So… I finished a book.

Then someone read it, and she gave me some critiques on said book. And now I’m stuck writing another 10-30k words.

To be fair, I could have said “no. You’re ideas are terrible. I don’t believe you. I’m gunna throw a tantrum and go over here in my corner and put up the book I WROTE because I WROTE IT!” Ya know… like ya do.

But her ideas and her insights were spot on. I found myself nodding along with everything she said. “This chapter is a little hard to follow the POV.” Okay, I can adjust that. “The book would be stronger if you added in this persons back story.” Okay, I have that and can add it. “We could connect to this character better if you showed her learning magic, not just bang and she has it.” Point. After point. After point.

This is my first experience with a beta reader. I’ve always just done what I could with a story and then set it out on it’s merry way to do what it could. I’ve also mostly stayed with short stories because they were easier to trouble shoot then entire novels. I have the story in my head. I know who does what when and for how long. I know about the first time they kissed, and the first time they cast a spell. But my reader doesn’t and it’s far too easy for me to forget what my reader doesn’t know. But the beta reader, especially one that hasn’t seen my notes or talked with me about what’s going on, they can tell me where the story lags, and what confused them. They can give me great insights.

So… Mermaid’s Curse book 1 isn’t as finished as I thought it was. I have to add a few chapters, a little foreshadowing, and rework a couple things. But over all I am happy with this, my first beta read. I think the book will be stronger, and people will love it all the more for this. Mainly… I think I will be proud of what I put out as a finished product. And I think I can do all of that in a month if I actually work on it.

KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL! All of them as of tomorrow. YES! I can finally write full time (minus the day job) again! So awesome!