Cailyn Lloyd on getting nice suggestions from beta readers and editors
At some point in your writing process, you have to put your work in the hands of others. Beta readers and professional editors should be an important part of your writing team. (And yes, writing is a team sport!)
I often get a lot of questions about the revision process, namely how to get beta readers and when to hire a professional editor. Our respondent this month is here to answer these questions!
Beta readers vs. professional editors: what's the difference?
A Beta readers is someone who reads your book fully and gives you feedback on how the story works. They are not professional editors. It is not their job to spot typos and grammatical errors (though they sometimes point out) just because they are most likely not trained to do so.
Imagine a beta reader as a representative of the public. In other words, just an average reader. Your team of beta readers often consists of people you know, but they can also be random people you find on the Internet, as well as other authors in your circle.
A professional editor is someone you hire to turn your book into something publishable. There are different categories for editors: development, line and proofreading.
A Development editor gives you macro-level insight into your entire story. They can really help you get rid of the kinks in important problems like structure. You want to hire a development editor early on before wasting time on multiple designs. I am talking about your first draft or between draft two and draft 2.5. Further information on development work can be found here in The Write Practice.
A Line editor is exactly what it sounds like: you comb through every sentence. The specialty of a line editor is language. These are the people who will help you get beautiful prose. You would hire a line editor after fixing major structural issues and everything else of great importance. They don't help you fix your story. So this has to be done first. This is the third draft. Here you will find line editors that we recommend.
Finally a proofreader is the person you want if you don't know the difference between a comma and a semicolon. (Or if you can't spell "semicolon".) Proofreaders search your manuscript with a fine-toothed comb and correct typos, including misspellings, grammatical and punctuation errors. You come after your final draft just before you publish. Here you will find proofreaders that we recommend.
Now that you know the basics, let's see what Cailyn has to say!
Meet Cailyn Lloyd
As a lifelong writer, Cailyn Lloyd lived in a truly haunted house for three years, experiencing the nuances of strange and eerie places firsthand. Quinlan's Secret is her second novel, the highly anticipated sequel to Shepherd's Warning, and the second in the Elders trilogy.
Cailyn not only writes, but is also an accomplished weather photographer. Her work has been published in newspapers, textbooks and publications, including Life Magazine. She is also a composer and musician with three album releases. Cailyn lives near the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin, and when she doesn't write creepy stories, she loves walking with her dogs and hanging out with her grandchildren.
You can connect to their social accounts and learn more about them and their work on their website.
Get to know Cailyn's work
Welcome, Cailyn! Let us dive right into your work. You have just published your second book in The Elders Series. Can you tell me something about Quinlan's secret and your series in general? 
Quinlan's secret started as another book that refused to go anywhere until I linked it to my first book, Shepherd's Warning. When I saw the way to a sequel, the book practically wrote itself.
The blurb for the book describes it best: after Josh and Kiera have been dreaming and saving money for years, they open their own tavern in Miller & # 39; s Crossing, a quiet town outside of Milwaukee. Owning a business is all they imagined until Josh discovered a hidden door that led to an underground passage.
First enthusiastic about the discovery, the couple quickly realizes that the more they explore below, the more things unravel above. Friends are missing, apparitions appear and their lives begin to crumble. Josh and Kiera run out of space and soon fight for their lives.
The elders add a mysterious element to both books and have played an important role in the past story.
Beta readers: what are they and how do you use them?
You told me that you used a handful of beta readers and several professional editors for these two books. Can you first tell us what exactly a beta reader is if people don't know it? Why is it important to have betas?
Beta readers are somewhere between editors and family in the editing process. Our families often help read our books, but they rarely offer harsh criticism, often concerned about hurting our feelings. Nevertheless, they often identify problems of action and can act as secondary proofreaders.
For people who may not be able to afford professional editing, beta readers are the next best. Not all betas are created equal, and it is important to consider their advice in this sense. They are just a tool in the machining process.
Don't panic if a beta writer criticizes or dislikes your work. That is just an opinion. Maybe this person doesn't fit your style well.
Looking for beta readers
How did you get beta readers and at what point in the writing process are you using them?
Betas are everyone who reads your book. These can be random people found on Facebook and Twitter, members of a writing group, anyone who is willing to read your work and offer useful criticism. A Google search shows many beta reader options.
