So, You’ve Written Your Magnum Opus Now What?

James D. A. Terry
Jul 18, 2023
5 min read

You’re a storyteller and you want your descriptive phrases and sentences to create a powerful image in the reader’s mind. When an author paints with words, they use word choice and sentence sequences to evoke the desired images in a reader’s mind. Master-Wordsmiths use care and precision in their writing process to craft evocative word pictures that conjure up mental images for their readers.

Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of not measuring up to others' expectations.

This fear can be crippling, especially in a creative field that requires us to constantly be producing and putting our whole selves on the line. That vulnerability can stop a perfectionist in their tracks, making it nearly impossible to make anything at all.

As you most likely know, it is difficult to be creative when you are coming from a place of self-doubt, anxiety and worry about failure.

You might not want to hear this, but there is something wrong with your book.

You know how you can read the same page twenty times and then someone comes along and points out a typo? Yep. We've all been there.

The fact is you're blind to problems with your book, and those problems don't have to be as simple as a misspelled word. You could have major disjointed issues and not even realize it.

Beta readers can make the difference between a good book and a great one. A beta reader is a person who reads an early draft of your book and provides feedback on it. They act as your first audience, giving you an idea of how your work will be received by the general public. This is vitally important to the success or failure of your Magnum Opus.

Remember, you are asking people for their honest feedback, so be ready for that feedback to hurt sometimes. Don’t blame the reader or try to defend yourself. Say, “Thank you,” and either move on or try to fix the problem. Do not be discouraged. A beta that reveals a lot of problems you had overlooked is not a bad thing, it is an opportunity, and it means you did not release a subpar book into the world. Conversely, if you are getting a lot of positive feedback, take note and see what you are being praised for. Accept and enjoy it, but try to learn what you are doing those people like so you can benefit from your achievement in the future.

Who is a Beta Reader and where do you find them? Well, your grandma probably isn't the best option. While you love dear old Grammy, she also loves you, and she's most likely just going to shower you with praise rather than give useful feedback. The same goes for your significant other, your best friend, your parents, your siblings, etc. They're too close to you to be helpful in this situation.

You might be asking, “Well who's left if I can't ask my friends and family?” Luckily, there are plenty of people out there that will be willing to help you out. Why? Simply because you asked for help. And they think it's cool to be in on the process of bringing a book into the world.

Simply post a request in social media rooms geared towards readers and writers of your particular genre. Goodreads is a great community of those willing to help.

I can just hear the big question on every struggling author's mind: How much money do I have to fork out for this?

The answer, in general, is no, betas don't get paid.

There are professional beta readers out there for hire, but most indie authors go the free route, mainly because . . . well, we don't have money.

Qualities to look for in a prospective Beta Reader are:

· They must be readers. If the person has only read one book since they graduated high school, you'll probably want to skip them. They won't be able to give you any kind of feedback simply because they don't know what they're talking about.

· Choose betas that have the time to commit to your writing; can finish and provide feedback in a timely fashion. You need to release your tour de force at some point.

· They must be willing to give you honest feedback from a reader's perspective; sometimes brutally so.

· They should read your genre. If they don't know anything about your genre, they can't provide great feedback; and, if they don't read your genre, chances are they'll get bored and never finish your book.

The following are some Beta Readers that offer all of the above qualities and more. I highly recommend:

Susan (Susi) Castro

I started Beta Reading as soon as I learned about the meaning of "Beta Reading", that was in March since then I've enrolled in online classes in "Historical fiction" at the University of Virginia; I've beta read for 25 authors, 4 of them had already published at least 2 books.

I've always shared my family's passion for books, which allowed me to inherit my dad's library, so I have no idea how many books I've read. In short, I am a bookworm.

My ad in Goodreads for paid services has a different email to avoid misunderstandings, but the work I do is almost the same, the only difference is that the paid service includes suggestions such as how to rearrange the chapters or change the plot, for example, a crime drama into a crime thriller. I'm new and I'm still learning, but I always do my best because when an author writes a book, a little bit of their soul shows in their work and as Scott Adams said, "Adults are starved for a kind word. When you understand the power of honest praise, you realize that withholding it borders on immoral. If you see something that impresses you, a decent respect for humanity insists you voice your praise".

sujetin.pinpon@gmail.com

Kathy Lee

I have a forensic drug background as a Former Laboratory Director, retired from GBI Crime Lab. I am retired and do a lot of reading, mainly mysteries and adventures; nothing sad or gritty. I usually provide very short reviews of many of the books I read on Amazon (if I obtained the book on Amazon) and Goodreads.

I read mainly light mysteries - from cozy mysteries to police procedurals - and spy thrillers; nothing sad or about animals.

Kathy.lee0615@gmail.com

Kathyleereader@gmail.com