Advice on Beta readers for lit fiction

[zorasaura]

I want to make sure the advice I get on my writing maximizes my work as an author of literary fiction. I notice that some people say things like "Delilo was unreadable. I got through half of it" and tend to disparage the genre in general for being too inaccesible, boring etc.

As a reader, I like authors like such writing. So, my question is- how do I know when to make a correction because my writing has problems from a lit fic standpoint? I'm not opposed to being a good story teller and whatnot- I just dont want to sacrifice good literary content in order to make my work more like Stephen King's or something.

Anyone else know what I mean?

[greglondon]

The easiest rule for dealing with feedback, beta readers, and critiques is the same regardless of what genre you're writing:

Use beta readers to discover if the story in your mind all made it to the paper and if the words on the paper recreate the same story in the reader's mind.

If not, change the words until the story you wanted was communicated.

The second rule for feedback is this: when the story you intended was communicated and the readers didn't like the story, it is up to you to choose.

It is your story after all. Your choices comes down to how wide you want your audience to be versus how tied you are to the way the story is told. You can tell the same story an infinite number of ways. Some ways will have a large readership, some ways will have a small readership.

If voice you told the story in is truly your own (not just an homage to some voice you like), then you can either stay true to that, or you can learn to expand your voice.

[zorasaura]

Greg, I thoguht about this advice and am wondering. Writers seem to use the same voice in all of their work. Are there any notable exeptions. I would like to develop more than one type of voice. Is that unrealistic?

[greglondon]

I assumed by your post count you might be a beginner writer. Some beginner writers try to take on a "voice" that isn't really theirs but someone whose work or style they like.

I wasn't trying to take on anyone's voice when I started writing, but I've since learned a lot and am in the process of rewriting a novel based on everything I've been learning. So, that's an example of learning a new voice.

Something you could try is find a book by someone you like but who has a voice completely different from your own. Then type in a page or two of their book into your computer (if that's how you write your own works, or write it longhand if that's how you write your works). This will get a new voice into your writing brain and can expand your voice on a more gut level.

[Puma]

zorasaura - Have you posted anything in share your work? That's a good trial place to see what kind of comments you get on a literary piece. The post doesn't have to be a complete chapter - about a page is usually enough for citiquers to get a feel for how you write and whether things are making sense. And, exposure on SYW might help you find a beta. Puma

[LaceWing]

I had the opportunity to rewrite someone else's story in a group challenge situation. I started to recognize differences between the author's voice and my own, attended to lots of details, adjusted how scenes were played out, etc. Just plain learned a lot doing this.

So, I recommed to other novices that you also try rewriting a favorite story in your own way. Or work on one that is not a favorite, to make it more the kind of story you would like.