Writing 101: The Terror of the Beta Read

by Margaret Yang

Asking someone to beta read a novel is terrifying. We ask—beg—people to take the work of our hearts and attack it with a machete. If done well, the pages come back with so much red ink on them it looks like someone mopped up after a goat sacrifice. And yet, we do it. We seek out new betas and bribe the ones we already have with coffee and chocolate. We know it’s going to hurt, but we need the lessons our beta readers will teach us. We beg for critiques because we know the only way to make a manuscript strong is to first let someone tear it apart.

As scary as receiving a critique is, it’s even scarier to give one. A beta reader never knows how a writer will take her suggestions. Will she find it helpful, or have I wasted my time? Will she understand my points, or have I made things worse? And most importantly, will she kill the messenger? I once lost a friendship over a critique. Every time I beta read, I’m afraid I will lose another one.

In a relationship so delicate and emotional, both sides need to be on their best behavior. A writer owes a beta reader her best work. It must be complete, polished, and formatted correctly. Never, never, never make your beta reader do your copy edits for you. Of course, your manuscript isn’t perfect—that’s why you’re getting a critique. But your beta knows the difference between a manuscript you’ve toiled over and sloppy work that you’ve rushed out because you couldn’t wait for feedback. Knowing you can do better, but not doing it, isn’t fair to your beta. I have returned manuscripts half-read for that reason, telling the writer that I will critique the next draft, but not this one.

A beta reader owes a writer complete honesty. But honesty comes in many flavors. A critique must be given in the gentlest of terms and only up to the edge of a writer’s vulnerability. The problem is, a beta reader never knows where that line is. I crossed that line once and it still haunts me to this day.

When I critique, I’m usually careful to point out what a writer does well along with suggestions for improvement. However, one time I was reading for an old friend. We’d been betas for each other for years and I thought we were both pros. She was in a hurry, so I rushed through the critique, pointing out the errors, skipping the flattery. After all, she knew what her strengths were, right? I didn’t need to keep spelling them out in each and every critique, did I?

Actually, I did. That writer was crushed by my negative critique, and our long history together only made it worse. She was used to me telling her all the good and bad things about her manuscripts. Pointing out only the bad must have meant it really, really stunk.

I lost a dear friend that day.

Since then, I err on the side of caution. I pour on the praise and sprinkle in the criticism. I don’t worry about being too gentle. Writers have special antennae for criticism of their work. They can zero in on the mildest comment and understand it full well.

Most of the time, my critiques are received with grace and bravery bordering on heroism. I feel closer to the friends I’ve beta read for. Like war heroes, we’ve gone through this terrifying experience together and emerged on the other side scarred, but whole. I learn from every critique I get, but I learn more—much more—from the ones I give.

About the Author

Margaret Yang is the co-author of The Caline Conspiracy and Fate's Mirror, written under the pen name M.H. Mead. Her newest novel, Taking the Highway, was just released December 1st. Margaret is a reader, writer, and parent whose true mission in life is to find the perfect slice of key lime pie.

Find the books at Amazon! 

Margaret Yang's Official Site 

Margaret's Blog

@Margaret_Yang

Judging Jade

"I loved the way Varden made the trial interesting and engaging to read with elements of cleverly placed humor...You would be silly to miss out on reading this book!"

"Like always with Varden's work, the writing flows effortlessly to create an interesting, intriguing and well developed plot that is easy for the audience to understand...I would not only high recommend this book but the whole series as a must read!"

Judgment (Deck of Lies, #4) has been reviewed at Lost to Books. There are spoilers if you haven't read the first three books, but if you have feel free to enjoy the entire review!

First Review for Judgment

"I LOVED LOVED LOVED this entire series! BUT I love the ending best of all!!"

"It is everything I could have asked for (had I known what to ask for) in an ending!!" 

Theresa at Keepin' Up with the Joneses has reviewed Judgment. It's got spoilers! If you've read the Deck of Lies, go check it out.

Books on Film: A Christmas Story

Since its original release in 1983, A Christmas Story has become one of the best-loved and most popular holiday films of all time. Most people don't even know that it's actually based on a book of short stories, written by a guy who actually lived it.

 The Book

Jean Shepherd published In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash in 1966. It's a semi-autobiographical collection of humorous short stories, and many of them were used to inspire the full-length feature film A Christmas Story.

In the book, Shepherd writes about his hometown in Indiana, his friend Flick, and the longing he had to own a real Red Ryder BB gun. And in the book, Ralphie is all grown up. He has returned to his hometown, where he finds Flick at the bar he inherited from his father. They talk about the "good old days" together, and this is where we get most of the stories that unfold in the book. 

The book goes far behind a single holiday season, and in fact there's one story involving a teenage Ralphie (unimaginable, I know). Some of the best vignettes from the movie are present, however, and fans of the flick are sure to enjoy reading all about the infamous leg lamp, the hounds that live next door, the heroic battle between Dad and the furnace and Little Orphan Annie's secret decoder ring.

