The Spooky Part of Writing... Might Be Letting Someone Read It!

As mentioned in several of my posts, I am really starting to look for alpha and beta readers so I can get some feedback about the storyline, character development, potential errors, and suggestions for how I can improve the story. 

Though I am not immune to worry, I find myself concerned about who I can trust because the world seems to be full of unsavory people who don't always have other people's best interests at heart. So, what has crossed my mind? Can my work be taken? If not the exact words... what about the storyline? 

Then there is the other concern, whether I am willing to admit it or not. I know that there is a little bit of me that knows there is no escaping the worry about potential judgment of my work!

Writing is no different than an athlete in a tournament, a singer in a cathedral, or a painter's work in a museum. The written word will be judged by the format in which it is resented, the level of vocabulary, knowledge of the subjects, whether it is lagging, predictable, or well-paced, and so many other measures of opinion at play. From cover to book's end, though a writer may not be sitting in the room with their reader, our world has blessed us with so many ways for readers' opinions to be made known about exactly what they think of an author's work. 

Which is why I don't want to skip this step! I know that the whole purpose of this process is improvement. The beauty of finding alpha and beta readers is that I can have a reliable crew of readers who want to help me improve, as well as a group of cheerleaders supporting me along the way. I can imagine them being the people who fuel my own desire to let my stories see the light of day. I love the idea that by seeking their thoughts, I can finally free my work from journals that sit buried in the drawers of my home.

 I love this book and the ideas that I have for the books ahead. I am legitimately interested in how other writers deal with the fear of sharing their work.

I also wonder how other authors find their alpha and beta readers. I know that my mom is certainly stuck as one! Mom, you have officially been added to the list of people in my life who witness all my endeavors, including... but not limited to, proofreading any written creations by your third-born child! I should also give a formal heads-up to a friend or two; you are going to be pressed to help as well. I am willing to barter!

I have heard of groups on Reddit as well as some online sites where you join and act as a beta reader yourself, earning credits as you do so, and then use those credits to submit your work for other beta readers to review. At the writers' conference, I heard that some writers forgo humans completely and only use AI. For the record, I want human advice because I want my work to connect with a human reader, and there are emotions or points that I want to get across that only humans can truly understand. However, I am curious about what other authors think of this and whether they have other suggestions for groups or services similar to these.  

How do other writers choose to navigate this step?

Going back to the subject of worry: How will your work be perceived by alpha and beta readers. I can see why some writers may forgo having people they know read their work, due to wanting to avoid criticism, keep their work secret, or maybe because it's too embarrassing. Perhaps it feels more constructive to hear suggestions from a stranger than from people within your inner circle. Though I feel pretty comfortable with the people I have been thinking about asking within my circle, maybe there is something I haven't thought of that other writers would say to avoid! 

So, are there some precautions that other authors take, or a checklist that they follow when choosing someone from their personal circle of friends or family? In addition, what questions should I ask before entrusting someone with my work?

Lastly, I know that people can say yes, but then just rush through the process, which means you may not get honest feedback. I realize that I will tell people upfront that my feelings won't be hurt if they don't have time or if reading is simply not their thing, but I would love to know what others do when seeking help. Do you potentially give them only part of the work for them to look at, so it isn't such a big ask? Or perhaps only sections that you feel are weak, rather than the whole thing?

What do you do to make sure you have a sincere helper, and how many readers do you aim for? 

Ultimately, what I hope to find are ways to improve what I have and to earn whether or not readers are receptive to the story. I would love to know if this tiny town I have created, and has given me so much comfort, will make others smile. I'm sure I will write more on this subject, but for now, I think I have a lot of questions I'd love to hear some feedback. Even if it is only one of the questions! Truly, I would love to know your thoughts? 

How do you navigate finding your alpha and beta readers?

What questions do you ask?

How do you know who to trust?

Are there things I should be specifically wary of?

How many is too many?

Are there folks to avoid?

Do you share it all for review or only part?

What helpful tips do you have about fear and preventing that fear from holding you back?