How to Integrate Beta Reader Feedback and Create a Revision Plan
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So you’ve sent your beloved manuscript out to several beta readers you trust. They’ve sent back their notes and comments, and now you have to go through it all and work out what to integrate into your story, and how.
It can seem overwhelming. Where to start? How to do it effectively, in a way that actually makes your book better?
What happens when you get truly negative feedback from a beta reader? I recently read in an online forum that a writer was “devastated” when a beta reader refused to finish the book because something in it made it too difficult to suspend disbelief.
I can understand how that would be upsetting, but being “devastated” by negative feedback from one beta reader is giving them far too much power over your work. Accept that not everything will be for everyone. Just because their expectations weren’t met, doesn't mean your book is trash.
You may get negative feedback that clearly indicates the reader didn’t “get” your book. You may get negative feedback that indicates you need to clarify certain things or even make changes. Before you despair, consider whether:
It’s one person’s opinion out of all the beta readers - in which case it may be a “them” issue
Several people bring up the same thing, in which case you may need to consider what they’re saying, and figure out how to make changes.
Putting your work out even to a limited amount of readers is scary. Getting any feedback means the risk of hearing things you don’t want to hear. As difficult as it is, practice separating the work from the writer. Look at it as objectively as you can. The goal is always to make the manuscript better, not to soothe your ego. Remember: feedback is just information. What you do with that information is up to you.
Below are some things to keep in mind as you work through the feedback.
First, understand that not all feedback will be useful. You shouldn’t try to integrate everything the beta readers have said. Some beta readers are better than others at giving useful feedback.
With that, read over all the feedback first. Just take it in. Bask in the glow of the positive comments. Don’t start making any notes yet. Just get the overall flavor of the feedback. Does it feel like “You’re almost there!” or “You have some work to do on this”?
Now read it again, making notes of comments that appear frequently, and places of confusion. Remember, you won’t be standing over a reader’s shoulder, explaining as they read. Things that seem perfectly clear to you may not be to a reader, and beta reads are the perfect time to figure out where you need clarity.
Also, if one reader makes a comment about something, you can think about it. Is it an astute observation that needs to be looked at? Or did they clearly misunderstand something everyone else got? It’s the comments from several readers pointing out the same thing that really need your attention.
Be sure to note all the things readers liked! You don’t want to accidentally get rid of your manuscript’s strengths.
If you have any sensitivity readers from specific communities represented in your story, be sure to note down their comments.
Now you have a lot of notes. Take a few days to think about them. Maybe make some more notes on what you want to integrate into the story. Don’t rush into revision.
Important: Don’t start on Page One. Instead, group your feedback notes into Red/Yellow/Green categories. You need to fix the big stuff first before you tackle the small stuff. Red = major stuff, like plot holes, character issues (they are passive vs active, they disappear completely) and structural issues. Yellow = medium issues, like dialogue that needs to be tightened, scenes that can be cut or integrated, and strengthening character arcs. Green = minor issues, such as filling out setting details, and reworking awkward sentences or places of confusion.
Work through them methodically in order of Red/Yellow/Green. It makes no sense to tackle Green issues in the first chapter if you will need to rewrite it anyway to foreshadow a major plot point that got lost until Chapter 23. You may need to create color-coded charts of your chapters to make sure something you change in Chapter Two is reflected in Chapters 10, 14, and 20.
Have a final reader or two read through it to see if it makes sense. This is also where a line editor comes in. They will look at things like overall coherence of the text, as well as sentence-level issues, word choice, and so on.
Remember: every reader will have some issues. You will never have ten people who read the same book and all agree it has no flaws. Think of the last published book you read. Did you think it was perfect? Probably not. The trickiest thing is to figure out when something is truly ready to go. If you are looking for traditional publication, an editor down the line will undoubtedly have more changes they’ll want you to make. There’s a fine line to walk between putting out something that’s not ready, and over-editing so that you kill any spark of life in the manuscript.
Integrating beta reader, or any editorial feedback, is another skill you need to develop as a writer. Rather than feeling overwhelmed, try:
Reading it through several times, and making notes
Developing a methodical plan to revise the manuscript
Making revisions in order of major/medium/minor issues.
By the end, you will have a book that you are much more confident in sending out to agents, or submitting for publication.
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