At the end of last week I received the first feedback from one of my beta readers. Let’s just say that I expected a fair amount of areas to be pointed out that needed improvement (it’s my first novel after all), but I didn’t quite expect it to be on the level of re-structuring and re-writing the entire novel.
I’m not sure if I have handled it well. I’m still feeling the effects, although not quite so demoralised as I was on Friday. I think my process followed a similar pattern as handling grief: shock, denial, anger, depression, acceptance. Honestly, I experienced them all over the weekend.
As a writer, it’s important to be able to deal with criticism. I knew my novel was not going to be perfect, yet it hurt so much when someone else said so.
I do appreciate the work that my beta reader put into reading my novel. It takes time, and a lot of effort, to beta read. Not forgetting, they are not being paid and are doing me a favour. I am grateful for the feedback, but I’m really not sure what I’m going to do with it. I haven’t been able to bring myself to read the feedback again, but I cannot deny that some important points were raised, and I would be foolish to ignore them.
What have I learned from this?
I need to toughen up and accept that others are able to see things in my work that I am blind to. I also beta read for others, and it’s quite clear that one’s approach to constructive criticism can make or break the morale of an author. I aim to avoid being the demoralising, over-critical, transform the story into my own, type of beta reader that I have heard so much about, and seem to have discovered with my first try.
Just to lighten the mood of this post, I received more feedback this morning from a second reader. At total odds with the previous reader, this one seems to really enjoy the book and has even suggested they would buy it! They’ve only read the first three chapters though, so give them time to change their mind.
In conclusion, beta reading is a foray into opinion, and as always, opinion can vary to the extreme.
