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Biting my nails here

Posted: January 7th, 2011, 10:51 pm
by stephmcgee
Just sent my MS off to my first real beta reader. My baby is out there in the world for someone else to read. (Granted, I have sent parts out there for feedback a couple times, but this is the first entire MS beta crit that I'll likely get back.)

I'm nervous. But looking forward to getting that fresh perspective. I mean, I'd taken several months away from the book and the rest was great to see some areas and such, and I laughed out loud at a few places, but I need that different point of view.

But I'm so antsy about it now. This is something I've never really done before.

Re: Biting my nails here

Posted: January 7th, 2011, 11:08 pm
by Watcher55
stephmcgee wrote:Just sent my MS off to my first real beta reader. My baby is out there in the world for someone else to read. (Granted, I have sent parts out there for feedback a couple times, but this is the first entire MS beta crit that I'll likely get back.)

I'm nervous. But looking forward to getting that fresh perspective. I mean, I'd taken several months away from the book and the rest was great to see some areas and such, and I laughed out loud at a few places, but I need that different point of view.

But I'm so antsy about it now. This is something I've never really done before.
I just did the same about an hour ago (the very first one for me as well). Right now I'm hungry but I don't want to eat anything. It's just a beta-raed but it feels like make-or-break-time.

Re: Biting my nails here

Posted: January 8th, 2011, 12:26 am
by cheekychook
For those of you stressing over the first beta-read, I feel your pain. Really. I do. But as bitchy as this is going to sound I'm going to have to advise you to enjoy this particular brand of nervousness because I can tell you, from experience, that the nervous/antsy feeling you have right now will, in retrospect, be a pleasant sensation when compared with what's likely to come. The memory of this anxiety will feel like a warm bathrobe fresh out of the drier on a cold winter's eve when compared to what you'll feel like when you send out your first query, your first partial, your first full. Revel in this early nervousness. It's not make or break. Nothing is make or break. You'll survive it all. You'll hate a lot of it. You'll question why you're doing it. It will feel like a combination of waiting to hear if the person you're crushing on likes you back, waiting for phone call from your new bf/gf, waiting for college application answers, waiting for the call after a job interview, sending your child off to pre-school the first day... all wrapped into one, with a stomachache chaser and possibly a migraine, depending on your luck. Or maybe that's just me. In any case, be proud that you have a manuscript to send off, be glad you found someone who will hopefully offer you some meaningful input, and seriously, enjoy these early stages of nervousness, it's only the beginning.

Re: Biting my nails here

Posted: January 8th, 2011, 9:36 pm
by HillaryJ
Agh! Cheeky! That's exactly what I was thinking...it's mean, but true.

I still flutter a bit with my betas because I interact with them on non-writing issues, so there are times one of us has the other's work, and every conversation is stilted like we've just run into the other party to an ill-advised one night stand.

Steph and Watcher, this is an important first step. So you deserve your butterflies. But don't worry. Comments will either help you make the story better or confirm the parts that are good.

Re: Biting my nails here

Posted: January 8th, 2011, 10:38 pm
by Guardian
Don't be nervous. This is actually one of the best parts in writing. Do you know why? Because nothing can be compared to that feeling when your readers are starting to talk about your characters like if they would be real people and when the readers are curious and taking up questions regarding the novel, the story, your world and your characters in their reviews (Regardless if there are mistakes in the MS or not. No MS is perfect, not even published ones.).

Steph and Watcher. Good luck!

Re: Biting my nails here

Posted: January 16th, 2011, 7:43 am
by Jaime
Guardian wrote:Don't be nervous. This is actually one of the best parts in writing. Do you know why? Because nothing can be compared to that feeling when your readers are starting to talk about your characters like if they would be real people and when the readers are curious and taking up questions regarding the novel, the story, your world and your characters in their reviews (Regardless if there are mistakes in the MS or not. No MS is perfect, not even published ones.).

Steph and Watcher. Good luck!
Wow, Guardian, that is so true! There's nothing more satisfying than having other people get to know and fall in love with your characters. Every reader adds that little bit of life to them, and gives you the confidence that maybe, one day, readers all over the world will be talking about them :D

And the best thing is, by having others get to know them, you'll only strengthen your MS with rewrites so that the next reader will love and appreciate them even more. :)

Re: Biting my nails here

Posted: January 16th, 2011, 1:02 pm
by stephmcgee
I've got the beta back. Gonna do a crit tonight for someone then read through the beta's notes in two different betas (one partial, one full). Then let it all just sit and launch into revisions in a couple of days.

Re: Biting my nails here

Posted: January 18th, 2011, 10:18 am
by Robin
stephmcgee wrote:I've got the beta back. Gonna do a crit tonight for someone then read through the beta's notes in two different betas (one partial, one full). Then let it all just sit and launch into revisions in a couple of days.
...So was it so bad? Do tell...

Re: Biting my nails here

Posted: January 18th, 2011, 10:43 am
by stephmcgee
It wasn't too bad. There were some comments that I reacted to with an "I could see that," and some where I realized from my reaction that I need to change the setup for that part of the book so it's more clear and reduces the confusion. There weren't a whole lot of comments on the manuscript itself. I'm going to revise then find another beta to read for reaction to the changes. No idea how many revisions I'll have to go through before this is ready to query. If it ever will get there.