Your first batch of reader feedback comes in, and you have that crazy adrenaline spike of “OMG I totally messed up!” It’s easy to read a critique and get defensive on the spot, but if you do that, you’re missing out on some crucial insight. Decoding Vague Beta Feedback: What It Really Means — and How to Use It
Your beta readers are not editors (though some might catch a typo or two). Their job is to read your book as a reader would, then tell you what worked and what didn’t – whether it’s pacing, clarity, or confusing bits.
And that means that they’re going to give you a lot of conflicting feedback at times. That’s because they aren’t necessarily seeing the same problem. A thriller enthusiast will want faster pacing, while a literary fiction fan might be looking for more introspection.
They also might have their own biases and preferences. Maybe they prefer a certain type of character, or a particular writing style. That doesn’t mean they’re right or wrong, but it does mean that their feedback will align more with shaping your story into their vision of what it should be rather than what it actually needs to be.
This is why it’s important to take the time to sift through all of your beta feedback before deciding how to address it. Try to look at it in the context of your overall vision of your story’s arcs and emotional core, and how they could be affected by the changes you’re making.