Tag: Writing Advice

7 Powerful Strategies for Dyslexic Writers: How to Unleash Creative Potential and Conquer Challenges

Posted on by Kim
Discover powerful strategies and practical tips for dyslexic writers in unleashing their creative potential and overcoming challenges. Explore 7 proven techniques to enhance writing skills and embrace the unique strengths of dyslexia. Unlock your full writing potential today!

Hey there, dyslexic writers! Are you ready to embark on a journey of empowerment and creativity? If you have a burning passion for writing, then this post is for you.

As a writing coach, I’m here to explore strategies, share insights, and provide support to help you embrace your creative potential as a writer. I’ve written posts on the blog, such as “Mastering the Craft: 5 Essential Writing Techniques for Neurodivergent Authors” you can check out.

So, grab a cup of your favourite beverage, find a comfy spot, and let’s dive into the wonderful world of writing with dyslexia. Together, we’ll discover how to overcome obstacles, tap into your unique strengths, and unleash the power of your words.

Dyslexia can make reading and writing tough, but here are some strategies I’ve shared with dyslexic writers as part of my coaching programmes:

1. Making reading easier for those with dyslexia.

Accessing written material can be tough if you have dyslexia. Take advantage of tools like text-to-speech software or audiobooks to make reading easier. You can soak up different content and learn from different writing styles.

2. Use Assistive Tech:

Take advantage of tech made to help people with dyslexia. Use a spell checker, voice recognition software, or dyslexia-friendly fonts to improve your writing and make sure it’s accurate.

3. Split the writing process into smaller parts.

Take a step-by-step approach to writing. Divide it into smaller bits like brainstorming, making an outline, and drafting sections. This systematic method can make your writing easier to manage.

4. Try out multisensory learning.

Incorporate multiple senses when honing your writing skills. Try out writing on textured surfaces or using things like blocks to explore sentence structure. This approach can boost your understanding and memory.

5. Ask for help and advice.

Connect with a writing community or people you trust who can help you out. They can lend a hand with proofreading, give you a different outlook, and aid you in refining your writing. Teamwork can be really useful for those with dyslexia.

6. Keep it clear.

Make your writing easy to understand. Make it easier to read by using shorter sentences, bullet points, and headings. Get your point across clearly, so your message stands out.

7. Be your own champion.

Stand up for yourself and your writing needs as a dyslexic. Talk about your struggles and figure out what can help you succeed. It might include more time for writing, preferred seating, or access to assistive tech.

There’s no standard rule!

Don’t forget, everyone’s dyslexia is different, so adapt these strategies for your own needs. Try different tactics and don’t hesitate to ask dyslexia specialists or teachers for advice that’s tailored to you.

If you use these strategies and take advantage of the resources out there, you can refine your writing, show creativity, and give the world a new viewpoint.

Before I go… a few examples of bestselling authors who also have dyslexia.

Dyslexic Writers!

Sally Gardner is a celebrated British author of children’s and young adult books. She had severe dyslexia, but still made a name for herself as a writer. She’s created some amazing stuff, like “I, Coriander” and the “Maggot Moon” series.

Born in the US, Henry Winkler is well known in the UK as an actor, producer and children’s book author. He’s spoken out about his dyslexia and helped create the “Hank Zipzer” series, which is based on his experience of living with dyslexia.

Jonathan Mooney – hailing from the US but popular in the UK too – is an author, presenter and advocate for those with learning difficulties. He wrote about his journey with dyslexia in “The Short Bus” and “Normal Sucks.”

Penny Batchelor’s a British author/illustrator with dyslexia. She’s penned and illustrated lots of kids’ books, like the well-known “Doodles and Daydreams” collection. Her books encourage kids to be creative and value their own uniqueness.

These authors show dyslexia doesn’t have to stop you from succeeding. They accepted their differences, drew on their experiences, and left a major mark on literature.

Well done, my friend, we made it to the end of our trip through these seven strategies for improving your writing! Writing’s an ongoing journey, and you’ll never stop learning. Try these strategies, put in the effort, and watch your writing thrive. Let your words reflect your growth and zeal. Now, go out and show the world what you can do!

For more tips, check out my Library of Resources!

Want to write a book?

Feeling overwhelmed or unsupported?

Don’t know how to start?

I’m your woman!

Join my friendly FB group Bookworm Writing Academy and let’s get the creative juices flowing and turn your dream into a reality.

I want in!

