tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934025834215628121.post4437758062170120576..comments2021-04-30T23:46:39.639+01:00Comments on Not a Novelist (Yet): The Book GroupPaul Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03166773315195310268noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934025834215628121.post-91934497841219799682013-06-16T23:13:20.942+01:002013-06-16T23:13:20.942+01:00Sorry I've only just seen this! Thank you for ...Sorry I've only just seen this! Thank you for all your kind words, and helpful advice, and taking such time to comment. You're right, it is very hard to find the sort of person who can give good, unbiased feedback... But on the other hand, if you do win over a hard-to-please audience like a book group, you might at least know you have something going for you...<br /><br />I'll certainly not stop trying, anyway!Paul Hayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03166773315195310268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934025834215628121.post-15798063016732755062013-05-27T19:31:15.142+01:002013-05-27T19:31:15.142+01:00(cont)
It won't be easy, because it never is....(cont)<br /><br />It won't be easy, because it never is. But here are some tips:<br /><br /> - One option is to find people who like the sort of thing you write. Your aim is to appeal to the correct audience for your style of work, not to appeal to 'everyone'. Have you any idea whether anyone in that book group liked your style of novel? If not then of course they are going to fail to connect. Again 'book group/forum' type people like to think of themselves as complete readers who can judge any style of work but in actual fact such paragons rarely exist. We all have our areas of expertise and many more we don't have a clue about<br /><br /> - Alternatively good beta readers can be built; they don't necessarily come about naturally. You need to find a few people whose general honesty and discernment you trust and then talk your work through with them in detail, rooting out whether they 'got' what you were trying to do, whether your themes and subtexts came through or not, or whether you were too heavy-handed. Explain what you are trying to achieve so that their feedback can guide you to that goal. It's not unheard of for a reader to feel cold towards a work only to change their mind once they learn what the book is actually trying to achieve. Go through this analytical phase now, so you'll have the best and most balanced version to put before the general reading public.<br /><br /> - And the third (and hardest) option is to try and get a professional (writer or editor) to read your work. Assuming they are honest and willing to help, they will have the right mental tools to judge your work properly.<br /><br />Anyway, I'll stop blathering if you promise to keep on writing and keep learning. I've said it before, you have those crucial attributes that most wannabe writers don't have: tenacity and determination. I have no doubt you will succeed.<br /><br />All the best<br /><br />WSK<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934025834215628121.post-45384900008124397972013-05-27T19:30:14.639+01:002013-05-27T19:30:14.639+01:00Bit late to the post mate but I feel I should boos...Bit late to the post mate but I feel I should boost your morale a bit by pointing out that finding decent 'beta readers' is actually one of the trickiest things any writer ever has to do. No really, it is.<br /><br />As you say friends and family are usually no good because they have a vested interest in either praising you too much or (if it's your mates) relishing an opportunity to take you down a peg or two (it happens). <br /><br />But the opposite, finding complete strangers with that putative 'no vested interest', the Holy Grail of beta readers, is also a minefield. And things like book groups and reader/writer forums are often the worst places to get the straight dope. Why? Because people therein tend to see themselves as professional critics; worse, some see themselves as kingmakers, relishing the power dynamic.<br /><br />And both of these mean they will spout any amount of bollocks when asked to read/review something which they would not have thought or said when reading for pleasure. No offence to your friend's book group but it's often all about showing how perceptive they are and how honed their critical faculties.<br /><br />That's not to say that everyone in these categories will be useless to you, but as a whole they are not reliable barometers. And that's why publishers and professional editors don't use such 'resources' for pre-published work<br /><br />The truth is that reviewing pre-published work is a specific skill; a craft in itself. You're judging a work that is not fully formed yet. Trust me, even if you think you have written the last full-stop of the final ever draft, if your book ever gets picked up by a publisher chances are it will be eviscerated and rebuilt in conjunction with a good editor. In fact you should hope it will otherwise you are being ill-served by the publisher (sadly happening more and more these days).<br /><br />In addition he reader does not have the 'vindication' of a work having been published (and thus found acceptable to hardened professionals), and nor is there any 'talk' or hype or word-of-mouth as a guide. Instead it's that rare situation when one has to react to a piece of work entirely on ones own and not as part of an audience. Generally people in such circumstances are far too critical because (subconsciously) they feel it's better to come across as punctilious, with high standards, than as 'easily fooled' or someone who praises something that then fails to be published.<br /><br />So what do you do? Firstly don't feel so downhearted. I've only read a bit of the book (sorry it's taking so long) but so far I have a positive vibe from it. It'll need some work, but it's not a dead loss and nor is your style. And secondly search, search; scour the universe to find one or two genuinely useful beta-readers; folk who understand what they are being asked to do (judge a pre-published novel, a work-in-progress), and when you find them, cherish them, keep them close and buy them lots of drinks.<br /><br />(more)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8934025834215628121.post-69713088344689539942013-03-12T17:24:00.465+00:002013-03-12T17:24:00.465+00:00Well, personally I disagree with almost every quot...Well, personally I disagree with almost every quoted criticism there (possibly excepting the one about too many characters too soon) and accept that not everyone is going to love it, which is true of anything. The comment about 'a writer obsessed with sex' struck me as frankly peculiar, and any criticism which presupposes "big words" as something that might potentially impress a reader... ugh...<br /><br />Pft. Take note of that which seems useful and carry on. You're doing fine.Lawrence Burtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17090260063135283767noreply@blogger.com