How to Write a Nonfiction Book By Deborah Froese
Part III: Acquiring Feedback
If you have made it this far with your nonfiction book project, congratulations! You’ve done your research, tucked a few drafts under your belt, and wandered so far into the trees that you can no longer see the forest. It’s time to gather other perspectives.
Distinguish between personal preferences and objective remarks. Identify common themes and patterns in the feedback. Recurring observations warrant more weight. Trust your instincts as you evaluate the feedback but be honest with yourself. View your manuscript’s shortfalls as opportunities for improvement. Beta reader feedback may not be completely positive, and sometimes it hurts. Give it time to settle before evaluating what to keep and what to disregard.
Invoke Your Inner Editor
Change the font or font size to alter the visual appearance of your manuscript by forcing the text to fall differently on the page. Review your manuscript in a different form. If you typically read it on your computer screen, print it out or upload it to your e-reader. Read your manuscript aloud. Your ears will pick up problems that your eyes missed. If you aren’t quite ready to share your work with others, trick your brain into thinking it’s reading something new. You’ll spot wrinkles you didn’t notice before.
Hire an Editor
If you have the budget, hire an editor to help you whip your manuscript into shape. If you don’t have a few thousand dollars or more to spend, consider seeking a manuscript review. Some editors evaluate entire manuscripts for a flat rate and provide a general idea of where to focus revision efforts. Be careful who you hire. Editing concerns far more than spelling, punctuation, and grammar, so your writer friend or the teacher down the street probably isn’t qualified. A good editor is objective, reviews your manuscript in astonishing detail, offers constructive feedback with suggestions and encouragement, helps you maintain your voice, and recognizes editing as a collaborative process. Your early drafts are all about you and your ideas, but the closer you come to publication, the more important it becomes to focus on reader experience. Acquiring feedback helps you do just that.
Recruit Beta Readers
Beta readers bridge the gap between you and your intended audience. Choose voracious readers who appreciate your genre, are willing to share their opinions honestly, and whose opinions you trust. You may be tempted to invite family members or close friends along for the ride, but the potential for bias is too risky. To support beta readers, let them know what you’re trying to achieve, ask questions, and invite them to point out examples of their concerns.
Did they find any parts boring? Was the content clear? Did any areas lack sufficient detail? Did they have any unanswered questions? What did they like best? Least?
In our next and final installment in this series, we’ll explore publishing options.
Author, editor, and story coach Deborah Froese is on a mission to spark change through the stories we share. www.deborahfroese.com
What did they gain from reading your manuscript? Is there anything else they would like to share?
Page 53
Click Here For Previous Articles From Deborah
Powered by FlippingBook