Uncover the Secrets of Genre Mastery: Empower Your Writing Journey Today

Posted on by Kim

Hello, aspiring authors! Are you ready to embark on a journey through the diverse realms of writing genres and explore the path to genre mastery?

In this post, we’ll dive into the exciting world of different genres and discuss the pros and cons of specialising in a particular writing style.

From mysteries to romances to fantasies, let’s look into the perks and pitfalls of writing in a certain style and discover the secrets to genre mastery.

The Perks of Niche Writing and Genre Mastery

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Picture this: You’ve found your writing sweet spot, a genre where your imagination soars and your creativity thrives.

Embracing genre mastery can be a game-changer for your writing career.

Becoming a genre specialist will draw in an audience who’ll be hooked on your stuff and excited for your next release.

Once you know your genre inside and out, you can write stories that really hit home with your readers.

Dealing with Genre Restrictions and Mastering Your Craft

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Specialising in a genre has its benefits, but it’s important to navigate the potential challenges it can bring.

Staying true to the genre gives you the power to add your own twist, push the boundaries and bring something new to the table.

It’s an exciting and rewarding challenge to satisfy readers while putting your own twist on the genre conventions.

Standing Out From the Masses with Genre Mastery

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Popular genres can be crowded, but don’t see this as a disadvantage.

Embrace your genre mastery to find your own space within the niche. Connect with readers who crave something new and unique.

By mastering your craft, you can stand out from the masses. You’ll captivate your audience with your fresh approach and storytelling prowess.

So, what should you do?

Take the time to consider the writing route you want to take and explore various genres.

Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of focusing on one genre.

Nailing down your writing style and achieving genre mastery will give you an edge. Therefore, allowing you to truly connect with readers who share your passion.

Remember, you’ll need determination, creativity, and dedication to develop your abilities. The road to success might be tough, but you can explore the genre terrain and find your own special place.

Happy writing and may your journey toward genre mastery be filled with creativity and success!

For more tips, check out my Library of Resources!

Feeling overwhelmed or unsupported?

Don’t know how to start?

I’m your woman!

Join my friendly FB group Bookworm Writing Academy and let’s get the creative juices flowing and turn your dream into a reality.

I want in!

4 Grammar Myths Busted!

Posted on by Kim

In the world of proofreading, grammar myths abound. These are typically presented as ‘rules’.

Overzealous pedants may therefore try to correct things that are not actually mistakes. But skilled editors and proofreaders will only make changes when they are necessary.

To help you avoid falling into these grammatical traps, I’ll dispel some of the most pervasive myths in this post.

1.  Never Split Infinitives

Telling people not to split infinitives is almost a cliché of pedantry.

But the rule against splitting infinitives is an invention of nineteenth-century grammarians based upon attempts to apply the rules of Latin to English. Modern grammarians do not stick by this rule at all.

In fact, sometimes, splitting an infinitive can boost clarity. For example, to stupidly go swimming clearly implies the decision is stupid since stupidly is right next to go.

In to go swimming stupidly, on the other hand, stupidly is closer to swimming than go, which might suggest that one is swimming in a stupid manner. So, even though this version avoids splitting the infinitive, it is less clear.

I’ll leave it up to you to picture what stupid swimming would involve.

2.  Never Start A Sentence With A Conjunction

You should not start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction (i.e. for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so). But this is not held to be confirmed by any authoritative sources.

In practice, starting a sentence with a conjunction is common. It can even help emphasise the connection between two statements or enhance the flow of prose. For example:

You have a lot of potential as a proofreader. But everyone needs to practise!

So, while starting every sentence with a conjunction would be stylistically poor, never using a coordinating conjunction at the start of a sentence could detract from the flow and clarity of writing.

3.  Never End Sentences With A Preposition

 This is another case of mistakenly basing English usage on Latin. And while ending a sentence with a preposition can sound awkward, it is usually fine.

There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about: not being talked about.

(Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray)

Both clauses here end with the preposition about. To avoid this, we would need to rephrase to something like this:

There is only one thing in the world worse than being the subject of conversation, and that is not being the subject of conversation.

This is almost certainly a less memorable aphorism! And since the original makes perfect sense, changing the sentence to avoid ending on a preposition would be unhelpful.

4. Double Negatives Are Always Incorrect

The prohibition against double negatives is often overstated. You should correct non-standard double negatives (e.g. I saw nothing) if they are used in formal writing.

