Beta reader Feedback

Hi everyone,

I’m just coming off a writing break for two weeks. During my break, I had a one-word minimum goal—deleting or adding—but that only takes about 5 mins. The goal is simply to keep the writing habit going during the break. I’ve been working on a draft of an older manuscript for my 5 minutes.

Before my break, I finished adding all my beta reader feedback (4 readers). They all liked my novel and weren’t confused. Again, my biggest critique was that I rush a little here and there. That makes sense since I cut more than 60K words in the end, and at big moments I was a little lean in terms of interiority/emotional reaction. They didn’t mention any areas that I fixed from previous beta readers’ feedback. Yay!

I fixed the areas highlighted in my beta reader feedback. I added 2K+ words which I had to make room for. Mostly the feedback are still comments that sometimes I go too fast here and there. Hopefully, I’ve slowed it down enough now and in the right places.

I’m now at 99,999 words! I’m waiting for two beta readers who are due to finish reading my novel on the 27-31st August.

I didn’t send my manuscript to all the beta readers in one shot. I staggered them, one at a time. My last two readers (readers 6 and 7), though, I sent my manuscript to them at the same time as I’m getting close to my querying deadline.

Beta reader feedback:

How did I categorize it and add it in?

I read the feedback and then waited a day. It’s draining reading the feedback because I’m on tender hooks the entire time, not sure if the next sentence will be: I hated this. After I’ve recovered from the ordeal of reading it (i.e. the next day), I read it again, then I delete all the praise and highlight the remaining feedback. Red for feedback I agree with and I’m going to implement. Green for feedback I need more time to think about. Yellow for feedback I’m unsure about, that I’ll keep in mind, but I don’t intend to do—either it didn’t resonate with me or I couldn’t understand it.

Then I went through this list (bullet pointed it), item by item, deleting the items as I went so that in the end, my document for only greens and yellows. I’m looking forward to my final beta reader feedback. Hopefully it will show that I’ve fixed all the previous concerns.

I’m travelling home on the 30th August (I’ve been overseas for a few months—since June), and I’ll be horribly jet lagged for a least a week (probably more). When my brain is working, I’ll query. I have already identified agents that rep my novel: YA dark academia romantic fantasy with deadly magic trials and found family.

I’m both excited and nervous to query. I intend to plot a new novel while querying to keep my mind off the process. Either the agents will like my novel or they won’t—dwelling on it won’t change that. I’ve done all I can or will have by September (after labor day). I intend to start my next book regardless.

Talk to you in September when I’m home.

Happy writing,

Joanne.