Question on Alpha Readers

[Andrew Lambert]

Oh, Dear.
I think I'm missing a trick here. My book is finished, cover done, and I'm three weeks away from sending for edit... And you start mentioning Beta-readers!!
My two eldest kids are reading it - painfully slowly - and like what they have read so far. They aren't experts but are my target audience, so I'm hoping for some feedback. My son has already told me he would like a bit more character development, which is good.
Flicking through the phone book to look for some other candidates...

 

[Piper]

Thanks for everyone's GREAT advice!! I took the plunge with two friends- one who was an English major many moons ago but who does not read any Sci-fi/Fantasy and the other who does read that genre. Now waiting on pins/needles for the feedback. I have told them to be brutal because nothing will improve if I don't know what's wrong.

 

[Andrew Lambert]

Thanks for everyone's GREAT advice!! I took the plunge with two friends- one who was an English major many moons ago but who does not read any Sci-fi/Fantasy and the other who does read that genre. Now waiting on pins/needles for the feedback. I have told them to be brutal because nothing will improve if I don't know what's wrong.

That's covering all bases Piper

 

[hopewrites]

Congratulations on a major step!

I came to writing from a different road. It was strangers reading my on line dream diary that told me to write for serious.

So strangers can be encouraging. Especially as you know they have more invested in your work than in you when they go "GAWH!! FINISH THIS!! I NEED MORE WORDS!! NOW!!"

(Which I believe I've said to at least a couple people I've bataread for.)
Personally I enjoy the reading part more than the writing part, so I hang out here to help writers rather than take my writing seriously.


I once looked back over my old posts and realized how much my writing has technically improved just hanging out here. (OK I'll be honest I was appalled at what it was, having never noticed that I was improving anything.) So don't feel like you're doing nothing if you're off goofing around on any forum.

All writing is practice. All practice is good.

 

[Piper]

If you want good, positive and useful feedback then try and get a cat into your story

Should I name him Pixel?