Isabella Taylor
At this point in the process, I’ve got plenty of material to work with. I’m nowhere near my writing goal, and I haven’t even considered publishing it, but I like where I am. I have pages written, I have characters, and I have a plot map with lots of harrowing turns.
Still, something feels like it’s missing, and I can’t quite put my finger on it, so I think I need to elicit some extra help. For anyone to read my work so far, I have to lay some ground rules for myself and for whoever I’m going to entrust with my baby.
No. One Bite-sized Portions
Imagine this: someone gives you a 50-page stack of paper and asks you to read the entire thing and give them feedback on it. Wouldn’t you feel like you were just handed a homework assignment? That’s exactly what not to do.
It’s already a big ask for someone to peer review your work, especially if it’s on the lengthy side. Therefore, I would recommend grabbing your favorite part–an excerpt that focuses on your writing style, rather than storytelling. That way, whoever you’ve given this task to can still judge your writing style, and just slightly touch your world-building/characters without having to read a chapter book.
Also, if you limit what your peer can read, then you should be able to protect the other parts of your story that you aren’t quite ready to share yet. This will further nurture your inner artist’s child.
No. Two Tread Lightly
For one, this is my baby, my innermost work thrown onto pages–I can’t just have anyone reading it willy-nilly. I would suggest finding someone you really trust, but who isn’t afraid to give you some constructive criticism. However, if you do want criticism, don’t be too overly sensitive about it. Take what they say lightly, but also don’t completely discount it. If you want a peer reviewer, don’t get upset at them for giving you a peer review–even if it’s not what you wanted to hear.
That’s the main point I have to tell myself, especially since I tend to give my work to people, expecting a certain reaction. This practice not only ruins your expectations, but it also doesn’t allow you to take in what your peer is telling you.
Hopefully, these tips help you peer review a bit. I really think peer review is an extremely important part of any writing process, especially one you’re hoping to eventually publish!