new writers joining us, I thought I would explain it. With every contest we have people 

asking what it is, so here I go.

Suave

Here is the link to the Beta sign up.

https://forums.nycmidnight.com/2023-short-story-beta-list_topic51682.html" rel="nofollow - 2023 Short Story Beta List - NYC Midnight Forums : Writing Competitions

Which reminds me, it's tomorrow there but you still refuse to send me the winning lottery numbers.

And I barely remember Bangkok.  It's hot and smells funny.  Almost exactly how much I remember about Manila.  Well, in Manila we were told to stay away from the Presidential Palace because nobody liked Ferd.  In Bangkok we were told to stay away from other areas, which is actually where a lot of people went.

What I really remember about both places doesn't belong here.  Nobody would believe it anyway.

Important point with beta reading, 'Great, I loved it' is the wrong answer, just like 'It sucked'.  Those are useless.  Writers need actionable feedback, even if they don't take action on it.  Beta reading is work, not a few minutes spent enjoying a story, or not.

Positive feedback is nice, but the clock is ticking and the writer needs to get on the less positive stuff.

'Loved the way nothing was on the nose.  The real action was subtext'

'I missed the logic why a character with a obsessive need for self-aggrandizement joined the peace corps.  There were no transitions to explain the sudden shift in priorities'

'The dialog was wordy.  A five page sentence might be a little much for people having drinks in a bar.'  and it's corollary, 'I'm not sure the characters as described are going to utilize polysyllabic erudite vocabulary.  She probably wasn't inebriated, she was drunk.'

'When I got to the end I'm not sure what the point was supposed to be.  Differential calculus would be needed to identify any of the character arcs.'

'The first eighteen hundred and ninety-six words were spent on exposition that did not seem to have any relevance to the remaining six hundred and four.'

'Loved the concept; maybe trim the opening and go into more detail about why the cow agreed to go on a date with the butcher."

I can't condone cheating in the lottery. Sorry!

I agree with this up to a point. My Team Beta is really close knit. We usually recognize if there no comment, it's working, and don't fix what ain't broke. 

However, from time to time there's great value in highlighting a particular line or phrase and saying "This is the bee's knees. Don't lose it in editing."

Right up until you change a couple lines elsewhere and the bee is suddenly kneeless.  Or the eel elbowless.  I've had to remove brilliant lines only to realize they could be inserted elsewhere with minor changes.

Sometimes you have to let those go and put them in the library for later application.

But your point is very valid.  Darn it.

Bump

Bump

Yup, that is the plan. It is a little too soon for it to go up, no one is ready yet usually.

You've read my first draft, then