21. Beta Readers vs. Developmental Editors: What Writers Need to Know

In today's episode, we're going to dive into a hot topic in the novel writing process: Beta readers versus developmental editors. 
If you're a novelist looking to take your work to the next level, stay tuned, because we're about to uncover why beta readers and developmental editors are your secret weapon.

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Transcript

STEPS TO STORY EP 21 - Beta Readers vs. Developmental Editors

[00:00:00] Nicole Meier: The job of a beta reader versus an editor is very different. Beta readers are reading your book with an eye toward enjoyment and entertainment. They're reading it like an audience. Editors, specifically developmental editors, are reading your book with an eye toward craft and story structure.

[00:00:26] Nicole Meier: Welcome to Steps to Story, the show that helps aspiring authors turn their ideas into action. and transform their dream of writing a book into a reality. I'm your host, Nicole Meier, multi published author and certified book coach. I spent the first part of my fiction writing career desperate for guidance that was unavailable to me.

[00:00:48] Nicole Meier: I wrote draft after draft, flying by the seat of my pants, with lots of passion, but little guidance. Thankfully, there was a writing community that opened its arms and welcomed me. This community sustained me, but when it came to strengthening my novel writing process, I was determined to find a better way.

[00:01:09] Nicole Meier: One that didn't involve piecemeal strategies. and confusing courses. Now, more than a decade later, I'm serving my younger self who yearned for support while writing a book. If you're an emerging author seeking guidance, this podcast is for you. Are you on the list to get my novel writing guide? I designed this workbook to take you through five essential strategies that will level up your novel writing process.

[00:01:38] Nicole Meier: Grab your free copy at NicoleMeier. com forward slash crafting greatness. That's NicoleMeier. com forward slash crafting greatness or at the link in the show notes.

[00:01:59] Nicole Meier: Hi there, writers. Welcome back to Steps to Story. In today's episode, we're going to dive into a hot topic in the novel writing process. Beta readers versus developmental editors. If you're a novelist looking to take your work to the next level, stay tuned, because we're about to uncover why beta readers and editors are your secret weapon.

[00:02:23] Nicole Meier: Let's start out by talking about beta readers. First things first. What exactly are beta readers? Think of them as your early audience, the fresh pair of eyes your manuscript desperately needs before it goes out into the world. So this applies to those thinking of pitching agents in hopes of traditional publishing, or for those submitting to hybrid and small presses, or for those going the self publishing route.

[00:02:49] Nicole Meier: So basically everyone. Beta readers are the invaluable person in providing honest feedback on your work in progress. and offering insights that you as the author might have missed. Because, as we all know, there are times when we as the writer simply gets too close to the work. Unlike an editor, Beta readers approach the book like a true audience.

[00:03:15] Nicole Meier: I'll get to the idea of when and how to work with beta readers versus editors in a minute, but for now I want to call out that the job of a beta reader versus an editor is very different. Let me repeat that for those in the back row. The job of a beta reader is very different than the job of an editor.

[00:03:36] Nicole Meier: Beta readers are reading your book with an eye toward enjoyment and entertainment. They're reading it like an audience. Editors, specifically developmental editors, are reading your book with an eye toward craft and story structure. They're reading it like a service provider. So why should novel writers consider using beta readers?

[00:03:58] Nicole Meier: Let's break it down. First of all, beta readers catch what we call the author blind spots. These are the little quirks and inconsistencies or confusing plot points that we as authors might overlook in our draft. Secondly, beta readers are like a litmus test for your story's emotional impact. They'll tell you if your characters are relatable, if the plot keeps them on edge of their seats, or if your ending falls flat.

[00:04:26] Nicole Meier: Their reactions are priceless gems that help you fine tune your narrative for maximum impact. And also, beta readers are there to confirm which parts of your story resonate. They should be calling out the good as well as the bad. In other words, you want to hear what parts of the story they loved as much as what part of the story needs strengthening.

[00:04:49] Nicole Meier: All right, now that I've shared the why, let's get into the when. When should writers consider using a beta reader or two? I get this question a lot, and it's a good one. While there's no wrong answer, I'll share what I've done both as an author and what I recommend as a book coach. Once you've got a manuscript draft that you're happy with but also know you want feedback, I'd first consider engaging with a trained developmental editor.

[00:05:18] Nicole Meier: Remember earlier when I mentioned developmental editors are there to make sure the structure of your story, so the way in which you're telling it, is the best it can be? That's why they're important. They help to strengthen your manuscript. More specifically, they'll be reading your work and giving notes with an eye towards things like pacing, plot, character, point of view, and a good editor will be giving you actionable feedback so you can make revisions.