But these might be acceptable in less formal or literary contexts. And many double negatives are standard in most forms of writing, such as saying something is not uncommon to mean it is pretty typical:

It is not uncommon to find double negatives in a well-written document.

This usually depends on the document’s tone, so take care when correcting double negatives.

I hope you found this post about grammar myths useful and will no longer fear these all-too-often touted “rules”. The English language is a living, evolving thing that changes and develops as society changes.

If you have any writing dilemmas, I’m here to help. Get in touch.

6 Familiar Creative Struggles and how to conquer them!

Posted on by Kim

Beginning your journey as a writer is new and exciting but it has it’s challenges too and learning how to conquer any creative struggles that will pop up is essential to a long author career.

Every author has faced obstacles in their writing lives—rejection, self-doubt, criticism, or something else. Doubts and imposter syndrome: “What if my novel isn’t good enough?” have plagued the best of them. When good writers read great books with complex characters and fantastic plot arcs—books so engrossing they can’t put them down—they compare their our novels to those bestselling books. “Why would someone read my story when that author’s book is much better?“

But that’s the thing. If you look at those authors, they’ve been writing for what—ten years? Now they have a publishing contract, an editor, beta readers, and others to support them in their work. But they had the same doubts and fears when they first started writing. They all faced struggles.

Today, let’s tackle those doubts, fears and struggles head-on.

STRUGGLE #1: YOU FEAR YOUR WORK ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH

You re-read your manuscript, and you think it’s lacking in everything. In fact, you think it’s just plain terrible. You’re about to throw it in the bin when…

Stop! Don’t throw it in the bin. Not yet. Let me tell you something. Is this your first novel? Okay, here’s the thing: Nearly every author’s first novel is terrible. You just started. I hate to break it to you, but your book will not be perfect on the first try. You have to revise.

Maybe it’s so bad you think it can’t be revised. That’s perfectly okay. Just sit down and work out what’s wrong with your novel.

  • Are your characters too clichéd?
  • Is your plot gripping?
  • Does the story hold the reader’s interest?

Target what’s wrong with your work, and make a plan to fix it.

Turn doubt into action.

STRUGGLE #2: YOU RUN INTO WRITER’S BLOCK

You’re stuck. You bang your head against the table, but no ideas come. Hey! Stop banging your head against the table, please. You’re going to give yourself a headache.

Okay, so you’ve run out of ideas.

What is your plot? Do you even have a plot? Think about what you’re writing. Are you writing a horror story? Fantasy? Romance? Sci-fi?

Do something that inspires you:

  • If you write horror, walk at night when it’s windy, and no stars shine through the clouds.
  • If you write fantasy, think about your hero. What is their goal? What keeps them from reaching that goal?
  • If you write romance, go to the park and people-watch. Observe a couple’s argument. What are they arguing about? Why are they arguing? Is it about something silly, like why all the pigeons are gathered around them, or something serious, like relationship issues?
  • If you write science fiction, consider science. You’re writing a book about clones taking over the world. Research cloning. How would it really work? What if there was some sort of mutation?

For all of the above, go somewhere that helps you get new ideas. Take a break from the computer (or notebook, if you write the old-fashioned way) and go on a walk or a drive. Go somewhere that makes you happy or sad or inspired. Go to a place that stirs strong emotions in you.

STRUGGLE #3: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE INSPIRATION

You have a flash of inspiration. An image of a person, maybe, or an emotion you need to write about.

Figure out how you can work this into your story.

What was this person like? A long scar down her cheek? What was her personality like? Secretive, cold, standoffish? Would this be one of your secondary characters or a main character? When, where, and how can you put this in your story?

Write it down and determine where to use it in your novel.

STRUGGLE #4: YOU’RE NO LONGER FEELING INSPIRED

Your bolt of inspiration has fizzled out. Now you’re left with 30 pages of work that you don’t know what to do with. It’s okay. Don’t panic.

Try to work on your plot.

Figure out what’s going to happen next. Are your characters kidnapped? Do they have to figure out a puzzle?

It may help to consider how you’ll develop your characters instead.

What kind of journey does your character go on? How do they change throughout the story? What struggles do they have to overcome?

STRUGGLE #5: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET STARTED

You have great ideas and are ready to start writing — but you have no idea how to draft your book’s beginning. This is something I can relate to. Let me give you some advice: You don’t need to start at the beginning. Wait, what? But when I read a book, the beginning comes first…

Well, duh. But you don’t need to start writing there. You can even write from end to beginning if that’s your preference.

