You guys are both making good points.
HJ, I think the beta feedback is good, for the most part. It's been amazingly consistent, and from a lot of very different people. You did make me think about it and divide it into categories, though. I have:
1)
Plot changes. These do not affect the major plot points or the final outcome, but they're otherwise pretty substantive. I'm actually pleased with the ideas here - I think the changes solve a LOT of problems, including how to sell the book as science fiction.
2)
Pacing stuff. This is less fun. The early chapters in particular are exposition-heavy, and it slows things down. I
think I can make a lot of the explanations less passive, but it's much less cut-and-dried than adding some plot points. So yeah, I'm dreading this part a bit, but I do think it's necessary.
3)
Repeated words/phrases. I have a whole list of these. Absolutely necessary to deal with them, but really tedious.
4)
Character points. This includes everything from a couple of times people thought my characters dropped out of voice, to dealing with some of the stuff my aunt was complaining about. In some ways, this kind of thing is easiest for me to change - but I do need to make some decisions here. I disagree with my aunt rather strongly in one spot. My husband points out I don't have to make any changes if I disagree with her, and he's right; but I also know I'm not objective.
There's also the prologue. The new one is SO MUCH better - but I've also realized the scene is similar to the first chapter. It's going to take some work to make sure the two scenes are clearly differentiated. (And yeah, I could chew on the prologue a bit more, and think about moving it again - and I dread that MOST OF ALL.)
Zelenka, thank you for the offer. I have actually been considering a beta 2 for this one, once all of these changes are made; but I can't decide yet whether that would just be my way of putting of the inevitable query rejection stage!
Although I suppose I could have beta readers AND rejections at the same time.
I don't know. I'm all scrambled up about this. I need to take it one piece at a time.