The tone is different. The author has a much more dry humor, he is brilliant at sarcasm. There isn't a lot of sarcasm in the movie; it's told to us through the eyes of a child. The short story collection is being told to us through the eyes of a man as he looks back on his life. But it's all the characters you love from the movie, explored more in-depth. A Christmas Story is only one piece; this book is the entire pie.

The Film

The flavor of the book's setting and characters is well-captured in A Christmas Story, which lifts several chapters from the page to put them on the screen. As the title would suggest, the story takes place entirely during the holiday season.

You pretty much have to be committed to not watching this film to have missed it. A Christmas Story is on television all during the holidays, you can find it plenty of places online, and sometimes you'll even find it playing on a 24-hour loop so you can't possibly miss one moment of the story. It's like that. 

The movie revolves around Ralphie, who was played by then-adorable Peter Billingsly (and whom you can catch in a cameo in a much more recent holiday film, Four Christmases). Though released in 1983, it's set in a much younger era, the '50s. Ralphie's mom is your typical harried housewife, Dad is your basic working stiff. It's Indiana, it's Christmastime, and all Ralphie wants in the entire world is a Red Ryder BB gun.

When he raises the topic with his mother, however, she scoffs. "You'll shoot your eye out," she warns, and pretty much writes the whole thing off. 

It's a crushing blow, the worst of the worst. Ralphie is forced to make his appeal elsewhere, and opportunity knocks when the teacher assigns an essay to the students. Everyone groans, until they learn they get to write about what they want for Christmas. It's perfect! Ralphie works hard to compose a fantastic essay, praising the merits o the BB gun of course, and turns it in proudly. 

It comes back with a low grade and a hand-written note: "You'll shoot your eye out!" 

Defeated again. Ralphie's got one last shot at realizing his Christmas dream: Santa Claus. Who else but the big man himself can help now? 

Like its young leading actor, this flick is just adorable. It's filled with little stories, like the defeat of schoolyard bully Scott Vargus, the incident involving Flick and the true art of giving dares to others, and who could forget the fudge episode? If you haven't seen it, your holiday celebration is not complete and will never be complete. You must watch this movie. It's like that.

What Got Adapted?

Jean Shepherd narrates the film, and had a hand at writing the screenplay, so it very closely resembles the author's writing style and voice.

Some of the stories are adapted in order to fit the Christmas theme; the hungry dogs is a standout example. Text from the book is lifted right from the page to the film, however, so the scenes are well-captured even when they're changed to fit the movie. See the movie, then read the book to get a dose of Ralphie's family life during every season, not just the holidays.

Writing 101: Can You Define Irony?

Some words are commonly misspelled by writers. Personally, I can't seem to wrap my head around "lieutenant." Some word pairs are mixed up. I can never keep "affect" and "effect" straight, myself. But some words are just used the wrong way...all the time. Ironic, and all its versions, is one of those words.

Defining Irony

There's a movie that I love, a romantic comedy with Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke, named Reality Bites. I love the film because it's true, it does, and Ben Stiller brings a ton of comedic value to the flick. There's a scene in the movie where Ryder's character is put on the spot, and asked to define irony. She makes a few attempts and then cries out that she can't define it, but "I know it when I see it!" 

But she probably doesn't. Many people can't define irony, and many writers can't use the word the right way, either. It's a very hard concept to define, but not impossible. And as a writer, it's your job to understand words. Why not start with a really hard one? 

By definition, irony means that the outcome is the opposite of what's expected. Now, here's the crux of it: what the hell does that mean? 

This is why irony is hard. Let's look at some examples. 

"Barbara runs outside every time it rains like this," Sherry explained. 

"That's ironic," Brad observed.

Brad's right. Common sense tells us to come indoors when it's raining. The fact that Barbara rushes out into it is ironic, because she's doing the opposite of what's considered to be the norm. 

 Jessica smiled ironically when she saw the mean portrait of her Becky drew in permanent marker.

We can infer from the above that Becky's portrait of Jessica is less than flattering. This is why her smile is ironic -- we would expect Jessica to look angry, or hurt, instead. 

Remember that irony is the opposite of what's expected, and usually it's humorous. When the opposite is sort of funny or amusing, it's clearly ironic. 

Writing 101: Hashtags

If you aren't using hashtags, you're not marketing as strongly as you could be. If you think they're too juvenile or just there to waste space, think again. You're a self-published author. When it comes to marketing, nothing is beneath you. 

Why You Need Hashtags

Twitter hashtags function as internal links. You can use the search bar near the top of the page to search for any hashtag phrase, any time, and see who has written tweets using that phrase. This is a great way to find people who like the same movies, books and music as you. It's also a great way to connect with your reading audience. There's really just one simple reason why you need to use hashtags: everyone else is using them. Once you start, it'll be easier for readers to find you. 

The Hashtags You Need

But there's an etiquette that comes with using hashtags. You can't write a tweet promoting your book, for instance, and then tack a random hashtag to the end of the message. Common hashtag phrases have to go with relevant content. That means you need some writing- and book-specific hashtags, so you can add them to the right tweets and increase your reach. 