[00:05:47] Nicole Meier: Right about now you might be thinking, yeah, but Nicole, you work as a developmental editor, so of course you're going to say this. True, I'm not impartial, but back when I was writing my four novels, I almost always used the help of a good developmental editor, whether that meant hiring one on my own or using one assigned by my publisher.

[00:06:11] Nicole Meier: Sometimes I would just give over partial manuscripts, say the first 100 pages, to make sure I was right on track before moving forward. I can genuinely say this helped my story every time. You, as an emerging author, need to decide if and when hiring an editor makes sense for you. Not everyone has a budget for this, and I get it, but I think one of the biggest misconceptions out there is that you have to hand over your full manuscript for thousands of dollars.

[00:06:45] Nicole Meier: Did you know that many editors are happy to do work on a partial manuscript? Did you also know that writers associations and other groups often run giveaways for partial manuscript assessments? In other words, there are ways to get this kind of feedback if you do a bit of research first. And for anyone listening who is scrolling my website right about now to find out more about my developmental editing services, I only offer this service inside my Steps to Story small group program that runs twice a year.

[00:07:20] Nicole Meier: I've got a waitlist going for my September 2024 group right now. If you want to be in on this list, DM me on Instagram or see the link in my show notes. Okay, now that you know I recommend thinking about connecting with an editor before getting reader feedback from a beta reader, let's circle back to our beta reader topic.

[00:07:43] Nicole Meier: Alright, where do you find these elusive bookworms who will read your book and give early feedback? Well, they're closer than you think. writers groups, online forums, social media, your neighbor's book club. These are all fertile grounds for recruiting beta readers who are passionate about storytelling.

[00:08:03] Nicole Meier: But remember, not all beta readers are created equal. For example, Someone who gobbles up dystopian fantasy books probably isn't the best reader for, say, historical love stories. Instead, look for people who are not only avid readers of your genre, but also willing to provide constructive criticism. And don't be afraid to diversify your pool of readers.

[00:08:29] Nicole Meier: The more diverse perspectives you get, the richer your feedback will be. And a side note here, The richer your Don't recruit your relative who loves everything you do. This won't be the objective feedback you're seeking. Okay, let's get into what I recommend for next steps when using beta readers. My suggestion is to start small.

[00:08:50] Nicole Meier: Here are six steps to follow. Step number one when looking for beta readers. Write up a brief, say, 250 word summary. that tells what your book is about. Step number two. Send this summary along with a polite email asking if your potential beta reader would be interested in reading in exchange for feedback.

[00:09:14] Nicole Meier: Step number three. Give them a time frame and a short list of questions to answer. I suggest maybe four or five questions such as, what hooked you? Did you connect with the protagonist? Did you get bored or confused anywhere? The objective is not to leave your list of questions open ended because I find it tends to paralyze the person giving feedback.

[00:09:38] Nicole Meier: Alright step number four, I also recommend only giving them a few chapters to start. This is big. Because you want to know if this person is a good fit before you hand over your entire book. What if they're a serious negative Nelly and the feedback they give is overly harsh? You'd rather know this just after three chapters than receiving a whole book's worth of comments like this, right?

[00:10:03] Nicole Meier: In other words, sending a sample allows for a good match in chemistry. Once you determine it's a good fit, i. e. balanced answers of positive versus negative, You can move on to giving them more pages. Make sense? All right, step number five. Build in enough time in your schedule to make revisions based on feedback before you plan to pitch or publish.

[00:10:28] Nicole Meier: I often see writers not allowing themselves enough time, and they rush through this final part of the process. And finally, step number six in finding your beta reader, don't forget to thank them. They're giving over their time and energy for free. I personally like to thank my beta readers with a small gift card to my local indie bookstore.

[00:10:51] Nicole Meier: It's up to you, but everyone likes to be acknowledged, right? Okay, writers, to recap everything here, first polish your novel manuscript draft to the best of your ability, then consider whether working with a trained editor makes sense for you, next, start approaching beta readers for final feedback, then revise your draft one more time and bingo, you're ready to send your book out into the world.

[00:11:20] Nicole Meier: Oh yeah, and don't forget to reward yourself when this happens. You wrote a book. This is worth celebrating. All right, that's a wrap for today's episode. We've uncovered the transformative power of beta readers and editors and why novel writers should consider incorporating them into their writing process.

[00:11:39] Nicole Meier: Remember dear writers, your novel is a journey, and it's good to have trusted companions along the way. Until next time, everyone.

[00:11:53] Nicole Meier: If you want to check out my coaching programs for fiction writers, visit NicoleMeier. com. That's M E I E R. And if you liked this episode, I'd love you to take a minute to leave a rating and review for this podcast. This will help more writers like you to discover the show and to get going on their writing journey.

[00:12:13] Nicole Meier: Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, happy writing, everyone.