I love the idea of digital book launch parties, but in this situation I think it's very over the top. However, I'm also biased and I think using friends and family to beta an early draft is a really bad idea.
Is it an early draft? Is it not an early draft? I have no idea. Technically it's a 5th draft. But it's also a re-write. So I really have no clue. I just know that family/friends really want a read.
You won't get the impartial feedback you need, and you'll feel crappy if you improve it a ton afterwards.
Just to clarify, this will be once I've been through some people who actually know how to beta/read through. My family/friends don't. I won't really be looking for detailed feedback, more or less just a 'did you enjoy it' before I bite the bullet and start the long and hard journey to an agent.
And printing a copy from Lulu introduces a lot of ISBN complications -- you need to research this beforehand if you haven't already, if you assign it an ISBN it will look published to agents.
Printing off LuLu does bring up "is it published" complications as well, like EMaree said.
Shiiiiiiiiiiiit. Shit. Shit.
I printed my firstfirst drafts on lulu. It was set on private, no one else can get 'em. On a scale of 1-10, how much do I need to panic?
Short answer: don't listen to anyone who argues why you shouldn't have a party. They're by definition terrible energy-suckers.
Why not? It's your life and your book. I'm sure you'll get some confused people, and you'll probably spend a fair portion of the night explaining, "no, it's not out yet, this is a beta version," and then explaining what a beta version is, but it sounds like this is more of a family/close friend thing anyway, so it's not like you'll confuse your massive future readership. And you're not asking them to buy it, so nobody will be offended when the real version is for sale.
You love writing, you love parties? Then this seems perfect. Go to it with a will.
------------
Edit: first line is not a criticism of Emaree! We posted simultaneously. I think those are good points, but if it's just your inner circle, I still say go for it. And I was assuming it was not a first draft, but a very near to complete version. Yes, as you get closer the whole rationale for a separate celebration probably becomes weaker and weaker, but I don't like the idea of squashing the joy in such a comparatively harmless endeavor.
It will be very much inner circle. My aunt, my gran, my friend who I babysit for. Not even going near anyone who has any gravitas when it comes to publishing at all.
It sounds like you're not planning on giving your friends and family copies to beta, but you're still giving them copies, and copies that aren't as good as they could be, either. I understand their eagerness to read your hard work, and I'm thrilled it sounds like you have a ton of support, but giving them copies now could make them less likely the buy the finished copy, or some may expect you to give them finished copies. It can lead to expectations you don't want. Printing off LuLu does bring up "is it published" complications as well, like EMaree said. I'd say just wait. Parties are great, but save it for the real launch party, or the "I got an agent" party or the "I got a publisher" party. You'll have plenty of reasons to party after the novel is really, really done.
Check out the beta forum here. You can probably get those experienced betas you want from here.
Well, copies that are as good as they can be for my current ability at the moment. That ability isn't increasing anytime soon, and if the ability still isn't good enough for publishing, I'm decades away from publishing. Which I'm fine with I want this book to be good.
I've already learned the hard way when someone says 'Ooo yay I want to read it!", that's not fucking true. The party will be with people who I know would read it, and would be very close family members.
Also the family members are also probably getting free copies once the thing is published as well. It's family.
I'm nervous the 'really, really done' is a few decades away. A book related party once a decade won't burn people out, which was why I was thinking maybe a beta party now might work okay? If I'm not going to have another one for several years?
I vote for a "I finished a draft of my book party" rather than a beta party. I agree with Emaree, in my experience, friends and family as betas isn't a good idea. Why?
Things can go awry. How are you going to feel when the super excited friend/relative who has been begging to get a hold of your book takes it and then never finishes it? People don't understand how soul crushing that can be to a writer. People have such good intentions, but when push comes to shove, they may not actually read the thing in a thoughtful way that can offer you helpful feedback.
Friends/family love you already and are often reluctant to give their completely honest, unbiased opinion about your story.
Non-writers often have no idea how to offer constructive feedback that can help you improve your manuscript.
Do you really want your friends and family to read an early version of your story? What if you write another, better draft? You'll be like, damn, this one is so much better, I can't believe I let people read that old version. And what if you sell your book? Now all your friends and family have read a version of your story that isn't as good as the professionally edited and published version. Are you going to ask them all to read it again?
So have the party. And promise a bigger, more awesome party when your book is really finished.
Hah! Oh god I remember that...some of my relatives did that, some friends as well. It really crushed my confidence.
I'm a lot hardier against that now. I'm also a
lot more selective now. I mean, my gran read my first draft and thought it was amazing 'better than all those other books, like that one with the ring'. I laughed until I cried XD. She's so sweet.
That may be a better thing to call it to be honest. I'm not looking for constructive, useful feedback with my family. I'm looking for perhaps some fluffy praise and an excuse to have everyone round for a good time.
The title needs to be a bit punchier than 'I finished a draft of my book party' though. I suppose I'll work on that.
To summarize:
* I'm not expecting them to be good or useful beta's.
* Just looking for close friends/fam
* Already used lulu so how fucked am I?
* 'beta-launch' was an awful name. I should've described it better my bad.