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Years ago, I wrote an introductory memo for people I'd asked to beta a manuscript I was passing around. I hadn't read it in years until I unearthed it in a subdirectory this morning. It was written with non-writers in mind, but as I read through it today I realized how many valuable ideas were included.
It also made me realize why I may have scared off a few potential betas.
Anyhoo, I though I'd share. As a writer you may be able to pick up a useful tidbit, or just be reminded of a few as I was. Or, if you so desire, feel free to use it with your own non-writer betas...May help them give you better feedback than you would've gotten otherwise.
Dear First Reader,
I know, I know. You didn’t realize, when I asked you to read my manuscript, that it would be a project. Why can’t I just read it? you ask. Because I need your help. I need your feedback. I need your input. I’m not asking you to write a paper, or a report on what you think. I’m just asking you to scribble notes. Circle things. Underline. Make question marks. Hey, the more in-depth you want to get, the better. There’ll be no nose curling if you return to me a pile of questions, suggestions and criticisms. More likely a smile.
Ok. So what should you look for? What, you wonder, do I ask of you? I ask, foremost, for your opinion. Even if you make no notes, no comments, your opinion is most important. Second, and only if you’re willing, I ask for your analysis. Below is a list – a rather lengthy one – for you to look over. Read it once or twice, before, or even during, your read of the manuscript. These are the things that count. They’re basic, logical. You’re not having to take a lesson in creative writing or a crash course in English. They’re just what to look for, to be aware of. They’re things I’ve learned are important to editors and publishers; important to a salable manuscript. They’re things that I – as the writer – don’t necessarily see, even though I’m aware of them. They’re things I need your help finding, fixing and polishing.
ü COPYEDIT
Red marks are good. Any typos, misspellings, verb tense errors, grammatical mistakes, punctuation problems, etc., etc.. Mark it up. If you question it, but aren’t sure, mark it up. I’ll do the research. Wording – word syntax (ordering) – is sometimes just my particular voice, and may sound odd to you (because you might phrase it differently), but please note it if it seems uncomfortable to read – if you stumble over it, have to reread the sentence – then something needs fixing.
ü PLOT
Does it make sense? Can you follow what’s happening? Do you understand why it’s happening? Does anything leave you saying “Why did that occur?” or “That doesn’t make sense.” Are there turns in the plot you felt you could easily predict? Do you feel that the outcome is unfair? Does it leave you feeling unhappy about the course of events? Does it retain your interest, or are there points at which you find it too easy to put down what you’re reading? Does the story leave you thinking about it when you’ve put it down, or after you’ve finished it? Does it leave you wondering what happens after the text ends?
ü OUTSIDE THE PLOT:
Do you get a sense of the world beyond the story, or does it seem like a fake, constructed reality, only there as a convenience to the story line?
ü INCONSISTENCIES
Does Jack have blond hair in the beginning, but he’s combing his red hair somewhere near the end? Is Jane allergic to cabbage, but then eats coleslaw at lunch? You get the point. It applies to plot too: Does Jack end up at the bowling alley when in the previous scene it was made clear he was going to the bank? Does a trip from the library to home – which earlier in the story may have taken five minutes – suddenly result in an extended observation of a sunset while driving on the highway? When you’ve finished the manuscript, do you feel that there are any unresolved issues or subplots?
ü PACE:
Does it move forward steadily? This doesn’t mean at breakneck speed, one action on top of another, without giving either the characters or the reader a chance to breathe. It does mean being certain every line advances some aspect of what’s happening. Are there places where you feel dragged along, where your interest in the words is clouded? Do you skip over spots because you’re bored, just to get to a point that interests you?
ü SCENES
Do I have every scene I need? Do things happen that aren’t set up by previous action or that present an action that isn’t completed? Have you read a scene that, if removed, would be of no detriment to the story line? Are there scenes too long for the purpose they serve?
ü CHARACTERS:
This is very important: do they seem real? Are they more than just vessels to carry the plot? Can you relate to them? Can you imagine what they look like, even if they’ve not been fully described? Can you imagine someone you actually know fitting the part? Can you anticipate what they would do next, based on what you’ve learned about them? Are they true to life – do they make real-life decisions, have real-life thoughts? Engage in real-life conversations? Relationships? Emotions? Are they three-dimensional? Do they have a past and a present? Can you imagine a future for them? Are you left with a sense that you might just meet this person someday? Because the past shapes the present, do you know enough about the character’s history?
