Little Things #1: Beta-ing and Critique

So in order to get back into blogging more, and especially blogging more regularly on what ought to be my profile editor's blog, I am going to get into little things that I feel are important when you reach the editing portion of writing a book.

This is, of course, all in my opinion, but I like to think this is some handy advice for folks who are writing or have written a novel and want to get published.

[Disclaimer that none of these are specific to any one writer I've worked with, and in some cases, are based on my own experiences as a writer having my own work edited.]

Without further ado...

Little Things #1: Beta-reading and offering constructive critique

Here's the tl:dr right upfront:

1. It is always a  good idea to get at least a few people to read your story before you start submitting it to agents or publishers. Don't submit a story no one but you has seen. You are almost certain to have missed something.

Other points:

2. Not everyone is good at offering constructive criticism. Some people just don't know how to do it effectively; others get jealous or have something else going on in their own lives/minds that lead to them offering deliberately unkind critiques. Don't let a bad critique squash your passion.

3. Most people probably fall into the "don't know how" category. Therefore, don't let a bad critique squash your passion.

4. Whether you are asking other writers, people who just like to read, or friends and family who are trying to support you--it is super helpful to tell at least a portion of your beta-readers what you want them to do. There's some trial and error to this. I tend to have at least one person, usually another writer, read the story without my asking or pointing out anything beforehand. Seeing what they catch or point out, unprompted, can let me know if I am seeing problems that actually exist or if I'm worrying about something that works just fine. But I have at least a couple people whom I will ask to read a story, and I will give them specific instructions or ask them to read with a particular purpose.

Examples: "Can you read this and let me know if the characters' motivations all work and make sense?" Or, "Read this chapter and tell me if any scene seems unnecessary or boring, please."

5. Politeness is also super helpful, on both sides. Don't assume someone who has beta'ed for you before will do so again, ask and see if they are willing and have time. Thank them for doing it. If you are the one reading someone's story, politeness gets tricky. You want to be honest in your critique, and sometimes a writer needs someone to be blunt about what is NOT WORKING. But sometimes a blunt critique comes across as harsh, and sometimes a harsh critique can kill the passion. In my opinion, it's okay for someone who is reading someone else's work to ask what kind of critique the writer needs.

Examples: "Would you like some general thoughts, or do you want me to get down to the nitty gritty?" (Feel free to use whatever cliches work for you there. ;P ) Or, "Do you just want me to read this and tell you what works?"

The latter is, I feel, a good way of giving a "polite" or "nice" critique without blowing air up someone's butt. Being a beta-reader or giving a critique isn't about saying it's great when it's not. But sometimes it can be about focusing on the things you like, and what works really well. Still true, but softer. And it's still incredibly useful. If someone is writing a story and feeling down, having an honest expression from someone else about what they love in it can be a huge boost. And hearing that a plot thread you weren't certain about is enticing or innovative, can be great confirmation.

To sum up:

For the writer: find a variety of people to read your stuff, be polite, and communicate about what you need in terms of feedback.

For the beta-reader: be polite, be honest, and communicate about what you can provide (are you strong in punctuation but weak in characterization? Or do you not have a lot of time for full-length novels, but can read over a short story?).

Last thought: It's not about telling writers what they want to hear, but telling them what they need to hear in a way that helps them, not stymies them.

A Year in the Life

Up until this past year, I have edited numerous manuscripts. Some I have seen nearly from beginning to end, others only in fits and starts, some only a few pages. Such is the life of a writing group member.

Writing groups are a great way to gain experience as an editor, seeing how different people write, and different people to react to being edited. But it is a far cry from editing a manuscript from first read to final release.

Purple Haze took about a year from when I first received the manuscript until it was released into the wild. It's the first book I've edited with Savant Books and Publications, so in part, I wanted to take my time and see that I did it right. But I also needed to find the balance between writing my own work, teaching college-level English and Psychology, and editing nonfiction freelance (along with some weekly volunteer work, a vague semblance of a social life, and a year full of a number of health issues).

The first step, after an initial read-through, was to decide whether to edit a chunk of chapters and send those to the author, then do another chunk, and so on; or to edit the whole manuscript and send that. We opted for the former, running on enthusiasm and a desire to jump into it.

As I made edits and suggestions, I sent those out, and George edited them and sent them. I held off on my second round of edits, though, until I had gone through the whole manuscript. Then we started the process again.

At first, the focus was bigger ideas--content, plot, characterization. As those were edited, our focus narrowed to smaller issues, until it was line edits: grammar, punctuation, sentence structure.

It took about three or four rounds of "edit, send to author" before we felt comfortable passing it on to the proofreaders. At that point, we also starting working with the cover artist on the cover.



Now we are in the post-release marketing stage. So below is the press release of Purple Haze. Please read, and I hope you get the book, and pass along the description. Happy reading!

Savant Books Announces the Release of George Hudson's New Novel, "Purple Haze"

Savant Books and Publications LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, announces the release of George Hudson's novel of past and present murder and intrigue, "Purple Haze."

Savant Books and Publications LLC, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, announces the release of George Hudson's novel of past and present murder and intrigue, "Purple Haze."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

George Hudson's "Purple Haze"

PRLog (Press Release) - Jul. 26, 2013 - HONOLULU --

A skull discovered in a lake leads FBI investigators Bryan Langston and Joe Mallory on a dangerous search for answers to a thirty-year-old unsolved murder. What they don't know is that there is someone still alive who will do whatever it takes to keep the truth buried, even if that

means killing again.

George Hudson was born in East Tennessee in 1947, into a family of seven other siblings. His life was deeply impacted by the Tennessee Valley Authority and by the lakes throughout the area in which he was raised. He has been a lifetime educator, teaching history in the public schools in Tennessee for thirty years. George also taught as an adjunct professor of history and is presently teaching at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. In his writing, he intersperses bits of history about the area to add local color and sentiment. He and his wife, Gail, live in Chattanooga.

"It's exciting to finally have this book available for all to read," says Hudson. "'It has been an untold story in my imagination for a long time."

"Purple Haze" by George Hudson - 274 pages - 6" x 9" Trade Book - Color Softcover. ISBN 9780988664050. Suggested retail price $16.95. Released in July 2013 by Savant Books and Publications, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

This book is available from the publisher, printer and Amazon.com at

http://www.savantbooksandpublications.com/9780988664050.php

from Savant Bookstore Honolulu at

http://www.savantbookstorehonolulu.com

and directly from Amazon.com at

http://www.amazon.com/Purple-Haze-George-Hudson/dp/0988664054/

Savant Books and Publications LLC is a publisher of enduring literature and media for the 21st Century. For more information visit www.savantbooksandpublications.com

The Process

I'll say it for as long as I am a part of the publishing industry, and probably beyond: there is no one way for someone to get published. (Likewise, there is no one way to right a book, or come up with ideas, and so on.)

But there is a fairly general process that most people go through from getting an idea to getting published. Luckily for all of us, former literary agent and now author, Nathan Bransford has shared that process in gif form on his blog.

It is hilarious. Please, go read now.