My Beta Reader Hated My Manuscript. Should I Give Up?
This unfortunately is a scenario I’ve seen many times. A new (or experienced) writer sends their manuscript to a beta reader with high hopes, then is absolutely crushed by the response. The beta hated it, couldn’t even get through it, tells the writer they should go back to the drawing board or abandon it completely. What’s a writer to do? Should you follow the beta’s advice? Should you crawl into a hole and never write again? Should you drown your sorrows with a big glass of wine and a tub of Rocky Road?
Go ahead and have a little wine and/or ice cream, but please don’t give up! One beta reader does not represent your whole audience. Have you ever read a published book that didn’t click with you? I’m sure we all have. Not everyone will like your book, no matter how wonderful it is, so you can put that hope right out of your mind. Read the one-star reviews on one of your favorite books and remind yourself that some people hate what other people love.
what if they had nothing positive to say about my book? Is it really all bad?
Remember that most free or low-cost beta readers are just readers or fellow writers, not trained editors. They may not know how to identify or address specific issues in writing, and could be underprepared or underqualified to give a comprehensive critique. If they find the story or the writing hard to follow, they might just call it “bad writing” and throw it aside. This does not mean your writing is bad or that you’re a bad writer. In fact, I’d like you to put “bad writing” right out of your head. If your child comes down for breakfast with tangled hair, no pants, their shirt on backward, and a scowl on their face, does that mean they’re a bad child? Of course not. They just need a little sprucing up. Yes, your writing likely has issues—most, if not all, writing does in the developmental stages—but as long as you care about what you’re writing, I guarantee it has value and the issues can be fixed.
All writers have their strengths and weaknesses, and all writing has its strengths and weaknesses as well. Writing may be underdeveloped, unorganized, or riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, and readers may get caught up on any one of these issues and not be able to see past them. But these are all fixable! Someone might be an amazing storyteller but have little to no understanding of the nuances of grammar and punctuation (remember, storytelling was an art long before reading and writing). Someone else might have an excellent command over writing conventions but not know how to make their sentences and paragraphs flow. Another writer might have beautiful, flowing prose and powerful imagery but a confusing, unsatisfying plot. And still another might have a strong, unique voice and complex characters but tend toward cliché and repetition. No one is amazing at everything, and they shouldn’t be. We all have room to learn and grow in our writing, as in all other areas of life. No matter where you are on your writing journey, your writing has strength and value.
Where do I go from here?
See if there’s anything constructive you can take from the beta reader’s feedback. Did they mention errors in spelling and punctuation or a specific plot hole? If it helps, write down actionable items from their feedback, then put away or delete the critique if it’s hard for you to read. If they said the spelling was a mess, make a note to run spell check. If they said the timeline made no sense, try writing out the timeline on your next read-through to see if you can identify where it breaks down. If they hated your main character, make yourself a list of that character’s positive or relatable qualities and pinpoint scenes where these are shown or could be shown. Even if the reader didn’t write their feedback in a positive and constructive way, you may be able to spin it that way for yourself. On the other hand, if you can’t find anything constructive in the feedback and it’s sending you into the depths of despair, you have my permission to just throw it out. It’s not worth your time and energy.
Before you do anything drastic based on one reader’s feedback, seek out multiple opinions. Maybe this beta reader didn’t connect with your story, but others will. Beta readers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and experience levels. If one reader had a lot of terrible things to say that you’re not hearing from others, don’t put too much energy into trying to make that reader happy. But if multiple readers bring up the same issue, there’s probably something to it, so you can put your energy into addressing that.
What if I don’t know what’s wrong or how to fix it?
If you’re having a hard time recognizing the strengths in your writing or figuring out how to improve the weak points, a professional editor can be a huge asset. A good editor does more than point out errors and fix punctuation. They recognize your strengths, help you establish your voice, and help guide you to be a stronger writer. Different editors will address different aspects of your book, so depending on your strengths (and your budget), you may choose to put more resources into certain levels of editing and skip others altogether. Developmental editors help with the big picture elements: plot, setting, characters, pacing. They make sure the story itself is in place. Line editors focus in on the style: how the sentences flow, the rhythm and cadence, the effectiveness of dialogue and word choice. Copyeditors are masters of details. They make sure everything is correct and consistent, from spelling and punctuation to character descriptions and timelines. Proofreaders provide a final line of defense, checking every word, space, heading, and margin to ensure everything looks and reads as it should. You can find more on levels of editing in this post. An editor is on your side and wants your book to succeed, and their professional feedback can help you grow as a writer.
Readers are valuable, but they don’t determine the value of you or your writing.
Let’s be clear, beta readers are an amazing resource and a vital step in your publishing journey. Many beta readers, especially paid or professional beta readers, give very thorough feedback that can be immensely valuable. Even the most casual free beta readers can help identify what is and isn’t working in your book. Just remember that one reader does not represent every reader. They may love your book or hate it. They may be encouraging, enthusiastic, indifferent, critical, or negative. Take what’s helpful and leave what isn’t. As hard as it is, do your best not to take criticism personally. And most of all, remember just how amazing it is that you’ve gotten as far as you have. Be proud of yourself for writing a book. No matter where you go from here, you’re a writer, and that is a serious accomplishment.
If you’re searching for a line editor, copyeditor, or proofreader who respects your voice and will give your writing the polish it needs before publication, consider working with me! I offer a free sample edit with no strings attached, so you can get an idea for what I do and whether I’m the right fit for your writing. View my services or contact me for more information.