Be Kind To Your Betas
As you may (or may not) know by now I, with my own famous sense of luck, managed to send out my first batch of chapters to my “Alpha readers” approximately five whole days before the shit hit the fan with COVID-19. Unbeknownst to me, while I was pouring myself a glass to celebrate the entire world was entering a frenzy of panic and things soon joined the economy in generally going to hell in a handbasket.
Such an occurrence may have made me utter a certain four letter word (“Fuck,” dear reader. It was “fuck”).
Having shared my writing with others for the first time I was suitably nervous, anxious, whatever. I was losing my writing virginity and had to resist the urge to barrage my alphas with texts asking for updates and promises that this didn’t usually happen. Add in the panic of a pandemic and you had a recipe for disaster. Thankfully I kept my cool, reminding myself that I had asked these people to do me a massive favor, and that I should be conscious that they had their own lives to live.
Some of my alphas work in industries that have become increasingly hard hit by the ‘rona, others are welcoming a kid into the world, and still others are transitioning to a new job or just generally dealing with all manner of stress and/or drama.
And damn it all if despite all that they still didn’t take to helping me with gusto.
That got me thinking: there are plenty of reasons to be kind to your alpha/beta readers, but most importantly is that they are there to help you. It’s been a wild ride the past couple of months and while many things are changing human decency shouldn’t be one of them.
I see a lot of frustration online with aspiring authors demanding their betas adhere to a strict schedule and freak out the instant something doesn’t go to plan. They rant and they rail against someone only reading three chapters that week instead of four with the assurity that they’ve just suffered a horrible affront the likes of which the writing world has never seen before. And they are wrong.
Listen, don’t be one of those authors that rides ass just because things are a day late. Just don’t. Try to get everyone to stick to a schedule, sure, but understand this guiding principle: Shit Happens. And if you don’t think that Shit Happens, Shit is all the more likely to Happen to you.
Betas have their own lives and hobbies, and yes if someone is being toxic or is ghosting you you may be perfectly entitled to cease enlisting their help, just remember that not a single soul owes you a thing. You’re asking, they’re helping. It’s a team effort so let them know it!
Treat people with respect and above all be kind to your betas.
That they’ve even agreed to help you is kindness enough and the least you can do is return the favor.
And, hey, since you’ve read this far: are you or someone you know looking for a new book to read? Why not read mine and help iron out some kinks? I’ve still got a few spots left on the “seating chart” for round two of beta for my little “Work in Progress” so if you’re interested feel free to reach out via email, social media, or drop a comment below.
I’d love to hear from you!