For those of you not part of the publishing world, a beta reader looks at the manuscript before it is published/ your agent or editor takes a look. Mine is quite hands on, critiquing as I go along as well. She also happens to be my daughter! She graduated last year with a degree in English Literature and as part of that studied a module in Creative Writing. I decided to take advantage of her living at home during lockdown and asked if she’d consider taking this book on.

It’s been an absolute joy, I’ve agreed with most of what she’s suggested, and now I’m asking myself why I’ve never considered having a beta reader before. Many authors I know have critique partners and/or beta readers but it’s something I’ve always shied away from. Writing a book is a very personal process. However, before any of my work gets published it goes through rigorous appraisals by my agent and editors and I’ve become used, over the last 8 years, to receiving criticism.

Which is just as well. I still want to be talking to my daughter at the end of this process!

What have I found to be the benefits of having a beta reader?

As the author you can be so close to your work that you don’t see the obvious flaws… So the main benefit is, hopefully, that by having a beta reader you will eliminate the stand out problems earlier on in the process, before you rewrite, polish and send off the manuscript to your agent and/or editor. It’s always easier and less disheartening to unpick character development or plot sooner rather than later. 

This should mean that, organically, you are shaping the manuscript to a higher standard right from the start.

Specific examples

Book 16 is a subtly different in style and my beta reader is helping me realise this new direction, pointing out where I’ve slipped into old habits.

The structure of the book is not simply chapter after chapter all the way through, and it’s been great having her take on this as to whether it works or not, or adds anything of real value to the story.

Very importantly it’s been great to get feedback about the main characters and whether the ones I want the reader to like and root for appeal in some way, that their motivations resonate, even though their actions might be shocking or questionable.

Crucially, whether the pace is right – chapter after chapter of emotion and drama, for example, can leave a reader exhausted if there are no breaks. And does she want to read on? Is it boring in any part?

She’s made suggestions about aspects I’d hadn’t considered – for example regarding characters that my protagonist has moved away from who, in my beta reader’s opinion, should still be part of the story.

And, of course, above all else… has my storytelling made her become invested in the story? Has she enjoyed it? 

All of this has been coupled with praise when pertinent. Now and then my daughter doodles a heart by a section she’s especially liked and this is such a boost and inspires me to keep doing my best.

And the drawbacks?

I can’t think of any – but then I’m 16 books into my career. If you are just starting out and haven’t had much experience of criticism, try not to take it personally, don’t let it dampen that heady passion we all feel when writing the first draft. Remember, any points that you agree with are only going to make your story stronger.

However also remember – it’s YOUR book. I don’t agree with everything suggested by my beta reader, by my agent or editors. Be honest enough to accept what you’ve written can be improved upon but, at the same time, listen to your heart if their view on something particularly rallies against yours.

What would my advice be to any writer considering taking on a beta reader?

Choose someone you absolutely trust with your work – not to talk about it with anyone else, or chat about it online. 

Pick someone who can be completely honest with you and be tough where necessary. The beta reader has to be able to criticise you without fear of reprisal! 

Make sure they understand the commitment – it’s a fair few hours of reading and commenting. You don’t want them to regret agreeing to help, or to drop out halfway through. 

I’ve still a fair way to go but am looking forward to when Book 16 is completed, as she’s a fast reader and is going to read the book in one go. This could throw out a fresh set of problems that I’m excited to address before my agent sees the story.

An author must never get complacent, must always keep striving to improve and expand their knowledge about the craft, and learning from my daughter has been such a rewarding part of this latest journey I’m trying to think up bribes for her to stay at home for as long as possible!

I sent off my latest manuscript and eagerly awaited feedback. Finally it arrived. I opened the email and… Okay. I admit it. Cue a mini meltdown. The suggestion was that the book needed stripping right back to the original kernel of the idea. Chapters needed down-sizing into paragraphs, or cutting out completely. A good number of characters needed to disappear.

We’re talking a major rethink. We’re talking murdering many darlings. Or possibly ditching the book.

This was new. In the past – and I’ve had eight books published, now – I’ve had what I call “extensive” rewrites but now I realise they weren’t. At the most they’ve meant restructuring a plotline or adding emotion or developing a protagonist further. My first drafts have rarely needed fundamental changes. I plan each chapter in detail before I write. At the end of the process I’m more of a tweaker and that seems to have worked. I’m not used to completely pulling apart a finished draft.

So this has come as something of a shock.

Especially as, when I send off my first draft, I am always in what I call  “delusional X-factor contestant mode”. I make no apologies for this. It’s necessary for me if I want to write any book. I need to think it is going to change the world!

This meglomania doesn’t last forever, of course. My feet soon settle back onto the ground during the process of rewriting and editing, of publishing and getting reviews… but I need to feel super excited and confident about any project at the beginning. So when this feedback came back I wasn’t sure what to do.

I had two options. Move onto my next project (which I’m very enthusiastic about) or tackle the major rewrite. And of course, sometimes there are genuinely valid reasons for moving on. My advice, here, is listen to your heart and talk it through with reliable and knowledgeable writerly confidantes. I shelved several projects before getting published because I could not re-ignite my motivation and I think, deep down, that was because I realised those stories were never going to work.

Indeed, my first reaction in this instance? With all my confidence gone and feeling despondent, I decided to start my next book and leave this one either to stay permanently under the bed or revisit at some point in the future. I decided fixing the problems would involve too much work and take too long.

However, something unexpected happened overnight. The characters began to talk to me. Ideas slowly formulated around which needed scrapping and how to improve the remaining ones. Then new plotlines twitched in my brain. I woke up feeling rather excited. Eventually, after a day or two, I realised that this book, this story still existed – I just had the  opportunity now to really make it shine, having already done a lot of the groundwork.

I mapped out all the chapters and almost enjoyed slashing some out and combining others together. As for the characters, it’s not proving to be as hard as I expected to ditch some even though, in my head, they’d become my friends.

Perhaps they’ll resurface one day in another story. And that is the essence of embracing the major rewrite – realising that what you have to lose is not a waste. Characters can be used again and all of that prose you wrote is practice – continually you are improving your craft.

I’ve now regained some confidence and cringe when I think about the initial version. I’m grateful for the knowledge I now have of where and why I went wrong. This should help with my next draft and future projects.

So here’s my own advice for embracing a major rewrite -and if you’ve any tips then please do share them!

Sure, throw a little pity party and lick your wounds when vigorous feedback comes back. Eat chocolate. Take a long bath. Grieve for the story you believe you have lost. But don’t let this stage last too long.

Sleep on it. Even take a break for a few days. Try to stand back. Put your ego to one side when asking yourself if the editorial suggestions are valid.

Don’t see it as having to start over again. See it as simply continuing with, and fully fleshing out, a plot and characters you have already well developed. Refuse to see slashed characters and chapters as wasted.

Realise that if someone takes the time to give you detailed feedback, be that a potential agent, signed agent, editor or critque partner, they believe in your writing. 

As a resident Mancunian, I’d say  make your mantra “You don’t get owt for nowt”. Yes, writing can be bloody hard work.

Remind yourself that a first draft is called that for a reason. It isn’t the last.

Compare starting another story from scratch, to *starting* one where you’ve already worked extensively on the nuts and bolts. No contest!

Good luck!