Search Results for: beta readers

  • Beta Readers are More Important than You Think

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    You’ve successfully finished the first draft of your manuscript and are feeling pretty good about your story overall. Maybe you’re ready to take some time off before diving into revisions; or worse yet, you think it’s ready for editing. There is an integral piece of the revision process, however, many writers miss out on—beta readers. After proofreading your first draft, beta readers should be your next step. Who Are Beta Readers? Think of beta readers as test subjects, or guinea pigs, for your book. They are typically the first group of people to read your manuscript in its entirety. When…

  • Quick Start Guide: Using Beta Reader Feedback

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    Receiving the first round of beta reader feedback on your manuscript can stir up a mix of emotions. On the one hand, you will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment for making it this far in the process and having real reader feedback in your hands. The flip side of that—you may find yourself in another battle with self-doubt as you page through the comments. So, how can you use that beta reader feedback to take your story to the next level? This article covers exactly how to use your beta reader feedback to improve your writing. Organize the…

  • Lent for Writers

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    March is nearly upon us and with it comes the Christian tradition of Lent. This forty-day period (taking place from Wednesday, March 5 to Thursday, April 17 in 2025) is normally used for prayer and fasting, but many have adopted it as a way to give up something they love, such as sugar, coffee, or other consumable items that are not the best for our health. Some may even try to give up being on social media all the time or stop watching YouTube videos to be more productive. There is an advantage to this, for lack of a better…

  • a little boy and little girl reading a children's book in a tent at night surrounded by white fairy lights

    How to Write for Kids When You Aren’t One

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    To write for kids, while often thought of as easy, is more complex than writing a book for adults. The reason for that is due in large part to the specificity of each reading level. A picture book with less than five hundred words will occupy a toddler, but a first grader will better interact with a book that is considered an “easy reader,” and shows signs of a plot and loveable characters. By the time children are in second or third grade, they’ll have graduated to early chapter books, which will need stronger plot points and easy to read…