There are certainly times when I think I could read writerly advice for days on end and never absorb enough of it. And those are also the times when I stop and realize that I am procrastinating… such an ugly word for such a fun activity. But in those spans, I do run across much of value, so I thought I would share some of it here in this segment I will call Tipsy Wisdoms. These editions will be periodical (read when I get around to it, <snicker, snicker>) and hopefully fun. Many posts may be from Tumblr, and I choose to do it this way instead of posting my whole Tumblr blog here because they have different foci. That said, I will do my UTMOST to credit the original poster, and hooray!!! for all of these individuals who have put into words the many things we all can use a reminder of. I hope you enjoy Tipsy Wisdoms!

I thought this listing of synonyms for light all condensed into one place was a fabulous idea! What a great resource! Thanks, linestorm!

This next post is courtesy of fictionadventurer over on Tumblr. It is a healthy reminder of how as writers we can get into our own heads and muck up what doesn’t need to be mucked up… especially for one who fights perfectionism constantly and has high standards like myself. Take it as a gentle nudge~

I think there’s a tendency for some writers to fall into the mindset that a good story has to have All The Things. Unique and nuanced three-dimensional characters, a completely immersive setting, a structurally flawless plot and pristine prose that conveys a distinct and memorable authorial voice. While it’s good to achieve a basic level of competence in all those things, I think it’s important to remember that no story can deliver everything.

Some of that is pure logic–a story generally can’t have both a snappy, page-turning plot and leisurely pages of vivid description, so a choice has to be made. But also, readers don’t necessarily need perfection in everything. They can’t pay attention to everything. And even the best and most popular books draw in readers by being very good in one or two areas, even if they aren’t necessarily strong in others. Tolkien is praised for his vivid worldbuilding even if some people don’t like his prose styling. People love Austen’s characters and wit even if she tells us next to nothing about her setting. And so on and so forth. I know that there are certain authors I read for their characters or for their masterful prose, and I don’t really care if the other areas are neglected because they’re not what I came for. And they rank among my favorite books not because they’re great at everything, but that they’re really great at that one specific thing.

It’s okay to have strengths. Maybe you focus a lot of energy on intricate characterization while your descriptions tend toward minimalism. It’s fine–readers might fall in love with your characters and not mind that their imaginations have to fill in a few extra setting details. Maybe pacing a plot is child’s play while styling a beautiful sentence feels like pulling teeth. That’s alright, too–readers may be so busy turning pages that they don’t mind your purely functional prose. But if you’re spending time agonizing over all the things at once, you may not be able to reach brilliance in any of the areas.

While it’s good to learn the craft and improve your writing, reaching for perfection can be paralyzing. It can lead to endless reading of articles and books about writing, while no actual stories are written. So I’m thinking this limited approach can help. Rather than trying to be the author who writes a Great Book, think about being an author who’s great at a certain part of writing. And the rest might not matter as much as you’d feared. original post by fictionadventurer

I read a couple of blog posts on iWriterly and Indies Unlimited recently that described these three human writing aides quite neatly. iWriterly’s Meg Latorre describes critique partners (CP) as:    

“…writers who provide feedback on your work, usually by request (to exchange chapters).” Meg Latorre, iWriterly, (follow her on YouTube)     

Such a person could easily be confused with Indies Unlimited’s definition of an alpha reader as someone who reads a work-in-progress in the early stages of compilation, and perhaps even again after a first edit, but before it is sent to a content editor. They go on to say that an alpha reader’s purpose

…is to see if the overall structure of your book works. Are there glaring issues or plot holes large enough to float an ocean liner through? The idea is to have a trusted reader who might spot issues you miss or have a blind spot about. … If you decide to, the sooner in the process the better. You want to limit wasted effort you’ll expend polishing sections that might get reworked or even tossed out based on feedback from the alpha reader.”

Big Al, IndiesUnlimited, (follow them on Twitter)

Both sites agreed that beta readers come later in the process, after at least a few self-edits.  Betas tend to be other readers who have an interest in the genre and are also willing to offer feedback, both positive and negative. They may offer simple line edits in addition to larger concept suggestions, or not, it depends upon the person and what the author is looking for. Many times these details can be discussed and agreed upon before the document is even sent.

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Typically, these three feedback sources have not been compensated, but that is changing some as I see freelancers listing them as part of their core services. I believe that there is certainly room for discussion in this realm, as it all boils down simply to someone spending their time for the benefit of another (and hopefully themselves as well). Everyone’s time has value and that should be taken into consideration. Perhaps there doesn’t have to be an actual transfer of funds, but certainly a signed, messaged copy of the work in its finished form is a well-deserved token.

If you don’t feel that compensation is necessary, that’s cool. I know many don’t.

Here’s another, perhaps more practical idea for appreciation (if applicable): compensate the critiquer the amount it would be to upgrade one of their trade memberships a level. Freelancers and industry professionals alike have many organizations to choose to belong to, such as The Editorial Freelancers’ Association, Freelancers’ Union, The Society for Editing (ACES), The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (UK based), and several others, all of which have tiers of membership with associated fees. Levelling up many times allows for the purchase of a course or seminar at a reduced rate, or discounted entry fees to conferences and association gatherings. This way each party is continuing to hone their craft and improve their repertoire. That is truly a gift that keeps on giving!

In a similar vein, if your CP is on Patreon, it couldn’t get any easier! Helping our fellow creative souls toward their goals is a productive way to show support and appreciation. In fact, I’m investigating this platform myself…  

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One big difference that is noted in these three human aides is their approach of the manuscript- either from a writer’s perspective or a reader’s. Some authors choose to enlist the services of all three, while some only seek out one or two. I can see value in each one depending on the author’s writing style, time and/or deadlines, and the type of work it is. Some (VERY) basic line editing in the early stages can also reduce copy editing and proofreading costs in the later stages.