My advice?

Start with the scene that energizes you the most. Excited about your story’s climax? Write that first. Don’t worry about the beginning. Start writing at the place or scene that calls to you.

Alternatively, take my free course: First Thing’s First. Let me help you get started.

STRUGGLE #6: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE REJECTION

This is one of the biggest struggles!

Your novel is finished. You worked hard, poured your heart and soul into it, cried many tears, and were almost bald from pulling so much hair out from the stress. You send it to an agent. A month later, you get a form letter addressed to “dear writer.”

Take a deep breath.

I know you probably cried your eyes out at seeing that letter. I know it hurts. You may want to give up and never send your manuscript to another agent again. You’re hurting, and that’s okay. Go ahead. Cry your eyes out. There’s absolutely no shame in it..

Okay, now listen to me. No author gets it easy. Every author, including JK Rowling and James Patterson, has received rejection letters. I know one author who received 98 rejection letters before he became traditionally published. 98!

You must define where you went wrong if you receive a rejection letter. Was your query not enticing enough? Is your story’s hook lacking? Did the agent no longer want submissions for stories in your genre? If you can take action, do so. Allow rejection to refine your work.

Final word

Writing is hard. I think we’ve all learned this. If it were easy, everyone would do it. You’re different from other people, though. You may write to entertain people. That may be one of your reasons, but you write because you have a voice that others don’t. You can speak for those who can’t.

Every word you write, sentence, and paragraph can change people with what you write. You don’t have to write non-fiction to do that. You can inspire people. Your characters can be the ones readers turn to in times of struggle. And that, is what every writer strives to achieve. You’ll get there. You can get published. You just need to believe in yourself.

I’m here to help with any of your struggles, contact me.

SPaG: Affect or Effect – 3 tricks to remember which to use💡

Posted on by Kim

Hello, welcome back. Do you struggle to know whether to use “affect” or “effect” in your writing? Are you tired of giving up and using “impact” instead?

Woohoo! Fantastic! I can help with that because today, I’m going to let you into a few of my teaching trade secrets about those pesky words. Is it affect or effect? After reading this post, you won’t have to ask that question again.

hispanic girl whispering secret on ear of friend
Photo by Eren Li on Pexels.com

Here in the UK, even as native English speakers, mixing up affect and effect is commonplace. They’re different parts of speech, but they sound almost identical. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Bear and bare, here and hear, and write and right are other examples of homophones that cause headaches to writers of all ages. During my years in the education sector, I’ve collected quite a few handy mnemonics related to spelling and grammar. Today, I’m sharing some affect vs effect handy helpers with you.

How do I remember the difference between affect and effect?

Getting the meaning behind each word cemented in your mind is vital. Having that knowledge will give you the confidence to use affect and effect correctly.

➡️Effect

Effect is usually a verb that means to cause change but when effect is a noun, it means the results of a change. For example:

The effect of climate change is worldwide. Climate change may benefit some plants by lengthening growing seasons and increasing carbon dioxide. Other effects of a warmer world, such as more pests, droughts, and flooding, are more severe.

If you’re discussing the final result of action then you can use ‘effect’. By using this simple rule, you can remember that ‘effect’ represents the end, as they both start with ‘e’. Think end, think E!

➡️Affect

Affect, on the other hand, is usually a verb and means to influence or to produce a change in something.

Gravity affects everything in the universe, but the amount of gravity affecting an object depends on two things: the masses of the objects being attracted and the distance between the objects.

Another handy mnemonic device to help you remember when to use affect in a sentence is Think A is for action!

You may also come across it used as a noun. Affect can be used to mean the facial expressions, gestures, postures, vocal intonations, etc., that typically accompany an emotion as well as the conscious emotion that occurs in reaction to a thought or experience.

His facial expressions were diminished and presented a flat affect.

💡Affect Pronunciation Hint:

  • When affect is a verb, the second syllable is emphasized = uh-FEKT
  • When affect is a noun, the first syllable is emphasized = AH-fekt

However, as with many words in the English language, using affect as a noun in this way is now only really used in psychology.

⭐3 simple tricks for remembering the differences ⭐

1. “A” comes before “E“ in the alphabet. The “A“ stands for the action that affects and comes before the effect. Think cause followed by effect.

2. If you can replace the word with influence, then you should probably use affect.

If you can replace the word with result, you should probably use effect.

