tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post5549581573921826773..comments2024-03-18T01:49:03.153-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Questions For Your Beta Readers - Guest Post by Jodie RennerDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-82990669518234715322015-12-02T15:50:36.206-07:002015-12-02T15:50:36.206-07:00As with all good advice, we will likely each find ...As with all good advice, we will likely each find some piece or other that resonates, and we can run with that, Jodie. My most trusted Beta readers - who are straight with me and offer the most practical advice - also tend to be the busiest. But they also tend to be pros who know a lot of this info instinctively. I use a light touch with them. By the time they see it, chunks of the material have already been workshopped with juried fellow writers who are expected to give more details as part of our class. With this blended approach, I feel I get good feedback without the risk of writing by committee. :) Carahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04051728774050516027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-4673564438138845072013-05-31T07:14:03.333-06:002013-05-31T07:14:03.333-06:00Thanks for the helpful post.
Thanks for the helpful post. <br />Beth MacKinneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14510201092365855223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-90999192698175572742013-02-24T22:11:04.043-07:002013-02-24T22:11:04.043-07:00I am about to send my work out to beta readers. Th...I am about to send my work out to beta readers. This information is invaluable!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03023339201867111342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-57143974278638581412012-03-16T13:08:55.561-06:002012-03-16T13:08:55.561-06:00Great questions. Others I find useful are question...Great questions. Others I find useful are questions that ask the reader to echo back what they perceived about the story, so I can assess its success as concerns my intent:<br /><br />• How would you describe my main character as concerns her personality, motivation and goal?<br /><br />• How would you summarize this story in one paragraph?<br /><br />• What kind of story do you think this is (story of redemption, forgiveness, justice, etc.)Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-63751429082003446512012-03-16T08:37:57.859-06:002012-03-16T08:37:57.859-06:00Thanks for this great list of beta reader question...Thanks for this great list of beta reader questions. I'll definitely be using it in a few weeks when I send out my first round of manuscripts to my betas.Julie Daineshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08350205936357263571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-72614714445452044622012-03-15T19:04:23.337-06:002012-03-15T19:04:23.337-06:00Thanks, Morgan, Elle, Helen, and Linda. And thanks...Thanks, Morgan, Elle, Helen, and Linda. And thanks for your great advice, Linda! (I was away for several hours helping my son buy a car - then took him out to dinner to celebrate!) Thanks, BRP, for letting me put my two cents worth in every month!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-686934260859130432012-03-15T18:29:30.222-06:002012-03-15T18:29:30.222-06:00Even if your great questions garner only a few res...Even if your great questions garner only a few responses, you will benefit from those responses. LJ has a good point about beta readers being busy, so take what you can get and analyze how it, by extension, might apply to other areas of your story. You may find more than a simple response beneath the surface of the comments.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686488133905538811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-32646159257529922452012-03-15T17:51:10.628-06:002012-03-15T17:51:10.628-06:00Loved the list of questions for beta readers. Thos...Loved the list of questions for beta readers. Those would be most helpful.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-37449886499391854562012-03-15T17:06:40.080-06:002012-03-15T17:06:40.080-06:00Even if you only get one or two questions answered...Even if you only get one or two questions answered, it's still more valuable than "It was great. I enjoyed it."Elle Carter Nealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02266309723919011181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-70021886793513024562012-03-15T14:00:30.272-06:002012-03-15T14:00:30.272-06:00Lots of great advice.
Morgan Mandel
http://faceb...Lots of great advice. <br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://facebook.com/morgan.mandelMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-10617488215486736292012-03-15T12:49:31.828-06:002012-03-15T12:49:31.828-06:00Ah - a reality check. Thanks, LJ - good points. Or...Ah - a reality check. Thanks, LJ - good points. Or maybe try to find beta readers who aren't as busy? Maybe people who just enjoy reading fiction, as opposed to those who are authors or editors, too?Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-87706768648217820232012-03-15T12:02:43.097-06:002012-03-15T12:02:43.097-06:00Thanks for a great post, Jodie! I've learned r...Thanks for a great post, Jodie! I've learned recently though, from being both an author and a beta reader, that the more detail required, the lower the participation. Because like everyone, I'm very busy and protective of my time. So it's a balancing act. Get as much feedback as you can, but don't be surprised or disappointed if your beta readers only give you a few general comments and/or few specific concerns.L.J. Sellershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-40139152995499132132012-03-15T08:13:23.294-06:002012-03-15T08:13:23.294-06:00You're welcome, Jodie. I hope others come by a...You're welcome, Jodie. I hope others come by and find them helpful.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-22817020319853826582012-03-15T07:29:04.765-06:002012-03-15T07:29:04.765-06:00You're welcome, Elle. Glad my questions are he...You're welcome, Elle. Glad my questions are helpful.<br /><br />Maryann, thanks for posting my list of questions today!Jodie Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17180607353893233389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-35373453263290200942012-03-15T03:54:57.349-06:002012-03-15T03:54:57.349-06:00Those are really great questions Jodie. Thank you ...Those are really great questions Jodie. Thank you for sharing your beta reader questionnaire.Elle Carter Nealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02266309723919011181noreply@blogger.com