More Beta Readers

I’ve had several people express interest in my book. But when they’ve asked to read it, I’ve put them off because I didn’t feel ready. I was still fussing with editing—changing and adding.

Last week I relented and sent out copies to three people along with my trusted number one reader.

This time around I came up with some questions about the things I was most curious about. Questions that might focus their feedback while the book was still fresh in their minds.

I asked them the following:

·        Did you stop reading at any point and say to yourself “That can’t be right” or “What?”

·        Were you okay with the parts in italics? By that I mean the things along the line of internal thoughts that needed emphasis?

·        Did you have a good feeling for the character development for the protagonist?

·        Did you like the dialog? Was it believable?

·        Did the villains seem villainy enough for a cozy?

·        Did you ever get confused by anything like the flow of time?

·        Did you get some of the humor?

I’ve gotten some good comments and have used them to plug up some holes. The holes in this case are in areas where I had failed to make some important plot points clear.

I’m so close to everything that I sometimes fall into the trap of assuming the reader is going to know as much as I do without spelling it out better.

I’ve also been a little reluctant to be overly obvious. I don’t want to make it too easy, but maybe I’ve gone too far.

Balance. I have to find the right balance.

Getting to that right balance has been the real benefit from these Beta readers.