as a reader? If something feels incomplete or unanswered at the end, tell the author.
You may be asked to read a piece at either of these stages if you’re in a critique group. Such groups generally have guidelines for how to submit work and how to structure your critique. Keep in mind that if your partners are submitting longer pieces, you’re not getting the entire work at one time. That means your reading experience will be different from someone who picked it up as a completed work. Keep that in mind as it could affect your comments.
ARC—or advanced reader copy—readers get the completed work right before it goes to publication in exchange for an honest review after publication. If you’re ARC reading, read the piece as if you bought it off the shelf (or from the ebook store). You can point out type-os or misspellings, but your critique is your review.
If you have specialized knowledge, you might be asked to do a sensitivity read or an authenticity read. These are common when authors write about social groups or ethnicities they are not part of. In these cases, the author is asking you to make sure their work is realistic and respectful.
Regardless of what type of read the author wants, be responsive and communicative. If you can’t make their deadline, say so. If you have questions about what kind of feedback they’re after, ask. And be willing to answer follow-up questions.
Now that you have an idea of what you’re being asked to do, let’s look at how to do it.
Offer a variety of comments.
Your emotional reactions. Questions you have and where they got answered, if they did. Characters you love or love to hate. Scenes that fall flat. Your overall impressions and opinions on a piece. All of that is information authors can use to tinker with their next draft.
As you read, drop your emotional reactions in a margin comment. Mark a moment or a scene you love. If something doesn’t make sense, note it. Margin comments are great for little details.
Once you’re finished, summarize your overall thoughts. This is where you can address character arcs, plot, and your reader experience.
Offer positives and negatives.
Your main job is to help your author pal improve their piece. Only telling them it was great won’t do. Good critique tells authors what they’re getting right as much as what they’re missing.
At the same time, if you can’t think of anything good to say about the work, perhaps the piece wasn’t for you. That’s OK! Tell the author you didn’t jive with the story and move on.
If you’re worried about leaning too far one direction, use the sandwich method. Write one positive comment, then two opportunities for improvement, then one more positive comment. It works best for summary feedback, but you can apply the general idea to margin comments as well.
Be honest, not cruel.
Critiques are subjective. Something you didn’t like could be someone else’s favorite part of the story. Both are right, and both are useful for the author to know. Don’t speak in absolutes or behave as if you’re the expert (unless your authenticity reader).
That said, it’s always possible the author asked for critique the piece isn’t ready for. If you’re asked to beta or ARC read a story, but you keep finding flat characters and glaring plot holes, tell your friend (gently).
I’ve done my read and written my feedback. Now what?
Send your comments to the author in whatever way you all agreed upon. Be ready to talk about your comments, should the author ask. If you’re an ARC reader, post your review where you said you would.
If you liked the piece and want to see how it develops, let the author know you’re up for reading a later draft. Also let them know if you’re interested in reading more of their work.
Now smile. You’ve helped another story make its way into the world. Congratulations!
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What you missed in this month’s newsletter:
From the Drafts: Introducing Snippets, the odds and ends I gather from daily life.
Quote of the Month.
Myths and Magic: First Harvest: Lughnasadh / Lammas.
From My Shelf: Hidden Hunger by Jen Bair, book 7 of the Shady Spirits series.