The Writer's Mailbag: Installment Forty-One

I never really knew much about beta reading, but it sounds like a great method to getting feedback. Especially for novels, which require a more "broad" overview of the storyline which you, as a writer (who has become so attached to the characters and plot) might completely overlook. Thanks for that nifty piece of info.

You, my friend, are amazing that you were finishing this up on Easter nonetheless and just hoping you, Bev and your family had a wonderful day. Also once again wishing you an amazing week ahead now! ;)

So far, I have conned two dogs and one cat

into being my beta readers. Yes, I did have a couple of treats

in my pockets. But, it worked!

Happy Monday!

DJ.

I have read quite a few books for others. I found that often, I was just being asked to tell them how wonderful they were. That is a complete waste of time. Speaking of time, reading your work is always a pleasure and the perfect way to spend some time. Up , useful and awesome!

Another interesting and informative mailbag installment. Getting Beta Readers who really read and give valuable inputs would be great.

As always very helpful. Bill I have kind of a complicated question..well maybe. I am curious about Create A Page. Where are the best instructions to turn an ebook into printed with this site? You had mentioned it before.

It's always good to learn from your advice to other writers. Have a great week..

Finishing up the article on Easter morning?! That's dedication...I thought you took the weekends off, my friend. I hope you enjoyed the rest of the day and had a wonderful time with your family! I always appreciate reading these articles on Monday mornings, something to look forward to on a Monday!

Knowing you are sharing your honest opinion and experience makes it worth every moment to read this mailbag. It's like we're going on the writer's journey with you. Thank you for smoothing out the bumps in the road with your warnings and directions.

Bill, you actually have me looking forward to Mondays. The thing you said today that really piqued my interest was "Thanks to all who asked questions this week. I continue to learn from all of you. I hope you feel the same." What a true testament to what Hubs is really all about! I hope this symbiotic relationship continues for a long, long time.

I appreciate your honest and straightforward answers to important questions.

Nice one again billy,voted up

Today being the official start of the baseball season I can unequivocally state you started off with yet one more home run. As always Bill, great advice and done so in an easy to follow format. So glad to call you a friend in the writing community.

Hi Bill. First thing I do on Monday when I get home from work is to check your mailbag. I like the catchy phrase, Mailbag Madness. As usual great questions and great answers. Have a wonderful week.

Bill, thanks for the "One Piece of Advice." Very inspiring and motivating. Have a great week.

Always useful Bill! Happy late Easter to you!

Great mailbag! Been working in my yard... time for Basketball game... ;-)

I always enjoy and learn something from you my friend. You make a very good point about using social media wisely.

I understand writers wanting to promote their work but some of have so many facebook pages!

Have a great week.

Good advice always, especially the part about social media and whether or not HubPages is worth it. Your answer is right on point. I depends--if depends on how you use it and it depends on what you want out of it. .

More than one piece of advice here, Bill. I love your candor probably as much as anything else about your writing. Sadly there are those who write what they think others want to hear and that is worth nada as you know.

Great mail bag for sure.

Angels are on the way to you today ps

I use social media, but try not to bore my friends with my writing! I do enjoy seeing other Hubs that are posted around because it give me the chance to read them when otherwise I may have missed them.

Another great mailbag, Bill.

Read your comment on my OS8 hub... Michener... I'm overwhelmed... I cannot thank you enough! ;-)

All good advice once again Bill - think the publications you are thinking of from the UK are Writers' and Artists' Yearbook and Writers' Handbook and here in Aus -The Australian Writer's Marketplace - all well worth a perusal. (except mine are ten years old - good reminder for an update!) Cheers Maj

Hi Bill.

Once again more thrown light on dark spots of my vast aspect of writing/writers. (Each new installment bronceoadens horizon of desired knowledge.) As a bonus gift came your term 'supportive' - an expression - striking my nosiness.

Useful and interesting.

Good night my friend, oops, good morning here .

Thanks once again Bill. More interesting questions and answers. Even if you already know the answers it is good to have a refresher, so no questions are a waste of time.

Thanks for this very informative hub Billy. I did not know that what I have done already for others was called Beta Reading. I know I still have to catch a lot of your very useful and informative hubs. I´ll do that soon. Have a great week!