I usually write three drafts and my editor and the betas read all three. This way I get great feedback throughout the process. Sometimes you think you have a great idea and your readers will tell you otherwise. Or they confirm that your story is on the right track.
I hear betas earlier in the process and later rely on my editor. In the end, however, the story is up to you and you have to decide how much you are willing to bend.
When hiring professional editors
How about your editors? How did you find them and when did you start looking for them?
There are no easy answers to this question. There are many editors who advertise on the Internet and it can be difficult to sort out all the options.
I bookmarked the most interesting candidates, read their pages in full, and selected three that sounded professional and somewhat in line with my philosophy of writing. The last choice for the editor was a gut feeling and proved to be the right choice for me.
That is the ideal. Find a good editor that you can work with and trust. Once you've found a good fit, stick to that connection.
How to take feedback
Getting feedback is pretty difficult for many authors. Often the first instinct is to think that the one who gave the feedback doesn't know what he's talking about, especially among non-professional beta readers. Do you ever want to ignore beta feedback? How do you take harsh criticism?
Think of Betas as a regular reader. If you don't understand something or find something dull, the passage may need more clarity. Of course, as a writer you understand it. You wrote that.
When a person marks a passage, it may not be a big deal. If several people point this out, you have to ask why.
Here an editor is crucial. A good editor will explain why a passage doesn't work and may suggest an alternative view of the scene. On the other hand, a good editor will never write or put words in his mouth.
How to apply feedback
Do you have strategies (such as this process) to apply beta reader and editor feedback to your revision process?
I analyze every comment. Sometimes I agree with the criticism, sometimes not, but I try to understand their point of view. Even if I disagree with the criticism, it could still trigger a thought or lead to an improvement in the passage.
If I am concerned about a passage and the editors and betas also mention it, then I know that I have a problem. Writing can be sluggish. When you know something is not quite right, but you refuse to attack and rewrite it. Fight this sluggishness. Your writing is always better when you do it.
Other writing tips
What is the worst part of the writing process for you and how do you overcome it?
Proofreading. Editing can be tedious, but it is a forward-looking process and leads to an end result. When you proofread, the book is finished and you try to analyze the typos and stupid mistakes that are far too easy to read. I hate it, but it's important to the process. I just grin and bear it.
I paid a professional editor and proofreader to go over Quinlan's secret. I then carried out two complete measurements myself and corrected further errors. After all that, my daughter checked the book and still found a dozen mistakes.
More writing tips you want to share?
Writing a novel is a big undertaking. Don't hinder yourself by believing that you can do anything without help. Use beta readers to improve your writing, but spend the money if you can for a pro cover, an editor, and an editor. Check out websites like Fiverr for help. This book is your baby! Give him every advantage you can.
Usually just write. Everyone says that because it is true. If you do nothing else, write every day, even if it's only fifty words.
It is a daunting process to write a novel, no matter how exciting the idea. I always feel intimidated by the process until I reach about 30,000. Then it suddenly feels doable. I strive for 1000 to 1500 words a day. Three months and you have a novel.
Accept feedback in a friendly manner
It can hurt if you criticize your book sharply, especially when you get to the point where you think it is about to be published.
Even if your ego has stung a bit, remember to thank your beta readers for taking the time to read your book. They did you a favor!
Above all, make sure you consider all feedback, even if your first instinct is to reject it because it annoys you. Breathe in or take a long break and come back when you have calmed down.
Betas (and editors!) Are just trying to help your book get the most out of it. If the feedback really goes in a direction that you don't want to take your story in, think of Cailyn's advice: in the end it's your story and it's up to you how much you want to bend.
Many thanks to Cailyn for agreeing to speak to me! Here you can find her current book and don't forget to visit her website!
Do you have a dedicated team of beta readers? How did you build this team? Let me know in the comments!
WORK OUT
Today's practice pays homage to Cailyn's new book. to adjust a timer for 15 minutes and write to the following prompt:
Someone finds a hidden door that leads to an underground passage.
Don't forget to share your letter the comments. And give your co-authors some love by commenting on their writing!
Sarah Gribble
Follow her @sarahstypos or sign up for free in her email list at https://sarah-gribble.com.