Processing Beta-Reader Feedback
Greetings and salutations Scribblers!
We’re back with more details about beta reading. This time we’re going to tackle what to do when your feedback is returned. So, last time we chatted about the prep work you should do before sending your manuscript over to beta readers. Hopefully you’ve done all those things and you’re going to be getting some fantastic feedback.
Let’s dive into seven ways you can make receiving feedback more meaningful.
The first one is to BREATHE.
Okay, this isn’t actually the first one because hopefully you’re already breathing, but it’s important to actively breath and give your body a chance to reset and be calm as you read through the edit letter or in-line comments. Getting feedback can cause anxiety, it can be difficult to hear feedback about something you’ve poured your heart and soul into. So make sure you pause and do some deep breaths as needed.
The real first thing to do is make sure you have uninterrupted time to look through the feedback.
I always try to set aside at least an hour to read through and think about what my betas are telling me. Reading feedback is going to produce all sorts of emotions from giddyness to anger to frustration and disappointment. They are all valid emotions! So let yourself feel them, but try not to allow yourself to dwell on them. It’s very possible you’re going to feel several, if not all of them from one single person’s feedback.
Learning to separate yourself from your writing is a one of the best pieces of advice I can give. Remember that you’ve asked someone to nitpick your words and indicate where you can improve, so try not to let yourself get upset when they do that. We all want to be told our book is perfect, 5 out of 5 stars, no notes. But none of us can do that. Even the biggest authors out there who consistently win awards are going through the beta process and getting feedback. The books on the shelf at the store all went through these processes, so this isn’t unusual and it doesn’t mean your a bad writer.
It’s actually just the opposite. You’re seeking outside perspectives in order to level up your writing–that means you’re a good writer because you’re looking to improve. And you’re open to feedback–another sign you’re a good writer.
Processing The Emotions
You’re going to agree with some of it and other places you may strongly disagree. The things we agree with are easier to process. Maybe you had them read specifically for world building elements that needed fleshed out and they noted three different places they thought that would really help the story. Fantastic, you’re going to take action on that without much pushback from your brain. But the things you don’t agree with–you might have to have a stern talk with your brain to even consider it as something you should address in your revision.
For me, when I get feedback I disagree with, I give myself that moment to give it the wonky eye, then I start to consider it and try to get to the root of the problem. For whatever the reason, this was something that stood out to my reader so I need to give it attention. Sometimes its as simple as the solution they proposed to the issue isn’t right and I have to come up with a different one. Sometimes it’s more complicated.
This ties into my next tip for working through beta feedback and that’s knowing who you’re getting feedback from. I’ve gotten feedback from readers who really wanted me to increase romance elements of my books–something I don’t want to do because for me, it’s not the focus of the story. These beta readers are usually romantasy or romance readers and writers, so of course their feedback might skew that way. As a compromise, I will try and make the romance elements more solid, but I’m not going to change the entire arc of those threads. I want to appeal to a wide variety of readers, so getting feedback from other writers in niches where I’m not is a great way to add layers to my story.
And sometimes, even after all that, you’re still going to give that feedback a side eye and do your own thing anyway. You are the author after all and get the final say in how the story goes. All that to say knowing who is giving you feedback and what their reading and writing preferences are can help you better understand their feedback.
And if you still aren’t sure what the feedback means or why the beta reader phrased it the way they did, ask!
Keep a running list of questions you have for them.
Some might be resolved as your move through in-line comments or once you’ve had a think and two days later you understand what they were trying to communicate. Hopefully you can email or chat with your beta reader and ask your questions or have some brainstorming sessions with them. I love when I get to do an in person chat with my readers, it really helps me home in on what, specifically, I want to revise.
We talked about considering the feedback you disagree with. Another element of this when someone informs you that you’ve written something disrespectful or harmful. Get a second opinion if you’d like, but this is your beta reader giving you information that is invaluable. This recently happened to me when a beta read my book and pointed out a description that could be misconstrued as harmful. I had never intended it that way, but my wonderful beta clocked it, told me, and I immediately revised it. This book has gone through four major revisions and has had multiple beta rounds–they were the first person who noticed or said something and I’m entirely grateful. I learned something and won’t ever make that error again.
Having beta readers that will call you out when you’ve done something harmful–even when it's unintentional–are invaluable. Having a beta point out something like this can also be a sign that hiring a sensitivity reader might be a good idea depending on how your story is constructed and what the subject matter is. Take this feedback very seriously because you want to grow your audience as an author and that means doing your due diligence in making sure you aren’t harming marginalized communities.
Alright Scribblers, you’ve read your feedback, you’ve processed it, you’ve got your list of questions ready and you’re rarin’ to go as far as getting to revisions. But hold up, I have two more things for you to do.
THANK YOUR BETA-READERS
First, if you haven’t already done so, tell your beta reader THANK YOU. Even if you disagreed with most of the feedback. They took the time to read and share their thoughts. Beta reading is a lot of work and a big time commitment. So make sure you thank them. Most people trade beta reads so if you haven’t already read for them, do offer to read in the future–and make sure you read with a clean slate. If you didn’t find their feedback helpful, don’t go in with the intent to do the same thing to them. Be genuine in your offer to help, this is the way your build your writing community.
And, you don’t ever have to ask them to beta for you again! Finding good beta readers is a bit like dating, sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs before you find your princesses and princes!
Write Your Own Edit Letter
The final thing I suggest you do when you get feedback is to write your own edit letter for your manuscript based on all your feedback. So if you had three readers, combine their thoughts with your and create your own plan for how you want to tackle revisions.
This is a great final way to think critically about all the feedback and be cognizant of how you’re going to put it into action. Writing an edit letter to yourself will also help you focus on the elements you want to tackle in your revision. When I write my self-edit letters, I tend to work from the element that needs to biggest change to the elements that require the least change because that works for me and is the best way for me to streamline the time I have to dedicate to revisions between all the other elements of being a responsible adult.
Alright Scribblers! I hope this helps you tackle the process of receiving feedback! Remember to take your time and process, accept feedback in good faith and give feedback in good faith. Writing isn’t a competition and we’re always going to be stronger together.
As always, your mileage may vary! Take what helps and leave what doesn't! Comment below and tell us how you process beta-reader feedback!
