Tales from Burkeland Tale 18
You’ve written a perfect draft with not a single plot hole or flat character in sight. Or so you think. To know for sure, you’ll need readers to critique your work. But how do you find the right reader who will give you the feedback you need? And what do you do with their comments?
First, congratulate yourself. You wrote an entire story and are ready to share it. That’s awesome! Now, read on for the answers to those other questions.
What Is Critique?
Critique is simply feedback on your writing as it is currently on the page. Remember that. What you’re sharing isn’t a published New York Times Bestseller (yet). There’s bound to be issues in your draft. That’s OK. Critiquers are not expecting a perfect piece. Their job is to provide feedback to help you improve the next draft.
But a critiquer is just one reader, and their feedback is subjective. That’s why it’s important to have multiple readers look at your piece.
Who Do I Ask to Critique My Work?
Fellow writers or readers make great sources for critique. Find people you trust and with whom you can build an on-going working relationship. But before you make an ask, make sure you know what kind of critique you’re seeking.
A quick note before we get started. You may hear different definitions for these terms or terms I’ve left out. This information is based on what I’ve learned and how I use readers in my writing process. Now, let’s find your ideal critique.
Critique partners and critique groups are excellent for early versions of your work. They are fellow writers who regularly exchange work, usually weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. This type of critique gets you early feedback and can help you develop your idea into a solid story. Afterall, the best critique partners and groups brainstorm together alongside reading each other’s work.
A downside to this type of critique is that there is generally a word limit for submissions. That’s not a big deal if you’re working on a short story. But for larger pieces, it means they’re reading your work piece by piece, which is not the way they would if they picked it up off the shelf. That’s where alpha readers come in.
Alpha readers are other writers or trusted readers who read an early, barely edited draft in its entirety. They provide high-level feedback on plot and character arcs. This is where a lot of plot holes are found. Alpha readers can also be great for brainstorming.
After you’ve done developmental edits to fill the plot holes your alpha readers found, you’re ready for beta readers. Like alpha readers, beta readers can be other writers or trusted readers, but their feedback should be more in-depth. They’re looking for lingering plot questions, issues with pacing, incomplete character arcs, and scenes where your characters don’t act like themselves.
At any point in your revision process, you can ask your readers to have another look at your piece. This is especially helpful after you’ve done a major edit or as you’re getting ready to submit or publish your work.
You may also choose to hire an editor. This could be an article on its own, so I’ll keep it short. Editors are professionals you or your publisher pay to help you find and fix issues in your work. Editors often specialize in genre and types of editing, so it’s important to know what you need to find an editor that fits.
If you’re writing a novel or a collection of stories or poems, you will likely seek ARC readers right before publication. ARC stands for advanced reader copy. Readers receive an early copy of the book to read and honestly review prior to or on publication day. ARC readers are reading your work as if they bought it off the shelf. While they aren’t required to give you feedback, it is expected that they will post a review. Good ones will also help you proofread.
You can find critique readers through writers’ organizations and social media groups, in writing classes, or at conferences.
I’ve Gotten Feedback. Now What?
First and foremost, thank the person who critiqued your work. Then put on your thick skin so you can be objective as you receive feedback. If you’re in a live critique group, listen to the critique and take notes. If it’s not live, go through the comments in a timely manner. Ask any follow-up questions you immediately have and if your reader is willing to answer more questions later (the answer is usually yes). DO NOT argue with your readers. Remember, this is one person’s opinion on the manuscript. It is not a commentary on you as a person or your ability as a writer. Also remember your manuscript is not perfect, and you asked for help making it better.
Once you’ve gotten all your feedback, look through the comments in-depth and organize them. I separate them by topics—structure, character, scene-specific, line-level, etc.—and plan my revisions accordingly. Focus on one topic in each revision pass, working from high-level to sentence level. I tackle structural issues first, then character arcs, then individual scenes, then lines. I also mark comments yes, no, or maybe. Yes is for changes I will make. No is for suggestions I know are not right for my story. Maybe is for suggestions I need more time to think about.
As you organize the comments, make note of similar feedback from multiple readers. If there’s a section lots of readers like, make sure you don’t cut or break it in revisions. If there’s an area multiple readers had an issue with, it likely needs work.
Getting feedback—especially negative feedback—can be hard. Take a break if you get emotional over feedback or overwhelmed by revisions.
One last bit of advice. Protect your artistic vision for the story. Once it’s published, it’s part of your legacy. You need to be proud of it.
Alright. It’s time. Summon your courage and get that feedback on your work. You got this!
Capturing Critique Part 2: How to Provide Feedback Authors Can Use will publish in August.
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What you missed in this month’s newsletter:
From the Drafts: WIP Quote.
Quote of the Month.
Myths and Magic: The Longest Day: Midsummer.
From My Shelf: Light Weaver by Lusine Torossian.