Right foot, left foot…

There can be no doubt: if you are a writer who wishes to succeed there is a level of masochism required for the job. After sending 40 query letters, getting two full requests and then having those requests rejected, I was left flat. It took me six months to write and revise, six more months to get beta reader feedback, revise again and then start the grueling task of searching for a literary agent. Eighteen months later, I have nothing to show for it.

I’ve entered several contests, submitted works or pieces of work to many publications and…

worldwildlife.org

NOTHING. Clearly, I suck as a writer. Maybe, I should give up. I’ve wasted years chasing a dream that’s not meant to come true for me. I must be delusional to expect this goodness called an author career to become real.

It felt like I was at ground zero all over again, only a year and a half after I’d started this project.(Note: In 2010, I’d completed another manuscript, pitched it for less than a year and trunked it.) It feels like getting socked in the chin over and over again. My ego is so bloodied and bruised it’s unrecognizable.

me after rejection

And yet…

I STILL want it!

Please, HURT ME MORE! Keep kicking me while I’m down. I haven’t had enough. Because I haven’t achieved my goal.

Do you know, I tried four different times to get a job in marketing before they finally gave up and let me in? I knew I was capable of the job. I knew it. I just had to be patient to prove it to my prospective employers. And years later, that tenacious tenacity finally paid off.

I don’t have a success story yet for my writing career. I’m still fighting for my happy ending.

Isn’t that something, though. I’m STILL fighting. And if you’re in the same ring as me, and rejection has you down, it’s okay! Take a time-out, spit the blood from your mouth, Vaseline up your cuts, and then CHIN UP! Ding, ding ding! Round 42 is about to begin.

After revising once more, I’m on the hunt for agents and querying again. Hang in there! We’ll achieve our goal! I know we can!

Take Two of These and Call Me With the Next Revision

Feedback. Criticism. Critiques. All of these words might cause you shivers of anxiety. But, good feedback will push your next revision into a more polished, more publishable state. As writers, we have blinders on to certain things. Having good beta readers gives you the opportunity to identify issues you can’t see because the work is too close. There is nothing more valuable, in my opinion, than good beta readers. I’ve also found that with draft two, I may know something isn’t right, but I can’t quite put my finger on what. Readers can help you identify the issue. Here are some thoughts on how to get the most out of your beta readers.

First off, get good readers.

• Pick beta readers who read the genre you’ve written. I can’t tell you how important this is. If you hand over your epic fantasy manuscript to someone who reads nothing but contemporary YA, they’re going to hate it. Don’t do that to yourself or your reader.
• Choose readers who are also brutally honest. Your mom is great if you need a pat on the back and an ego boost, but not to identify issues.
• Get a variety of readers. Some readers focus on world-building over story line. Some readers are particular about magic systems and believability. Choosing a variety of folks with different tastes and preferences will ensure you cover the gamut of story creation.
• Pick readers who will actually FINISH your book. You might have to take a chance on some folks, but if they don’t finish something, don’t use them in the future. Or if they flake on actually giving you the feedback, don’t bother with them. And also consider that beta reading is not for everyone.

Prepare your readers.

• Before you put your beloved manuscript into the hands of a reader, prepare them. Tell them what kind of feedback you’re looking for. Beta readers are great for judging story, plot and characters. They don’t need to get hung up on your typos.
• Ask your readers to keep a separate notebook and make notes as they read. They can then use their notes when you meet with them.
• Reading draft work of a manuscript is a lot of work. Your readers are analyzing your work, making notes and being thoughtful in their feedback to you. Give them cookies for their effort and be GRATEFUL.

Receive feedback.

• Don’t argue. It’s just rude. Listen to what they have to say. Note it. If you disagree with it, you don’t have to incorporate that piece of feedback. But, they don’t need to know that. Appreciate the time and thought they’ve put into their feedback.
• Break out your feedback sessions. Don’t have all beta readers present at once. This will allow enough time for each person to give their thoughts without competing with everyone else.
• You’re going to have to lead the discussion. What are the things you’re most curious about hearing from the readers? Get the dialogue started by asking those questions. Conversation will ensue from there.
• Think of all feedback as data. You’ve asked beta readers to give you feedback to what purpose? TO MAKE YOUR STORY BETTER! You have to know what’s not working if you’re going to fix it. If you don’t want to fix it or hear the issues, don’t ask for people to read it. You’ll be wasting their time.
• If you think of your feedback as data, you will then be able to collate it and analyze it. If you get the same feedback more than once, chances are something needs fixing. One-off feedback can be viewed as an outlier, and up to you to decide if the point is valid.
• Don’t ask your beta readers how to fix your manuscript. That’s for you to figure out after you’ve listened to their impressions and interpretations.
• Listen, listen, LISTEN! Gathering feedback is your turn to hear what they’re gleaning from reading your book. Note what they’ve pulled from the story, and then later decide if you’re on target and if not, how you can fix it.

You have feedback. Now what?

• After you’ve gathered all your beta readers’ thoughts, ruminate on it, digest it. Go back to your notes and in a new document begin to outline changes you want to make.