View this email online if it doesn't display correctly Essential Editing Tips: Part 3 + Summer Sale July 11, 2015 Hi Friend,  In this newsletter: Personal Note from Beth Essential Editing Tools: Part 3 Summer Sale (until July 17) Community webinar on "The Benefits of Writing in Community," July 14, 5pm Pacific Personal Note from Beth I'm sending this newsletter a little late because my week was full preparing then running a Facebook party for my "Branding for Novelists" class so they could practice all we've been covering.  I really enjoy throwing Facebook parties, and parties in general, though I haven't done the later much recently (a little sad about that.) Instead I've been deep in quiet creating mode.  Soon though I will be attending a *big* party: the Romance Writer's of America National conference in New York City!!!!!  I love travel, especially to big vibrant cities. I am so excited to be going. If you're at the conference too, let me know. I'm booking coffee dates now. On to our final editing tool! Essential Editing Tools: Part 3 (You can read Part 1 on mindset here and Part 2 on getting feedback here.) Beta Readers Once you've gotten feedback from your critique partners or editors and implemented their suggestions to the best of your ability, then what? At this point, I turn to early readers or beta readers to let me know if they think the book is ready to be published.  I think it is, but I'm often not 100% sure. I've looked at the manuscript so much, I have no clarity, no objectivity. So over the last few years I've acquired a list of 20-30 people who I can ask to review my manuscript at this pre-publication stage. Win-Win These early readers love to be a part of the writer's process and a part of an exclusive group that gets to read your work before everyone else. Beta readers also like developing a relationship with the writer and supporting the writer. Many are writers themselves and are looking to improve their skills by reading lots of other people's material. We writers win because we get a fresh pair of eyes on our work. We also gather fans and people who will post reviews when the book is published. Getting Beta Readers People ask me how to get beta readers. If you're just starting out, you may not know who your readers are nor where they congregate.  When I was self-publishing my first novel, Henrietta The Dragon Slayer, I asked on Twitter and friends of mine who I knew liked fantasy. I gathered 3-4 people this way. Recently on Twitter, I posted this for my next romance:  Want to be an early reader for a new sweet/sensual #paranormalromance? Just DM me or eml me here: bethbaranyATgmail com Currently I request via a blog post from time to time. It's been updated to reflect our current projects.  http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog/2013/11/07/love-to-read-fiction-we-need-you-looking-for-beta-readers/ You're welcome to sign up and adapt this type of request to your own needs. Note on tech: I used Google Forms to create the form I embedded into this post. (I love Google Forms!) What To Ask Beta Readers Once I have people interested in helping me in this way, I send them a request about what kind of feedback I'd like and by when. My letter looks like this (from my last romance novel published as A Labyrinth of Love and Roses): Hi [name]! Thank you so much for agreeing to give me your feedback! I so appreciate your support! Attached is my sweet paranormal romance novella in draft format, GREEN MAN (Working Title), in Word format, as requested. Let me know if that format works for you.  [I find out ahead of time which format they'd like.] It's just over 23,000 words so if you could get it back to me next week by Sunday, August 24, that would be great. Here's what I would like you to answer: (Short answers are fine. :-) ) 1. At what point does the motivation or the actions of the characters seem unrealistic? 2. Where does the story get boring? 3. What was missing? What did you want more of? 4. What would make this a five-star story for you? 5. Did you feel attached to the characters? 6. [Optional] Any line edits, like typos and grammar, would be great! Thank you for your honesty. I would rather learn that my story doesn't work now than learn that it sucks from Amazon reviewers. And I don't take constructive criticism personally. :) Thanks again! And have a great week! All my best, [your name] Things to keep in mind: Do give people a reasonable deadline. Do remind them. Do understand if they can't follow through. Be gracious. Use what feedback you're given and integrate it in a way that's right for you. That's the process both Ezra (my husband, a thriller writer) and I use to gather and work with our beta readers. Working with beta readers is a win-win for us all. Good luck! What is your next step, either with editing or getting beta readers?  Hit reply and let me know. I'm always interested in hearing from you! All my best, ♥ Beth PS. This is the end of my three-part series on Essential Editing Tools, but I may continue the series if I have some juicy questions from you! So click reply and let me know yours! Thanks! Summer Sale! Yay, it's summer here in the Northern Hemisphere.  