3. You can put that altogether by remembering RAVEN:

  • R – Remember
  • A – Affect is a
  • V – Verb and
  • E – Effect is a
  • N – Noun
Infographic - SPaG Affect or Effect - 3 handy tricks to remember which to use in your writing

My final bit of advice about this and other mix-ups

English, like many other languages, has its own set of tricky rules and intricacies. We may not like it, but it is what it is. However, don’t give up.

With a little bit of practice and help from guides like this one, you can become a grammar master. Jotting down the things that repeatedly catch you out, as I suggested in my post about spelling mistakes, is a great way to retrain your brain.

I hope you found this post about affect and effect helpful. Are there any other bits of the English language that you struggle with? Drop me a comment below so that I can feature the solution in my next grammar post.

Until next time,

Kim

Everything you need to know about Beta Readers: What, Who, Where, and Why?

Posted on by Kim

Did you know that beta readers are one of a writer’s most valuable external resources? Not only can the right beta reader help you improve your manuscript that you never could on your own, but they’ll also keep your editorial costs down.

Fantastic! But … what are beta readers, where can I find them, and how do they help me?

What the heck is a beta reader?

Beta readers are people who evaluate completed or work-in-progress (WIP) manuscripts. Sometimes they’re fellow writers and offer a reciprocal evaluation. Many are avid readers themselves and offer their feedback either in exchange for a set fee or a word-of-mouth testimonial. These helpful people will give you their opinion on what works and what doesn’t in your story.

Beta readers are worth their weight in royalties, so treat them well.

Make sure that:

  • Your manuscript is the best version that you can produce without outside help.
  • It’s in the format which they are comfortable with, i.e. .docx, .pdf, .mobi (or comes with explicit instructions on how they can convert it).
  • You’re clear about what you want from them. Let them know if you are aware of specific problem areas that you want them to pay particular attention to.
  • The turnaround time you are asking for is reasonable.

Great! I like the sound of these beta readers. They seem like wonderful people. Where can I find one?

Beta reader wish list.

When looking for your ideal manuscript evaluator, there are several characteristics that you should look for. First, let’s talk about who they aren’t.

Beta readers are not:
  • Your best friend or mate since school.
  • Any member of your family member. No, not your mum, dad, brother, sister, cousin, auntie, uncle, granny…
  • Your husband, wife, or romantic partner of any description.
  • The person who has been reading your manuscript as you’ve written it.

These lovely people are all either too close to you or too invested in your story. They’ll want to help but they’re not objective enough to give you the candid, constructive criticism that you need. The people who love you or who have shared in the agonising, creative process so far won’t want to hurt your feelings or cause you any pain. Yes, the process will leave you more open to criticism, and it will be painful. However, the pain is necessary. You know that. Well, OK … deep down, you know that.

This is what good beta readers are:
  • Honest and dependable. They need to live up to their promise of help and do it within the agreed timeframe.
  • Avid readers and/or writers themselves. Both groups have a good understanding of what makes a successful story. You’ll get useful insights from both sides of the process if your betas are a mix of readers and fellow writers.
  • The target audience of your book. If your book is aimed at young adults (those in their teens or early twenties), you want your beta readers to be within that age range too. If you’re writing in the mystery genre, you’ll want people who regularly read or write mysteries.
  • Able to offer a constructive critique. Strong opinions are good, but any criticisms must able to be communicated without crushing your confidence. Balance is the key; they should highlight the strengths in your manuscript and the weaknesses and faults.
  • Aware of the importance of a writer’s “voice”. They’ll know enough of the publishing world to understand the fluidity with the rules of language.
  • Understanding of what’s needed at the beta reading stage. They’ll know that their job is assessing the big picture, not nit-picking about any typos or spelling.
  • Experienced or knowledgeable about any specialist content in your book. e.g., foreign locations or language, astrophysics, law enforcement, deep-sea diving.

A single beta reader may not have these characteristics. Therefore, many writers gather a team of betas to cover all the aspects of what their manuscript needs. Having a small team ensures you are well on your way to some excellent feedback.

Oh, yes! I’d trust my manuscript to people like that. But where can I find them?

Where do beta readers hang out?

If you have the money or time is of the essence, you can pay for a manuscript critique. You can find many professional beta readers advertising their services through social media or freelance websites, such as Fiverr. However, if you’re working to a tight budget, you may end up spending money that should have been used as part of the editing process. To help with this very issue, I offer my beta reading clients significant discounts off later editing needs.

