So, I’m starting to edit the second draft of my murder mystery Dead Winter Bones and I had an idea. Possibly a bad one. I really thrive on feedback, and it keeps me on track. I mean I veer off track at the slightest hint of something new and shiny. And honestly, sometimes I’ll tap a dead mouse in the hope it might spring back to life if Im bored enough.
And looking at a second draft can be really boring/daunting.
So I thought I would try something new. I sent out an e-mail to my newsletter and this is what I wrote.
This may be a REALLY dumb idea.
I've just started editing the first draft of Dead Winter Bones, the second book in my Golden Murder Mysteries series, writing as Anna Penrose, and it occurred to me that I might have some readers that would be handy at offering feedback as I went along?
Told you it was dumb.
You'd receive the book in chucks, 6k words, 3k words, whatever I had next. They will be in order but they will be untidy. That's sort of the whole point. This would be you reading like an alpha reader.
An alpha reader???
This is a reader that ignores typos and dreadful sentence construction but focusses purely on the story. Is it working? Are you gasping, are you yawning? Am I making sense? (Not here in the e-mail, in the book. :D ) An alpha reader says things like, I couldn't really "see" this scene, or that was too quick, or that was boring. Or I don't understand. And occasionally, this is brilliant when am I getting the next chapter. (Although that's probably less like at this stage.)
Now, I haven't done this before but I anticipate sending you out a chunk and then you reading it quickly and sending feedback before I send the next chunk.
Like I said, REALLY dumb.
But...
If this still appeals, let me know.
You'd need to be able to read and respond quickly. The whole process should be complete within three weeks, maybe quicker.
It will be delivered as a word file which you can mark up.
You also need to be able to cope with poor English. This is pre-editor. I need you to be able to read the flow. Unfortunately, Steve can't, every missing comma trips him up, each typo makes him howl. His brilliance in spotting the flaws means he can't see the story. But maybe you can?
If this isn't for you don't worry. You can still jump on board later when I'm looking for reviewers. Or just ignore me all together. God knows, Steve does often enough!
Anyway, chat again soon,
Liz
And that’s it. I’ve had sixteen replies in the first eight hours and I’m sending out my revisions in chunks and we’ll see how it goes. And then I’ll let you know.
Finger’s crossed.
Look forward to seeing how it works out for you. ☺️