We're so grateful for the needed rain here in Northern California. As promised, we're doing a Summer Sale on three courses for novelists in the Barany School of Fiction. 3 homestudy courses to help write or market your novel! And 3 Goodies on book marketing and getting to your writing! Are you working on your novel? Either writing or marketing? If you'd like to be, enjoy this summer sale! In honor of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, I’m offering a 50% off or more on select home-study courses now until Friday, July 17, 2015, 9pm Pacific. Go here to take advantage of this sale: http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog/summer-sale-2015/ 3 Courses for You: How to Run a Successful Blog Tour homestudy course Normally: $297 Sale Price: $99 *** 30-Day Writing Challenge to Plan Your Novel homestudy course Normally: $30 Sale Price: $15 *** Craft Compelling Characters (homestudy course) Normally: $49 Sale Price: $15 *** >>> From now until July 17, 2015, 9pm Pacific, go here to take advantage of this sale: http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog/summer-sale-2015/ <<< *** 3 Goodies for You "Top 10 Tips of Social Media Marketing" report >> go here to download: http://bethbarany.com/products/bookmarketingtips.htm No need to sign up! "The 12 Stages of the Writer's Adventure" report: >> go here to sign up: http://writersadventureguide.com/ "The 5-Day Writer's Motivation Mini-course" >> Email me if you'd like me to add you to this free short course to help you get started or re-started with your writing. Webinar on the Benefits of a Writing Community Ezra and I will sharing on the benefits of a writing community with writing teachers and mentors as we give a sneak peek of our writing retreat in Paris this October 3-10, 2015. Mark your calendar: Tuesday, July 14, 5pm Pacific **Community Webinar** Sign up here: http://bit.ly/1HnABpt This is a Google Hangout on Air and will be recorded. On the day of, join us here to chat live: http://bit.ly/1JbsSZJ See you then! NOTE Registration for the Paris trip and all the details: >>>> http://paris.bethbarany.com/ <<<< Registration deadline is July 24, 2015! Is a Paris Writing Retreat to work on your novel in the cards for you this year?! Have a Happy and Creative Week! And thanks for playing! All our best, Beth & Ezra beth@bethbarany.com http://bethbarany.com/ PS. If you found this newsletter useful, please forward it to your friends, writing buddies, and people who you know want to write a novel, but gosh darn it, haven't, yet. ♥ ABOUT US Beth and Ezra Barany are award-winning, best-selling novelists, and teachers who have worked with over 100 authors to help them get their books written and published. ♥ Happily married for over 15 years, we’re passionate about writing, storytelling, and guiding authors to achieve their dreams. ♥ We offer coaching, change work sessions, book marketing coaching (Beth) and cover design (Ezra), for novelists. More at bethbarany.com.  ♥ To explore how Beth can support you, schedule a 1-hour complimentary Discovery Call here: http://bit.ly/AppmtWithBeth. ABOUT BETH BARANY An award-winning novelist, certified creativity coach and Master NLP Practitioner, Beth runs Writer's Fun Zone, a blog for and by writers, and her recently launched school for novelists, the Barany School of Fiction. Beth writes YA fantasy and sweet/sensual paranormal romance. She also writes how-to books and courses for novelists, including her home study coaching guide, The Writer's Adventure Guide: 12 Stages to Writing Your Book, a Hero's Journey adaption with you the author as the hero in your own adventure of writing your book. In her downtime, Beth takes walks, paints, watches movies with Ezra, travels, and has coffee with friends and family. And plays with her two cats, gardens, and does capoeira. And sleeps. She loves sleep. Lots of Free Resources for Writers: http://baranyschooloffiction.com/ http://www.writersfunzone.com/blog http://writersadventureguide.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA: Let's connect in a way that's right for you! Follow: http://www.twitter.com/beth_barany Follow: http://instagram.com/bethbarany Like: https://www.facebook.com/bethbarany And more! Pin: http://pinterest.com/bethbarany/ Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethbarany Friend: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4169630.Beth_Barany Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/StreetEye1001/ Photo Credit: by c. 2014 Vivienne McMaster In connection with the operation of this newsletter and business, Creativity Sparks features in the Newsletter affiliate links, including links to Amazon.com (“Affiliate Links”). Barany Consulting earns a commission from the Affiliate Links which commission is based on the number of sales that are made as a result of users of the Newsletter clicking over to the Affiliate Link and purchasing from the Affiliate Link a product and/or service. Not ready to receive these writing and publishing tips? You can unsubscribe below. However, please do not report us as Spam. 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