A “story midwife” is someone whose insightful feedback helps
the writer to make the story more fully what it is intended to be. A
while ago, I wrote about Trusted Readers, the unsung heroes of this
process. Sometimes they receive thanks in the Acknowledgements page of a novel,
but rarely for a short story. Now let’s talk about more visible helpers: beta
readers and critiquers.
Most of the time, there is little functional difference
between beta readers and critiquers. Both read a story in draft form and
respond with comments and analysis. Unlike a Trusted Reader, a beta reader or
critiquer is usually either a writer or someone knowledgeable about the
internal workings of fiction, like a professional editor. So the feedback may
go more along the lines of technical criticism and less a generalized “this
didn’t work for me.” A beta reader acts
like a Trusted Reader-with-expertise, whereas a critiquer focuses on
pinpointing weaknesses and often suggesting solutions, many times in a workshop
or other group setting. For this blog post, however, I’ll use the terms
interchangeably.
Critiques often take place in a structured setting, such as
a workshop. My first experiences with exchanging critiques were done through
the Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop, a by-mail-with-newsletter forum run
by Kathleen Dalton-Woodbury (back in the 1970-90s or a little beyond, if I
remember correctly). I’ve also attended ongoing face-to-face workshops, as well
as weekend groups at conventions. All have involved both giving and receiving
critiques. Like many writers, I have cultivated a small group of “go-to” beta
readers. Although it’s often not stated explicitly, the understanding is that
over the course of time, each of us will critique a story from the other.