On Fridays, use the hashtags #FictionFriday and #FridayReads, if you dare. Studies show that Friday is the day that Twitter's traffic is the lowest, so you might not want to put a lot of steam into marketing on this day. 

If you're a writer, you should be using hashtags like #writing and #amwriting when you're tweeting about what's happening with your books. You can also throw in #novels, #novelists or the poetry-related hashtags #poem, #poet and #poetry, depending on what you write.

I like the #ebooks hashtag when tweeting about my books, and you can always use the #kindle and #nook hashtags as well. Use the hashtag for your genre to get more subject-specific fans, like #YA, #mystery and #romance.

You should take some time, when you're Twittering, to take a look at the writing hashtags. Find out what others are talking about in the writing world, and collect marketing ideas. Of course, don't forget to follow the most important hashtag of all: the one I use. You'll find links to all my Writing 101 posts under the hashtag #writing101.

Writing 101: Who's Whose?

Who is a deceptively simple word. It sits there with its three letters, taunting and teasing you. But give in to its siren song of sweetness, and you're going to make all sorts of grammatical errors. There are so many different versions of the word who, you practically need a degree just to keep them sorted. One of the easiest errors to make in writing is mixing up who's and whose. I'm probably going to do it in this post, it's so easy. But together, maybe we can get it straightened out. 

Whose Word is it, Anyway?

Whose is the possessive form of who. This is confusing, because usually who's would show possession. If I grab ahold of Joseph and grip around his bicep, I'm holding Joseph's arm. The apostrophe and the s show the possession. 

That's not how it works with who. The word is irregular, so it becomes whose instead. It's also confusing because either word can properly start a sentence. Let's look at some examples:

Who's that sitting in our driveway?

Whose pork chop was left in the sink? 

In the first example, I'm asking asking about "who is." I don't know the name of the person in the driveway, so I'm asking "who is that." With who, the apostrophe s is a contraction. The apostrophe is there to represent the i in is. 

In the second example, I'm asking who left that pork chop in the sink. Who owned this pork chop? Whose was it? I don't know the name of the person with the pork chop, so I'm using who, and I'm asking about something that belongs to who. The word becomes possessive, and it becomes whose. Who's can mean who is or who has, but it can't show possession. It's always a contraction. 

And sometimes, maybe you're supposed to use whom, which is something else altogether. Whom is yet another form of who, and it basically boils down to this: whom is used when the subject is an object, who is used when it's a person.

Don't which know goes where? Just add your is. If you see who's, change it to who is and read it that way to yourself. If it sounds utterly wrong, you probably need to use the word whose instead. 

Writing 101: The Fatal Flaw

You have never met a perfect person. Even that fashionable girl with all the right accessories, or that Adonis who buys a latte every morning and somehow still has washboard abs, is flawed. All human beings are flawed. That's why the characters you create on the page have to be flawed, too.

Nobody's Perfect

Some flaws are pretty common, and relatively small. Your character might bite their nails, or forget to put their keys somewhere safe. Maybe they lose their phone a lot, I don't know. If you're writing a well-crafted character, you're writing one that has flaws. But many authors take this one step further. Many authors use an important plot device to move their stories forward.

Many writers create characters with a fatal flaw. 

Fatally Flawed

There's a school of belief that says we all have at least one terrible flaw, something that keeps us from being happy or achieving our goals or just moving forward in life. A fatal flaw is a mistake that we repeat again and again and again, some characteristic that leads us into mishaps, failed relationships and ugly situations. I have many fatal flaws. 

Does your main character have one?

Characters who have a fatal flaw exhibit the same behavior repeatedly, continuously making the same mistake. The mistake may not necessary repeat itself in the exact same way. A character who talks too much and reveals too much, for instance, may shoot their mouth off in class one day. The next week, maybe they go on a Twitter rant. It's two sides of the same flaw. Many characters are written with fatal flaws as part of their make-up for one simple reason: to eventually beat it. 

At some point, the character who has a fatal flaw begins to learn from their repeated mistakes. At some point, they start to see their own pattern and actively fight against it. The moment of greatness comes when the character is faced with a situation which would ordinarily bring out their flaw. 

In the example used above, the talkative character might be asked to give a speech about something they feel passionately about. By giving a short, to-the-point speech -- or better yet turning down the honor entirely -- the character shows that yes, they are growing and developing. And yes, they have beaten their own fatal flaw. Inevitably, this will lead the character to some good conclusion. Because they kept their mouth shut, their main love interest suddenly looks at them with new eyes, for example. A whole new world of possibility opens up before them.

The fatal flaw is a very useful fiction technique, and some of the greatest literary characters have at least one fatal flaw. Scarlett O'Hara, Anne Shirley, Emma Woodhouse -- the list goes on and on. A lot of plot develops because of the flaw -- the character continues to find themselves in trouble due to their own flaw. When the character finally rises above this flaw it's truly exciting and compelling, when it's written well. Overcoming a fatal flaw can, in fact, be the entire plot of a novel, if the flaw is terrible enough and the character likable enough.

So give your next main character a fatal flaw, and teach them how to overcome it through the pages of your writing.