I read a couple of blog posts on
iWriterly and
Indies Unlimited recently that described these three human writing aides quite neatly. iWriterly’s Meg Latorre describes
critique partners (CP) as:
“…writers
who provide feedback on your work,
usually by request (to exchange chapters).”
Such a person could easily be confused with Indies Unlimited’s definition of an alpha reader
as someone who reads a work-in-progress in the early stages of compilation, and perhaps even again after a first edit, but before
it is sent to a content editor. They go on to say that an alpha reader’s purpose
“…is to see if the overall structure of your book works. Are there glaring issues or plot holes large enough to float an ocean liner through? The idea is to have a trusted reader who might spot issues you miss or have a blind spot about. ... If you decide to, the sooner in the process the better. You want to limit wasted effort you’ll expend polishing sections that might get reworked or even tossed out based on feedback from the alpha reader.”
Big Al, IndiesUnlimited, (follow them on Twitter)
Both sites agreed that beta readers
come later in the process, after at least a few self-edits. Betas tend to be other readers
who have an interest in the genre and are also willing to offer feedback, both positive and negative. They may offer simple line edits in addition to larger concept suggestions, or not, it depends upon the person and what the author is looking for. Many times these details can be discussed and agreed upon before the document is even sent.
One big difference that is noted in these three types of people is their approach
of the manuscript- either from a writer’s
perspective or a reader’s. Some authors choose to enlist the services of all three, while some only seek out one or two. I can see value in each one depending on the author’s writing style, time and/or deadlines, and the type of work it is. Some (VERY) basic line editing in the early stages can also reduce copy editing and proofreading costs in the later stages.
CP’s and alpha readers can often expect to be reading raw, unedited copy- literally right off the pen or keyboard. If you can’t stomach misspellings, a lack of punctuation and often formatting, and imprecise grammar, please, save everyone the frustration and opt for a beta or later stage read instead. You will be SOOOOO much more comfortable! Authors, on the other hand, can receive their feedback in many forms, from list-type replies to in-document notations. But be prepared for some criticism, it is what you should ASK for! This is all just a round-about way of saying that the most important part of the reader/author arrangement is communication about the extent of the feedback. When each side has expressed what they are looking for and knows their scope, the chances of a positive experience are much better. Which really is the end goal, right?
This post was adapted from my WordPress site
The Sun, a Book, and a Dog.
If you'd like to read the entire two-part post that discusses more about my on-going experience as a CP, and my approach to being a writing aide, you can click here.
