By the time you are reading this, I should be very nearly ready to start working on my Alpha edits... so I thought I'd share a little about that process. From why I have an Alpha reader, to whether you might need one, to what my Alpha and I actually do with my book. So... let's get to it!
Why do I have an Alpha reader? Well, there are two main reasons.
1. I'm Dyslexic, and without my Alpha reader, my book would be pretty nearly unreadable.
2. I can't actually afford to pay for a traditional editor (at least not right now.) Don't misread this, editors are amazing people who do incredible work, and I'm not saying they are overcharging for their work, only that I can't personally spare the cash at this point in my writing/author life.
So, my Alpha reader and I work together to make sure my book is as good as we can possibly make it, on our own (not counting the incredible work my Beta readers do!)
Do you need an Alpha reader?
No... by definition, you don't technically need an Alpha reader, but you may want one if, like me, you need another pair of eyes on your manuscript before sending it out to your Beta readers (and maybe even after you've finished with your Beta readers!)
What do my Alpha reader, and I actually do?
That's a bit harder to summarize, but I'll do my best to be concise.
For one, my Alpha reader is the first one to see my manuscript and give me advice on it, (yes, even my first draft.) Using my Alpha reader's advice, I can start reshaping my book right away, cleaning up issues, and filling in plot holes that my author's bias would otherwise hide from me.
My Alpha reader is also my editor, so we go through my book several times (by physically reading it, aloud,) both to make sure it's clean for Beta readers and to make sure it's ready for publication, afterward.
Lastly, as a bonus, how did I find my Alpha reader?
As you probably know, my Alpha reader/editor is actually my mom, but what you may not know is that she is hyperlexic and ridiculously well-read, (she read 237 books last year alone, and that's WHILE helping me with my own book!)
As you probably know, my Alpha reader/editor is actually my mom, but what you may not know is that she is hyperlexic and ridiculously well-read, (she read 237 books last year alone, and that's WHILE helping me with my own book!)
If I had to give someone advice for finding their own Alpha reader, I'd suggest asking a bookish friend/family member... you know, the one who ALWAYS has a new book in hand?
A few notes I'd add to this would be,
1. It has to be someone you're very close to. Someone who isn't going to feel uncomfortable giving you their 100% unfiltered opinions on your book.
2. It has to be someone whose opinion you respect. After all, how are can they possibly help you, if you aren't going to listen to them!
3. You BOTH need to remember that this is still YOUR BOOK! Trust me, I don't follow every piece of advice my Alpha reader gives me by a long shot. Actually, we often have active arguments about some detail or other, but at the end of the day, we're still working on my book, and sometimes I really do know what's non-negotiable in the plot. (You can call this author privilege, if you'd like.)
So... that's it for me for this week! But what about you? Would you ever consider using an Alpha reader? Would you consider being an Alpha reader for a friend? Feel free to share your answers below!
Have a great day, and keep writing!
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