Comments on: First Readers

By: Bethany Neal

Bethany Neal — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 13:36:59 +0000

I can’t trust anyone I know that closely to give me non-bias feedback. I’d be afraid they wouldn’t be able to separate how they feel about me and how the felt about the book.

My writing group is where my 1st readers are. I know them well enough that I trust they won’t sell my prose on the literary black market, but I don’t hang with them on weekends where they’ll have to face me if the crits were harsh–and probably needed.

By: Nancy Thompson

Nancy Thompson — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 01:37:48 +0000

My husband has never even asked to read my ms. I have a few crit partners, but one in particular who I will make read anything I write because no matter what it is, she always makes it better. And she’s now my best & closest friend though we live 2800 miles apart & have never actually met in person.

By: Suzanne L. B.

Suzanne L. B. — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:08:21 +0000

My first reader is a friend who is more like a sister. She was the type of kid (like me) who was told to stop reading and go outside, and when she went, she brought her book with her. She’s honest, brutal in the best way, and encouraging.

My husband is more of a non-fiction reader. He’s great for query critiques, though.

By: Amy Armstrong

Amy Armstrong — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 03:22:59 +0000

My husband is often one of my first readers because he assumes that if I’m hiding something from him, it must be juicy. After he reads it, he often behaves the same way my dog used to when she realized I’d “duped” her into eating something healthy. He pushes it aside and says, “Meh. Girl stuff. No exploding spaceships.”

I just dismiss him as having no taste.

Of course, on those rare occasions when he says something I’ve written is brilliant, he’s the most refined person I’ve ever met. I don’t know how two such disparate personalities coexist in one adorable body.

By: PJ

PJ — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:29:11 +0000

I have a group of friends who read and tell me that, no, I’m not crazy, there may actually be a story there, but then I take it to critique groups. I think you need someone who doesn’t have a vested interest to get the necessary perspective to make something better.

By: Kristin Laughtin

Kristin Laughtin — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:52:26 +0000

I think it really depends on your loved ones’ qualifications. The first reader for one of my manuscripts was an aunt I am close to, but I trusted her advice because she is an editor (for a newspaper, but it still means she has good English skills) and a prolific reader in my genre, and I trusted her not to sugarcoat any critiques. I’ve let a few other friends read some of my stuff, but more just to get a general sense of whether the story was working and not for serious critique or revision.

By: Rachel McMahon

Rachel McMahon — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:43:04 +0000

My husband is my first reader, but he doesn’t critique my writing. He does tell me when he wishes the funny scenes were longer, which is great since I’m writing a boy book. I live for the moments when he cackles at what I’ve written.

By: Tracy

Tracy — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:38:53 +0000

The only other person besides my husband (who doesn’t read anything other than the newspaper and I don’t think I’d trust for criticism because “more stuff needs to blow up” in his opinion) who knows I’m working on a book is my friend who is a high school teacher. And she is my first reader.

Using finesse with criticism is nice and she has that but its not necessary for me. I need honesty not sugar coated beat-around-the-bush type honestly, I’m okay with brutal truth. I don’t want boosters, as nice and encouraging as they are, I need someone to say “this character is not believable” or “this scene isn’t relevant to the story”. But that’s what I like; a cut-to-the-chase type person. She’s honest in a professional way and will not spare my feelings if it will help my improve my MS. But that’s just me, it’s not for everyone.

But I will say I am the one my husband comes to for spell checking, wording, proof reading and over all criticism for his work related emails and memo’s.

By: Ciara

Ciara — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 22:15:24 +0000

My partner is my first reader, not because he give me great critiques but because he does nothing of the sort. He says “that’s brilliant honey” and that’s it. To be honest that’s all I want to hear on the first draft. Then I’ll rewrite and send to critique partners. But for the first draft I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a bit of a boost to get me over the hardest part!

By: Diane Henders

Diane Henders — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 21:50:38 +0000

My significant others are my most trusted team. My husband is a detail-oriented geek like me, so he catches the continuity issues (“Butane is a gas. It doesn’t slosh.”) He’s also great at finding information when I’m researching something.

My sister is a writer, and I can depend on her to tell me where I need more character development, where the action sags, or whether I’ve just gone sideways somewhere.

My step-mom and my best friend offer suggestions occasionally, but they’re mainly boosters.

I couldn’t ask for a better group of readers, but I think the key to success is that they offer criticism constructively, and I can appreciate the criticism on my writing without feeling as though it’s about me personally.