Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing

Richard Harland has kindly agreed to be interviewed for this series of blog posts. Although Richard had not heard the term ‘beta reader’ before. We discussed this and decided that ‘sample’ reader is a close approximation and also feedback from his peers. Richard is a member of RoR, the group of professional writers who critique each other’s work that Margo Lanagan belongs to.

Richard is the author of  Worldshaker and Liberator, among other novels. He has heaps of writing advice up on his ‘writing tips’ page, reportedly some 145 pages of advice. Richard has been writing a long time so feel free to pop over and take advantage of his advice.  His website is here and the writing tips are here.

Richard Harland

1.       How many beta readers do you have and how long have you used beta readers in your writing process?

I use three kinds of readers. Sample readers are just ordinary readers – closest to the people who’ll eventually be reading my book. I reckon that ought to make them alpha readers, the most important of all in the end! Then there are author readers, who give a different kind of feedback in critique groups. Lastly, the professional editors, whose opinions you have to listen to – you can negotiate what to change or not change, but you can’t tell them to go jump. Or, you can, but you’ll only ever do it once!

I’ve had professional editors since I started getting published, and I’ve been in critique groups ever since my poetry-writing. Perhaps mostly as a social thing, because I wasn’t very good at listening to advice back than. (I was a poet – say no more!)

 2.       In what ways do beta readers assist you in developing your novel for publication?

I’ve said something about this in my guide to writing speculative fiction at www.writingtips.com.au. Authors in critique groups aren’t very reliable, because they’re always thinking of how they’d write the story themselves. But they’re the best for creative inspiration and opening up your mind to other possibilities. Even when you don’t take the particular path they suggest, it’s wonderfully liberating to see that there are other paths.

Professional editors also don’t read quite like ordinary readers; they read with half an eye on the market and how other people will react. But the best for articulating and explaining problems over what isn’t working; they can zoom in on, say, a lack of tension, and find the real causes behind it. They’re also the best for practical advice, over continuity, motivation – the basic thing it’s easy to lose track of when you’re caught up in the flow of the story.

Sample readers are the ultimate touchstone,the gold standard – only you have to work on them! You have to ignore praise, you have to dig beneath friendship or politeness – and most of all you have to prompt them. Like ordinary readers, they don’t think much about the whys and wherefores. Not enthralled with that chapter, that character – yes, but why? Check what one ordinary sample reader says against what others have said – and probe, probe, probe!

3.       Do all your beta readers pick up the same points?

You’re joking! No, even professional editors often contradict one another. I always reckon that, if one reader has a problem, maybe that’s just their problem – could be they have an individual prejudice, a blind spot, or maybe a momentary lapse in attention. But if more than one reader makes the same point, then I have a problem … And I have to consider doing something about it.

 4.       Do you sometimes target your beta readers to particular areas based on the experience you had with them in the past? For example, one reader is good at plot holes, another reader is good at grammatical issues and another might be good at style. Or do you take what comes?

I take what comes. But I’m not really approaching sample readers or critique group readers for advice on grammar or style. I should be able to do most of that myself – and what I can’t, my professional editors will help tidy up. (For example, when you do or don’t need a comma between side by side adjectives … I don’t really like commas there at all, but there are rules, incredibly arcane, fine-spun rules that I can’t get my mind around. But my current editor can, and I leave it up to her!)

What I want from sample readers and critique group readers are big picture responses on story and character. I think everyone’s opinions count on such things.

5.       Do you always want the same thing from the beta reader for each novel? For example, when you have deadlines and only have time for high-level feedback?

The worst thing in the world is to have worked through all the high-level stuff, and then what’s supposed to be low-level stuff starts unravelling the high-level stuff again! That’s happened to me a time or two with professional feedback, and it’s just so unfair! Unfortunately, life for a commercially published author isn’t fair … Shit happens.

I decide the timing for sample readers, so that’s never an issue. But it’s always liable to be an issue with our ROR critique group, because we meet to discuss whole novels about once every eighteen months – it’s great when I have a novel in just the right state for critiquing, but often it’s too far down the track, too fixed and finalized. So unless there’s some really big problem that’s been missed so far by everyone else, I’m looking for feedback on the stage I’m currently at.

 6.        How hard is it to find a good beta reader?

I’ve probably answered this already. Horses for courses. A good sample reader is good by being an ordinary, average reader. I don’t look for specialists. For example, my first sample reader, before I ever worry about target audience readers, is Aileen, my wife. She loves crime fiction, but doesn’t have any special affinity for fantasy. So I reckon that if the world I’ve created seems solid and plausible and interesting to her, then it’ll seem solid and plausible and interesting to anyone.

A reader who can give a reason for a response is more of a thinker. Authors and editors read on a sort of double level, on the one hand plunged into the experience of the novel but on the other hand sitting outside it. But the more you sit outside, the more chance of thinking your responses rather than just experiencing them. It’s a trade off. I’ve been very lucky with my editors – and the authors in the ROR group are pretty exceptional people too!

7.       Do you have any advice for readers who want to be beta readers or even editors in the long run? For example, what type of commentary to you prefer?

Ah, the ground has shifted under my feet! I’m most interested in sample readers – I believe every author and intending author ought to show their work to ordinary readers and get feedback. That’s my strongest recommendation – and something I’ve learned the hard way, after being for many years too proud to show my imperfect work to anyone!

For professional readers, such as editors and publisher’s readers, well, that’s a whole different ball game. I don’t know what training would help – I’d only say, please, never lose grip on simple delight in reading and getting carried away by a story. When I say I’ve been lucky with my editors, that’s exactly what I mean – they’ve none of them lost their freshness, their spontaneity as readers. I’m sure I’d soon be all staled out over the numbers of books they have to read! And I’m too much of an author to ever be an editor – I’d keep wanting to turn someone else’s book into my book. I’d be a total disaster!

Liberator by Richard Harland

Thank you very much Richard. Another interesting and different perspective. I like how you have sample readers, who are more likely to be similar to your audience.

Donna