ü DIALOGUE
Does it sound real? Do the conversations sound, in your head, as they would in real life? Have I avoided the overuse of “said bookisms” – words like hissed, explained or observed used in place of the invisible word said (i.e. “Put that down,” she snapped)? Is the dialogue true to character? Does someone you’ve come to see as uneducated suddenly start speaking like someone defending a doctoral thesis? Is the language appropriate to the scene and situation? Do you feel that the characters are simply talking heads, or has action, motion, movement of some kind been interspersed in the scene, making it feel more real-life? Can you tell who’s speaking within each set of quotation marks, or do you have to go back to figure it out? If something gives you pause, please read it aloud. See if it comes true. If not, please make a note of it.
ü POINT OF VIEW (POV)
What you’re reading should be 3rd person, past tense. The POV moves around a lot. Does it confuse you? Do you stumble over the beginning of scenes, not knowing who you’re dealing with? Does the POV seem to change from one person to another mid-scene? Is the POV consistent, or do you find thoughts from Jane inserted into a scene that, all along, has been written from John’s perspective?
ü BACKSTORY
If the scene is flashing back, or discussing something that happened in a character’s past, is what’s happening clear? Is there any confusion between now versus then? Does the backstory fit? Does it make sense – does it have its place in the plot, or is it unnecessary to the scheme of things? Are there places where the backstory could be inserted differently? Is there information that you feel is missing, leaving you wondering or confused about someone or something?
ü DETAIL
Enough or not enough – that is the question. Some things are better left unsaid – better left to the reader’s imagination. And some things, while considered by one reader, may not even be thought of by another. Ask yourself if you can picture what is at hand – people, places, objects; cars, houses, rooms, etc.. Do you see in your mind what is being described? Even if the detail is minimal, does your imagination fill in the blanks? If so, then the detail is enough. If not, say so. If you find a scene, or a description that leaves you wondering what you’re supposed to see; a description that bores you because it drags out, please make a note. If a detail is false, or unrealistic (a beer bottle being described as twelve inches tall, for example), please make a note.
ü FIVE SENSES
In each scene, each situation, it is preferred that the reader (you) can see – no, experience – what’s happening; picture it with their imagination as though they were there, in the story. Obviously, in reality, we have our senses to confirm our experiences, and thus, in reading, a scene will become much more real if the reader has that sensory input. This isn’t to say that all five will be satisfied in every instance – that would be overdoing the detail and leaving nothing to the reader’s imagination – but if a particular situation begs an answer and you feel you’ve been left without one, then please note it (i.e. a scene in a kitchen with steaming and sizzling pots and pans on the stove would demand more than the auditory and visual descriptions steaming and sizzling, it would beg for a smell or two). In addition, if you find a sensory description unfitting or misplaced – or missing completely (like a blare of light when driving into a sunset) – please note that too.
Stephen King describes the writing process as two-phased: phase one is door shut – the first draft – where the writer is speaking to themselves, getting ideas down, letting it pour out. Phase two is where the Ideal Reader is let in, door open, and the work is under the microscope. This can be good, and bad – most criticism will be met with the words yeah, but. In most cases, the Ideal Reader will be right, and that feedback is as valuable as it gets.
My request of you is this: Be brutally honest. I don’t want fluffed, insincere praises. I want your true opinion, regardless of how harsh you think it may be. If you think it sucks, say so. Period. Don’t be nice, unless it’s the truth. I may disagree, or argue, or defend. I may never make a change you recommend. That is besides the point. The feedback is the key. I’ve asked you to read my work because I believe that you represent, in some form or fashion, the majority of people I imagine would constitute a market for my writing. Your opinion, your input, your feedback is what is important, not my feelings.
And if an opinion is all you wish to provide, then so be it. That is still one of the most important parts. A first reader that tears the manuscript to pieces is valuable, but a reader who tells me honestly if they liked it or did not like it is just as important. Before I ask, ask yourself these questions: Did you like the story? Were you draw into it? Did you continue to think about it after you’d finished reading? Does the memory of the characters seem real to you? Would you recommend this read to someone you know – someone who’s opinion you value. Would you read another book I’d written? They seem like simple questions, yes. But will you be prepared to answer them honestly when I ask you face to face?
Much appreciation and thanks for your interest, and whatever efforts you put forth. Most of all, I hope you enjoy reading whatever it is I’ve given you to absorb. I look forward to, with great enthusiasm and a slight degree of apprehension, your commentary; your feedback.
