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motivating reviewers


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By the time I had heard the term "beta reader" I had finished my second book. It was dear Lori Lake who told me what it meant. Both my first book and my second are doing well but I'm convinced that they would be better by half had they been beta read before seeing print.

This is one of the reasons why working with our mutual friend has been such a rewarding experience.

 

He greatly values beta-reader feedback whether it's complimenting him on a particularly well-written sentence or suggesting that a large portion of a chapter needs to be re-written.

 

To keep this somewhat on-topic, his actions provide the motivation to do an even better job of reviewing/beta-reading his book.

 

If more authors reacted this way I suspect it would motivate more people to do reviews.

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Gary, I believe that many if not most readers have opinions about the books they read. Among writers/authors there seems to be a code that dictates that if a story or piece is, umm, not written well or so highly flawed with typos that criticism, without praise, should be withheld. This I think is especially so in regards to newly minted authors. The concept, I believe, is a good one. What I personally hope to see is an increase in private responses if the remarks are not happy thoughts. You see how diplomatically I write! Much of this can be avoided if authors take the time to have their works read by beta readers--strangers who owe them nothing but honesty.

 

Then there are readers who do not feel they can convey their feelings adequately and so remain silent. Not much you can do about that.

 

I think too some readers don't understand what the author is getting at in a story.

In my first book, an older man offers to take a young man under his rather wealthy wing. A familiar theme in many M/m stories. However, this older man wants this fellow all to himself for purposes other that the usual sex, paterfamilias, stuff. He sends the young man home to mommie dearest with a proposal. He will buy the kid for a stated amount of cash. The mother, shocked at first, is seduced by circumstance and agrees. The story unfolds with all the consequences that flow from these three and their decision; the man who makes the offer, the kid who carries the scheme to his mother and the woman herself who takes the cash and runs. My point is few who read my book realized what it was really about. Oh, I got lots of mail praising the story but no one seemed to get it--not entirely.

My point for that long winded speech is, I think reviewers often get hooked on their own notions of they're reading and don't look beyond the story line.

 

Michael

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"I could never be satisfied with just the approval of the critics, and, boy, I've certainly had to be satisfied without it." ~Norman Rockwell

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My point for that long winded speech is, I think reviewers often get hooked on their own notions of they're reading and don't look beyond the story line.

With regard to reviewers I think I'd have to agree with you. On GA we have the added benefit of forums to discuss the stories. It's there that we really get into talking about our perceived notions. From there the debate often gets lively and when you have an author like CJ or dkstories who encourage that kind of discussion it makes for a wonderful reader experience and helps the author as well.

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