I’ve been very lucky in the past to have been able
to build relationships with liked minded writers/readers who I’ve been
able to rely on as my critique partners/beta readers. It’s been great to
know that we enjoy similar books and this
carries over to the kind of genre specific feedback I’m able to receive
from them. I trust them to be honest with me and that their criticisms
will be constructive.
Sadly, my turbo charged publishing plans
for the next year means that I’m going to try and publish more quickly.
As a result, I’m going to spread the beta love rather than expecting my
current critique partners to give up their
lives to my cause. I just dread the thought of putting myself out there
again and receiving feedback that doesn’t fit with the novel I’m trying
to write. As a highly impressionable and insecure writer sometimes I’ll
just accept really outlandish suggestions
thinking that one person’s opinion is the status quo and I have to be
careful not to get hung up on criticisms.
Over the next month or so I’m going to be
putting out feelers amongst a few groups on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook etc to see what I
come up with. Fingers crossed that there are a few like minded people
out there!
Good luck! I'm soon to start looking for beta readers as well and I'm pretty terrified about it. I have no idea where to start looking and I'm worried I'll do the same stuff you say you sometimes do, accepting really out there suggestions. :/
ReplyDelete- Madilyn Quinn @ NovelBrews
Definitely check with the IWSG Facebook group. Thousands of members means lots of possibilities.
ReplyDeleteWith every manuscript, I've taken on at least one new critique partner. So far, I've been blessed that they've all been really good.
Good luck! You know I'm always willing right?
ReplyDeleteThis means, yay, for me, but I have to do the same thing, in time, since I have only you and one other critique partner. That's not even close to enough. I might take Alex's advice and go check out the IWSG Facebook group.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good plan! I'm going to have to do the same myself soon because I'm down to 2 beta readers. I gained a couple critique partners, but it's not enough. Good luck finding people!
ReplyDeleteAlways good to get some beta readers. You might like to contact some of your Hoodrras friends.
ReplyDeleteThat's Goodreads, not Hoodrras!
ReplyDeleteI completely get that. Most my readers are hand selected--based on the genres they read and love. No point asking someone to waste energy and time on something they may not connect with.
ReplyDelete