What Does 'Beta' Mean, Anyway?
If you're not a writer or are otherwise unfamiliar with the flow of getting a book ready to be published, one of the key stages is called 'beta'. You've heard me mention 'beta drafts' and 'beta readers' here before, but what are they?
A book in a 'beta' state is basically the first time it is suitable for people who aren't the author or the editor. I think this comes from programming/video games, but don't quite me on that. Video games have beta testers, who do largely the same thing as beta readers.
Which is what, exactly?
They are the first set of objective readers for a story, usually the first that isn't the author or the editor, and the key word there is 'objective'. When you're writing a book, you can't be objective about it, it's impossible. You can try to be (and you should), but when you're so close to it, when you've been in the process of writing it for months or years and have read and re-read it a half-dozen times, you simply can't see everything.
Including what's wrong with it. Beta readers are the second line of criticism (usually after the editor) on a story, and are there to do exactly that: critique it. Good and bad! Not just typos and grammar mistakes, but making sure the story hangs together, that there aren't pieces missing, character motivations are properly justified, that it works structurally, the ending is earned/satisfying, etc. Beta readers can read the whole story all the way through at the pace that a normal reader would -- in spurts, putting it down, going to work between chapters,falling asleep to it because it's boring, things like that, the way that the writer and editor simply can't. Beta feedback is absolutely invaluable! The book will be better for it.
I've removed things at the last minute but didn't remove references to that thing at other times in the book, mishandled pacing, used the same word too often, and other issues that were only caught by beta readers. Another big one for me (which I think other sapphic authors can sympathize with) is pronouns. Every major character in the From the Ashes of Victory identifies as female, so it's very easy to get lost in a sea of 'she'. She said, she did, she saw, she who? That was one of my biggest lessons from the beta feedback of my first book, Remember, November. More character names got inserted to make it clearer who was thinking/saying/doing what.
How do you know when a book is in beta shape?
I've touched on this a little in the last few weeks and in the run-up to several previous books, but to me a 'beta' version is basically the version that I'm happy with and/or don't know what to do with anymore. Basically, "As far as I'm concerned, this is publishable," and/or "Get this thing the f*ck away from me." Yes, one marker for a book being in beta shape for me is that I'm sick of it. That is really when whatever objectivity you may have had goes completely down the tubes: when you're either going to fire the book off in an email or into the sun.
Sending a book off to beta is, for me, the most stressful part of the entire process. It's when I feel most vulnerable, when the impostor syndrome is the worst and I know there's a bunch of work waiting for me on the other side. It has all of the 'what will people think of this?' pressure but without any of the catharsis of actually being done with it. More work awaits on the other side! But, at least you will know what work awaits (specifically), you are no longer changing stuff on a hunch or because it feels weird, but because someone objectively looked at your story and went 'Yeah, no.' Or yes! "That does make people cry!" "That is a stupid reason!" "I did change that character's name at the last minute and missed a few so she is referred to by two different names and confuses people into thinking she has a twin!" (The last one is at least partly true.)
Why do I bring all this up?
No reason. No reason at all.
A book in a 'beta' state is basically the first time it is suitable for people who aren't the author or the editor. I think this comes from programming/video games, but don't quite me on that. Video games have beta testers, who do largely the same thing as beta readers.
Which is what, exactly?
They are the first set of objective readers for a story, usually the first that isn't the author or the editor, and the key word there is 'objective'. When you're writing a book, you can't be objective about it, it's impossible. You can try to be (and you should), but when you're so close to it, when you've been in the process of writing it for months or years and have read and re-read it a half-dozen times, you simply can't see everything.
Including what's wrong with it. Beta readers are the second line of criticism (usually after the editor) on a story, and are there to do exactly that: critique it. Good and bad! Not just typos and grammar mistakes, but making sure the story hangs together, that there aren't pieces missing, character motivations are properly justified, that it works structurally, the ending is earned/satisfying, etc. Beta readers can read the whole story all the way through at the pace that a normal reader would -- in spurts, putting it down, going to work between chapters,
I've removed things at the last minute but didn't remove references to that thing at other times in the book, mishandled pacing, used the same word too often, and other issues that were only caught by beta readers. Another big one for me (which I think other sapphic authors can sympathize with) is pronouns. Every major character in the From the Ashes of Victory identifies as female, so it's very easy to get lost in a sea of 'she'. She said, she did, she saw, she who? That was one of my biggest lessons from the beta feedback of my first book, Remember, November. More character names got inserted to make it clearer who was thinking/saying/doing what.
How do you know when a book is in beta shape?
I've touched on this a little in the last few weeks and in the run-up to several previous books, but to me a 'beta' version is basically the version that I'm happy with and/or don't know what to do with anymore. Basically, "As far as I'm concerned, this is publishable," and/or "Get this thing the f*ck away from me." Yes, one marker for a book being in beta shape for me is that I'm sick of it. That is really when whatever objectivity you may have had goes completely down the tubes: when you're either going to fire the book off in an email or into the sun.
Sending a book off to beta is, for me, the most stressful part of the entire process. It's when I feel most vulnerable, when the impostor syndrome is the worst and I know there's a bunch of work waiting for me on the other side. It has all of the 'what will people think of this?' pressure but without any of the catharsis of actually being done with it. More work awaits on the other side! But, at least you will know what work awaits (specifically), you are no longer changing stuff on a hunch or because it feels weird, but because someone objectively looked at your story and went 'Yeah, no.' Or yes! "That does make people cry!" "That is a stupid reason!" "I did change that character's name at the last minute and missed a few so she is referred to by two different names and confuses people into thinking she has a twin!" (The last one is at least partly true.)
Why do I bring all this up?
No reason. No reason at all.
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