If financial constraints mean that you’re unable to pay for a beta reader, take the time to choose wisely. Honestly, my best advice is to go where writers hangout (Twitter sorry, X, Facebook, writing blogs, and writing forums) and start making connections. It’s important to find beta readers that are the right fit for your book.

The best time to begin your search is, at least, a year before you think you’ll need them. Yes, that long. Taking this time means that you get to know more about lots of different people, building productive relationships and contacts. This leads to longer-lasting professional friendships which you’ll benefit from throughout your writing life.

Some key pointers for making and supporting connections with your potential beta readers:

  • Be genuine. Don’t pretend to be interested in someone’s life or writing just to get them as a beta reader. The relationship with your beta reader needs to be one based on honesty.
  • Be generous. Offer your time and give feedback willingly. Volunteer to critique other manuscripts before asking for yours to be assessed. Fellow writers will soon reciprocate because they want to help you.
  • Be gentle. Take your time; it takes patience to nurture the relationships that both parties can trust and rely on. You want to be sure that your manuscript will be safe in their hands.

Yes, yes, but WHERE can I start making these connections?

Post Featured Image - Everything you need to know about beta readers - A portfolio of beta readers

As I mentioned before, you can find beta readers in a variety of places:

Face-to-face.

  • Writers’ seminars and workshops. The first contact will be face-to-face. But then you can keep in touch via whatever method both parties agree to, usually social media.
  • Local writers’ groups and critique groups. Find out what’s going on in your area by visiting your library or try meetup.com.

I know the pandemic has impacted in-person connections. However, many face-to-face events became virtual ones instead, with the help of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.

Online.

Social media. Interact with other writers on Twitter, join Facebook groups for writers, Goodreads has a Beta Reader Group, LinkedIn has various discussion groups for writers covering a variety of genres.

Writers’ forums. Sign up to writers’ forums that have critique dedicated areas. You’ll most likely have to do some beta reading yourself before you can offer your own work for assessing, but it’s all part of the relationship-building process. Joining other writers’ forums that don’t have areas dedicated to critiques will help you meet like-minded authors. In time, they might be interested in beta reading the books you write.

Book discussion forums. Some book websites focus on specific genres and have community forums where people discuss the books they love from that genre, while other sites allow discussions about any and every genre. Frequently, you can also find sections dedicated to authors and writing where critiques can be exchanged. OnlineBookClub.org is a great site with active forums and resources available for writers and authors and readers. They have separate forums for different genres and boards, specifically for authors and the art of writing.

Writing blogs. Search for blogs related to writing. Which ones are well-written and have content that engages you? Interact with the author by commenting on posts and sharing what they have to say across your social media accounts; they may even reciprocate. Over time, you’ll be able to tell if there’s potential for a mutually beneficial beta reading partnership.

Remember the fundamental rules of relationship building: Be genuine, be generous, be gentle.

Excellent! I know who I’m looking for and where to find them. But why should I go to all this effort?

Why do I need a group of beta readers at all?

Post Featured Image - Everything you need to know about beta readers - Rewarding benefits

It takes hard work and dedication to build up a portfolio of beta readers who you can call on when needed. What makes it worth your while?

Working with beta readers will:
  • Improve your writing skills. You’ll become increasingly aware of your weaknesses and develop a more professional style that’s more conducive to success in the publishing world.
  • Improve your manuscript. Problems and areas that you grappled with will be resolved, missed plot holes will be highlighted and solutions suggested, weak characters will be strengthened … The list could go on and on.
  • Create your very own support network. Authors are solitary creatures and rarely have a team behind them. However, your portfolio of betas will be people who are dedicated to the written word, who get you. They’ll understand the challenges and recognise the triumphs. Even if only a few of the connections you make join your beta team, you’ll have built up an invaluable network that’ll prove its value repeatedly.
  • Save you money. A large enough team of beta readers means you can garner their thoughts at key junctures of your manuscript’s development. Done properly, you may skip the developmental and substantive editing stage at the beginning of the process. This will dramatically reduce your costs and mean that the line/copy-editing stage may come in cheaper too. The ‘cleaner’ your manuscript is, the lower your overall editing costs will be.

As you can see, just one of these benefits makes the time and effort spent finding good beta readers worthwhile.

I hope that you’ve found this article beneficial. Before you go, don’t forget to find out more about the services I offer.