Thanks.
MTL
It also made me realize why I may have scared off a few potential betas.
Anyhoo, I though I'd share. As a writer you may be able to pick up a useful tidbit, or just be reminded of a few as I was. Or, if you so desire, feel free to use it with your own non-writer betas...May help them give you better feedback than you would've gotten otherwise.
Dear First Reader,
I know, I know. You didn’t realize, when I asked you to read my manuscript, that it would be a project. Why can’t I just read it? you ask. Because I need your help. I need your feedback. I need your input. I’m not asking you to write a paper, or a report on what you think. I’m just asking you to scribble notes. Circle things. Underline. Make question marks. Hey, the more in-depth you want to get, the better. There’ll be no nose curling if you return to me a pile of questions, suggestions and criticisms. More likely a smile.
Ok. So what should you look for? What, you wonder, do I ask of you? I ask, foremost, for your opinion. Even if you make no notes, no comments, your opinion is most important. Second, and only if you’re willing, I ask for your analysis. Below is a list – a rather lengthy one – for you to look over. Read it once or twice, before, or even during, your read of the manuscript. These are the things that count. They’re basic, logical. You’re not having to take a lesson in creative writing or a crash course in English. They’re just what to look for, to be aware of. They’re things I’ve learned are important to editors and publishers; important to a salable manuscript. They’re things that I – as the writer – don’t necessarily see, even though I’m aware of them. They’re things I need your help finding, fixing and polishing.
ü COPYEDIT
Red marks are good. Any typos, misspellings, verb tense errors, grammatical mistakes, punctuation problems, etc., etc.. Mark it up. If you question it, but aren’t sure, mark it up. I’ll do the research. Wording – word syntax (ordering) – is sometimes just my particular voice, and may sound odd to you (because you might phrase it differently), but please note it if it seems uncomfortable to read – if you stumble over it, have to reread the sentence – then something needs fixing.
ü PLOT
Does it make sense? Can you follow what’s happening? Do you understand why it’s happening? Does anything leave you saying “Why did that occur?” or “That doesn’t make sense.” Are there turns in the plot you felt you could easily predict? Do you feel that the outcome is unfair? Does it leave you feeling unhappy about the course of events? Does it retain your interest, or are there points at which you find it too easy to put down what you’re reading? Does the story leave you thinking about it when you’ve put it down, or after you’ve finished it? Does it leave you wondering what happens after the text ends?
ü OUTSIDE THE PLOT:
Do you get a sense of the world beyond the story, or does it seem like a fake, constructed reality, only there as a convenience to the story line?
ü INCONSISTENCIES
Does Jack have blond hair in the beginning, but he’s combing his red hair somewhere near the end? Is Jane allergic to cabbage, but then eats coleslaw at lunch? You get the point. It applies to plot too: Does Jack end up at the bowling alley when in the previous scene it was made clear he was going to the bank? Does a trip from the library to home – which earlier in the story may have taken five minutes – suddenly result in an extended observation of a sunset while driving on the highway? When you’ve finished the manuscript, do you feel that there are any unresolved issues or subplots?
ü PACE:
Does it move forward steadily? This doesn’t mean at breakneck speed, one action on top of another, without giving either the characters or the reader a chance to breathe. It does mean being certain every line advances some aspect of what’s happening. Are there places where you feel dragged along, where your interest in the words is clouded? Do you skip over spots because you’re bored, just to get to a point that interests you?
ü SCENES
Do I have every scene I need? Do things happen that aren’t set up by previous action or that present an action that isn’t completed? Have you read a scene that, if removed, would be of no detriment to the story line? Are there scenes too long for the purpose they serve?
ü CHARACTERS:
This is very important: do they seem real? Are they more than just vessels to carry the plot? Can you relate to them? Can you imagine what they look like, even if they’ve not been fully described? Can you imagine someone you actually know fitting the part? Can you anticipate what they would do next, based on what you’ve learned about them? Are they true to life – do they make real-life decisions, have real-life thoughts? Engage in real-life conversations? Relationships? Emotions? Are they three-dimensional? Do they have a past and a present? Can you imagine a future for them? Are you left with a sense that you might just meet this person someday? Because the past shapes the present, do you know enough about the character’s history?
