This week, Alida & Kathryn welcome poet & publishing guide Scott James back to the Round Table. When is the right time to present your manuscript to outside readers? We talk strategies for ensuring you get quality feedback from those select few you trust with your work-in-progress. As well as ways to incorporate that feedback into your revision process.
VIDEO
AUDIO
Scott Andrew James is a best selling and award winning poet who believes in everyday magic and the healing power of creativity. At home on a 1946 Smith-Corona typewriter with handmade papers and brilliant watercolors, his work has been featured by Tim Ferris, the World Domination Summit, and Creative Mornings. His workshops and seminars have been attended by thousands. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, daughter, and their pug.
SHOW NOTES
What we talked about:
What is a beta and ARC reader? (0:55)
How do you find a beta reader? (3:05)
When is a manuscript ready to be viewed by others? (7:22)
So how do you get good feedback from these beta readers? (10:30)
How do you put that feedback to use? (13:50)
Kathryn’s experience with beta readers. (18:00)
What’s the difference between beta readers and writing groups? (20:35)
What about ARC readers? (23:25)
What traps are there for the writer with beta readers? How does this reveal who you are as a writer? (26:45)
What kind of questions do you ask? (35:50)
LINKS
Have thoughts, questions, other examples? Join the conversation at the Story Works Writers Facebook group.
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About Your Hosts
Alida Winternheimer is an award-winning author with an MFA from Hamline University. She pursues her fervor for all things story as a writing coach, developmental editor, and teacher. Two of her short stories were nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She is the author of The Story Works Guide to Writing Fiction Series. Alida lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her Golden Retriever, Seva the Wonder Dog. She camps, bikes, and kayaks in her free time. Unless it’s winter, in which case she drinks chai by the fire. You can find more at www.alidawinternheimer.com.
Kathryn Arnold writes fantasy and anything else that sparks her creativity from her home in Kingston, Washington. She currently earns her living as an insurance underwriting assistant, where she also creates marketing and web copy. When not writing, she plays (and teaches) piano and keyboard in a band (or two), and is working on starting a ministry team with her husband. You can find Kathryn at www.skyfirewords.com.
Robert Scanlon was born in Australia, but whisked off to England when only a baby. After many years complaining about the weather, he did the sensible thing and moved back to Australia. Despite a career in the music industry, followed by decades teaching public speaking, Robert is an introvert who adores reading. Robert grew up on a diet of sci-fi masters, eventually discovering he had read the library’s entire science fiction section. Now he has to write his own. Robert is the author of Constellation, book one of the Blood Empire space opera series. Find out more at www.RobertScanlon.com
Excellent information and suggestions. I’ll be sharing them with my coaching group.
Getting a critique too early in the writing process doesn’t go well and isn’t helpful. I’ve also never found a writing group that works well on critique, so I’m cautious to recommend them to the newer writers I work with.
So glad you liked the show, Sharon! I agree it’s tough getting feedback, even the most “helpful” can backfire if you aren’t ready, the reader isn’t really aware of what you need, or you just aren’t sure how to integrate it. Love that you’re going to share the episode and thank you for commenting!