This section is for writers who have a great new idea, but are not quite sure how to go about writing a book. These are the things I focus on for different story drafts, how I find beta readers, and editors, right up to the final page of my book. Please note, this will not tell you HOW to write a book, but simply the objectives for each step of writing your book.
In each module, I will provide a list of potentially helpful resources, as well as software recommendations (if applicable) and what I use.
Now that you’ve had some people read your book, it’s time to go through the comments and see what they say. Be warned, this can be difficult from a mental perspective. I, just like most, am not super keen on hearing what is wrong with my book, or what doesn’t work. Especially when you put your heart and soul into it. But that’s okay.
My biggest tip for this is to go through and read all the comments first. Don’t worry about trying to fix or adjust anything yet. Just read them, and then sit with them. Especially if it feels like there are a lot of comments and a lot of fixes ahead of you. Don’t become overwhelmed, or feel disappointed. It’s going to be okay. Wait a few days, relax, let the pain of not being perfect dissipate for a moment, and remember that this is all for the best.
After you’ve done that, and you feel like you can read them without wanting to throw your computer out the window and quit writing, make note of YOUR opinion on the reader’s opinion. You are not required to agree with all opinions, and each reader might have different opinions on certain parts. What you want to look for, is consistency. If you have three beta readers, and they all point out an issue, or all three say a section doesn’t quite make sense, then that is something which will probably need adjusting. But if one person says they don’t like a part, and another reader says they love that same part, then it’s really up to you as the author. Read through your book, make the adjustments you feel are necessary, and call this step done.