You're as bad as I am by working on Easter morning. I did my neighbor's taxes after running some errands.

I hope you and Bev had a peaceful Easter.

As always, I love reading the Mailbag. Great Q & A!

Thanks even for the repeats. Hope you enjoyed Easter too, and every day going forward.

You've shared some more useful information in this article, Bill. Your mailbag posts are always helpful.

Time to hang up the badge and gun and take writing on here seriously..LOL.. joking, I just enjoy your stright answers to folks who use this vehicle, or at least try to use this form to make money. I write here on hubpages to test certain styles, and to see if what I write sticks.. it's been fun and you oddly meet good people and not just the same ole same ole folks you have to work with or around you. You are refreshing, Jodah even the Faith has virtual value.. I encourage new hubbers, writers, read all the mail not just mailbag number 41.. helpful concise and a bit of writing 101 built into them

You don't have a high horse either, bill! Your piece of advice for a new writer is spot on; shame so many don't follow it.

I entered a writing contest recently; first time I've ever done that. I didn't reach the final 20 but that doesn't matter. What does matter to me is that I read the winner's story, found typing errors and was not impressed by the writing. The 1st runner up was superb from every angle. The 2nd runner up was all over the place. Purely subjective of course! Seriously, no sour grapes on my part, but I'm wondering what it was all about!

That doesn't mean I won't bother again of course; I'll keep trying because I love doing it and because my piece of advice would be to 'never give up'!

Hope your Easter was great. Ours was stupendous; baby Savannah arrived early that morning. Mum & baby are at home and all is wonderful! I'm still smiling from ear to there! (also because one of her middle names is Ann!)

Ann :)

Oops, I forgot to check my mailbox yesterday! I was worn out from Easter Sunday and all the family up, when I came home from work, I went straight to bed and woke up at 12:25 a.m. LOL. Now, I am playing catch up.

Another wonderful bag of important questions and, as always, great insight provided as a response to all the question.

Peace and blessings

Okay--I have another question for you, vis-a-vis revisions.

Do you (or how do you) keep track of revisions, and not lose your place in scrolling back and forth on the computer screen while making the changes?

I find that if I need to do a major revision, I need to print out a hard copy, and use old-fashioned edit marks, boxes and arrows... That's one thing with a hub; quite another matter if it's an entire book!

Been out a lot this week and am catching up with the Mailbag!

I couldn't have described social media better than you have here: "a chance to become real people to prosepctive readers." I could also replace "readers" with "customers."

Voted up and sharing! Hope you're having a great week!

Beta readers are precious. Beta reading is a gift to receive and to give from the heart. Best of all is a critique writing group in which each member is a beta reader for the others, with each being eager to ever be an even better writer and glad to encourage and help the others in that urge. An advantage of a local group is being able to get not only written comments and suggestions but also verbal face-to-face comments and suggestions. I have found it more helpful to get both written and verbal feedback than either alone. I wonder if a critique group meeting (or a get-together with a beta reader) could be simulated with a video call?

Excellent advice Bill. Just need to digest all that is written here and take it onboard.

I do find it fascinating The different reasons people have for writing on hp. For me it's the outlet for storytelling and the opportunities for developing the gift I've been given.

Awesome hub

Great hub, Bill. I recommend GLA and WM along with their blogs/websites, too. I love my beta reader. You can find one in a writing group as well. Great advice which is useful as well. Voted up!

My pleasure Bill. I agree with you on beta readers. :-)

Thanks Bill. I'll try to. I have a cold and a sprained knee, also waiting for the vet to call on my cat's blood work results again. You too!

Anytime my friend. Hope you have better weather than I am, right now.

Lucky you. It's been rainy all week and up until Sunday with a t-storm. But I"m glad spring's officially here. Wish I was there.

Thanks Bill.

Dear Mr. Bill,

I love your Mailbag Installments. They are so useful:).

From having shared both my own and other Hubbers' hubs on social media, it certainly helps (although sometimes there is a delayed effect). There have been a couple of cases when I've been surprised at how much pinning, sharing, G+ing, etc. can yield.

As always, great and valuable content. I look forward to reading this each week, as there is so much worth to it. I suggest you write a book on the material, as it will surely sell. I think you can compete with writing guides on how to be a successful writer.