How important are Beta Readers?

January 28, 2014 By JPMcLean 2 Comments

I reblogged this from author Tim Baker’s Blindoggbooks site. He’s written on a topic close to my heart; beta readers. They are an invaluable resource and Tim has summed up their role and their worth beautifully. Read on…

Another First Draft Finished…but it’s not The End

Yesterday, for the seventh time in five years, I typed an authors favorite two words…

I’m speaking symbolically of course…I’ve never actually typed those words at the end of a novel. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen them in a book, but I did finish the first draft of my latest, as of yet untitled, novel.

The irony is that, now that the first draft is finished, it’s not the end at all…it’s really only the beginning.

There’s still a lot of work to do before it is ready for you. In the next few days I will distribute copies to my beta-readers and wait for their feedback.

Beta readers are the unsung heroes of the book-writing world

Beta readers are the unsung heroes of the book-writing world, and I’m lucky to have some really good ones.

None of them worry about hurting my feelings and each of them has contributed something that has improved my work in the past.

Like any author worth their salt, I am extremely grateful for them, and any input they offer is always taken very seriously. That’s not to say I act on all of it, but I definitely pay attention.

A few of my betas have been with me since the beginning, and a couple of them have only done one book. Along the way there have been some people who thought they wanted to be a beta, but unfortunately they didn’t understand the job description, so I had to keep looking until I found suitable replacements.

Didn’t understand the job description? How is that possible? Read the book and tell the author what you think…right?

It doesn’t sound like a complicated task, and in fact it isn’t…once the ground rules are clearly defined and understood.

When an author asks for beta readers, they aren’t asking for somebody to read a draft and tell them it’s the best thing they’ve ever read. We aren’t delusional; we all know what Hemingway said…

No, what we are asking for is someone to read a first draft and punch holes in it.

Big holes.

We don’t want to hear about missing commas or spelling mistakes…that’s part of the editing process.

A beta reader’s primary responsibility is to tell the author what they didn’t like about the book.

Things that didn’t make sense in the story.
Characters that weren’t believable
Dialogue that didn’t ring true
Anything that made them stop and say well that just ain’t right

The author is asking you to rip the story to shreds. Even if it’s just as simple as saying The story just didn’t grab me.

So, for the next two or three weeks my book will be in the hands of people who are tasked with picking it apart, so I can put it back together before I send it to the editor…who will then proceed to pick it apart some more.

All of this is done in hopes that you, the reader, won’t know how bad the first draft really was.

As always – thank you for reading

Great post Tim Baker. Thanks and good luck with that 7th book. Follow Tim Baker on Twitter @blindoggbooks, find him on Facebook and check out his website.

Dishing up Frustration

January 19, 2014 By JPMcLean 2 Comments

Moments ago I signed out of Twitter in a fit of frustration. Not with Twitter—with our Internet connection, which is dishing up frustration. I couldn’t open a link to save my life. As much as I love living on a small island, it has its drawbacks.

We live in one of those rare pockets of civilization not serviced by high-speed land lines. Satellite service is the next best thing, and the dish is usually sufficient, but every once in a while…urghhh!

Just a few days ago, the adjacent neighbours and I had a discussion about how far we’d all come since the dial-up days. Remember that? The phone line was tied up all the time and it took all night to download your email. Large attachments were a nightmare and forget about streaming anything.

I don’t know how it happened, but sometime between dial-up and the dish, access to the Internet became indispensable. Like appliances and power tools, it’s become a time-saving device that makes short work of chores. Especially research—remember card catalogues? I miss those about as much as I miss dial-up.

There are talented artisans who eschew modern technologies and still manage to create masterpieces; sadly, I’m not one of them. I’m not that writer who could turn out a book on an old Underwood or even a Selectric. Without my word processor, I’d be a tree’s worst nightmare.

My apologies for whining and moaning about our Internet service. I’m just venting. I couldn’t manage with it and I wouldn’t trade our worst day of service here for better service elsewhere. So I’ll shut up now and go see if the dish is behaving yet.

If your Internet service is working, you can order Secret Sky on Amazon with one simple click here.

For other retailers click here.

Your adventure awaits…buckle up.

Would you like some Redemption with your Mulled Wine?

January 7, 2014 By JPMcLean 2 Comments

Where else but Denman Island would people gather to sample warm libations and tasty nibbles alongside a touch of Redemption? It happened this past weekend and I’m happy to report that the book release party for The Gift: Redemption was a laughter-filled and resounding success.

My heartfelt thanks go to Elizabeth Chapman and Stephen Malthouse who hosted the event in their beautiful home. They’ve been stalwart supporters of my writing habit from the start and I’m so very grateful to call them friends.

Guests with JP at Redemption Book Release — Capt’n Mike, JP & The Cavemaster

Beyond Redemption

I wish we’d managed to get a photo, but we were having so much fun, the opportunity slipped right by. Therefore, this photo is neither Elizabeth nor Stephen, but two other gents who dropped in to sample a libation or two and are, reportedly, beyond Redemption.

Thanks also to the other wonderful friends and neighbours who joined us to celebrate the release of this third book of The Gift Trilogy. Your support and encouragement mean the world to me.

And speaking of support and encouragement, I’m thrilled to announce that both the Vancouver Island Regional Library and the Vancouver Public Library have purchased The Gift Trilogy for their collections. My thanks and gratitude to their respective acquisitions personnel.

2014 is off to a roaring start!

You can order Book I, Secret Sky from Kindle with one click right here. And if kindle or ebooks aren’t your preference, click on the bookstore tab for other purchase options (or just click on the covers below).

Musical Serenade

December 13, 2013 By JPMcLean 9 Comments

Do you listen to music when you write? Do you sing a musical serenade? I’ve read about authors who have favourite bands they listen to while they’re writing and I’ve seen writing music playlists on YouTube.

I was thinking about that yesterday while I prepared dinner. I’d put on Some Nights by Fun. and was cheerily mangling the lyrics as I sang along with Nate Ruess. Sadly, I didn’t inherit a single musical gene, and apologies to Nate aside, I couldn’t possibly listen to that CD and write. It’s simply too distracting. My favourite music charges me up, inspires me, sparks my imagination – but I can’t write while it’s playing. In fact, I stop what I’m doing to listen (maybe bop or even sing if no one’s around).

I remember when I wrote the first book, before I’d set up my writing corner, I managed to tune out an entire season of NHL while I wrote. I even managed to tune out F1 racing, house-cleaning guilt and, apparently, a number of conversations with my better half.

I suppose, being able to tune out and write is a blessing, but it doesn’t always work. Some things, like a ringing phone, I’m never able to tune out. Other days, my mood, the subject of my writing or sleep deprivation dictates my distraction threshold. I don’t know about you, but when I’m on a roll, like I was yesterday, even the most pleasant of distractions pulls me out of my writing cocoon, leaving me feeling like someone’s yanked the warm blankets off.

How about you? Do you listen to music while you write?

You can order The Gift: Awakening* with one simple click here. Your adventure awaits…buckle up.

Image courtesy of coward_lion/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

*Awakening is now Secret Sky.