ü DIALOGUE
Does it sound real? Do the conversations sound, in your head, as they would in real life? Have I avoided the overuse of “said bookisms” – words like hissed, explained or observed used in place of the invisible word said (i.e. “Put that down,” she snapped)? Is the dialogue true to character? Does someone you’ve come to see as uneducated suddenly start speaking like someone defending a doctoral thesis? Is the language appropriate to the scene and situation? Do you feel that the characters are simply talking heads, or has action, motion, movement of some kind been interspersed in the scene, making it feel more real-life? Can you tell who’s speaking within each set of quotation marks, or do you have to go back to figure it out? If something gives you pause, please read it aloud. See if it comes true. If not, please make a note of it.
ü POINT OF VIEW (POV)
What you’re reading should be 3rd person, past tense. The POV moves around a lot. Does it confuse you? Do you stumble over the beginning of scenes, not knowing who you’re dealing with? Does the POV seem to change from one person to another mid-scene? Is the POV consistent, or do you find thoughts from Jane inserted into a scene that, all along, has been written from John’s perspective?
ü BACKSTORY
If the scene is flashing back, or discussing something that happened in a character’s past, is what’s happening clear? Is there any confusion between now versus then? Does the backstory fit? Does it make sense – does it have its place in the plot, or is it unnecessary to the scheme of things? Are there places where the backstory could be inserted differently? Is there information that you feel is missing, leaving you wondering or confused about someone or something?
ü DETAIL
Enough or not enough – that is the question. Some things are better left unsaid – better left to the reader’s imagination. And some things, while considered by one reader, may not even be thought of by another. Ask yourself if you can picture what is at hand – people, places, objects; cars, houses, rooms, etc.. Do you see in your mind what is being described? Even if the detail is minimal, does your imagination fill in the blanks? If so, then the detail is enough. If not, say so. If you find a scene, or a description that leaves you wondering what you’re supposed to see; a description that bores you because it drags out, please make a note. If a detail is false, or unrealistic (a beer bottle being described as twelve inches tall, for example), please make a note.
ü FIVE SENSES
In each scene, each situation, it is preferred that the reader (you) can see – no, experience – what’s happening; picture it with their imagination as though they were there, in the story. Obviously, in reality, we have our senses to confirm our experiences, and thus, in reading, a scene will become much more real if the reader has that sensory input. This isn’t to say that all five will be satisfied in every instance – that would be overdoing the detail and leaving nothing to the reader’s imagination – but if a particular situation begs an answer and you feel you’ve been left without one, then please note it (i.e. a scene in a kitchen with steaming and sizzling pots and pans on the stove would demand more than the auditory and visual descriptions steaming and sizzling, it would beg for a smell or two). In addition, if you find a sensory description unfitting or misplaced – or missing completely (like a blare of light when driving into a sunset) – please note that too.
Anything else you may think of, stumble on, or be concerned about is VALID.
Please do not hesitate to note it, question it, or challenge it, just
Because it doesn’t appear somewhere in the above list!
Stephen King describes the writing process as two-phased: phase one is door shut – the first draft – where the writer is speaking to themselves, getting ideas down, letting it pour out. Phase two is where the Ideal Reader is let in, door open, and the work is under the microscope. This can be good, and bad – most criticism will be met with the words yeah, but. In most cases, the Ideal Reader will be right, and that feedback is as valuable as it gets.
My request of you is this: Be brutally honest. I don’t want fluffed, insincere praises. I want your true opinion, regardless of how harsh you think it may be. If you think it sucks, say so. Period. Don’t be nice, unless it’s the truth. I may disagree, or argue, or defend. I may never make a change you recommend. That is besides the point. The feedback is the key. I’ve asked you to read my work because I believe that you represent, in some form or fashion, the majority of people I imagine would constitute a market for my writing. Your opinion, your input, your feedback is what is important, not my feelings.
And if an opinion is all you wish to provide, then so be it. That is still one of the most important parts. A first reader that tears the manuscript to pieces is valuable, but a reader who tells me honestly if they liked it or did not like it is just as important. Before I ask, ask yourself these questions: Did you like the story? Were you draw into it? Did you continue to think about it after you’d finished reading? Does the memory of the characters seem real to you? Would you recommend this read to someone you know – someone who’s opinion you value. Would you read another book I’d written? They seem like simple questions, yes. But will you be prepared to answer them honestly when I ask you face to face?
Much appreciation and thanks for your interest, and whatever efforts you put forth. Most of all, I hope you enjoy reading whatever it is I’ve given you to absorb. I look forward to, with great enthusiasm and a slight degree of apprehension, your commentary; your feedback.
Thanks.
MTL
