Member-only story
Should You Share Your Art With A Select Few Before Sharing with Many?
A select few can offer useful critiques and suggestions to improve your art.
I was recently offered the opportunity to be an advanced reader for someone’s novel.
Since I read daily, I thought it would be fun.
As I’ve been reading this advanced copy of my friend’s novel, I’ve come across one or two minor things that her beta readers and editor missed. Nothing earth-shattering, nor in-your-face off. Just small, niggling bits.
Odds are, I’m noticing them because of my own writing and editing work.
Hesitantly — since this is an advanced read rather than a beta read — I let the author know what I found. Rather than irk or annoyance — she’s been appreciative.
I’ve since shared with her one or two other issues I’ve come across as I read. And overall, they are not taking away my enjoyment of the story.
But I am learning from this a valuable lesson for my own work. Something I’ve given too little attention to.
Sharing with a select few before putting my work out there could be massively beneficial.
