The Humour Club discussion

Anyone have any funny projects on the go and would like feedback? It would be great to have a little group to kick things around with for perspective before publishing. I shall lurk in the shadows awaiting replies.
Gordon

Will keep you in mind for the future? Are you offering your services as a Beta Reader?

I am ignorant. What is a Beta reader? Isn't that the old video tape format that was quashed when they developed the VCR?

Serious part: I ran into a problem in the past when what I thought was my editing feedback needed turned out to be a veiled request for a stellar book review only. Caveat: If you edit, don't post reviews on what you have edited. Conflict of interest and, obviously, not a necessarily credible assessment.

hi, I was thinking more about just swapping chapters or bits for works in progress for feedback, not beta reading a whole book

Dickie wrote: "I am ignorant. What is a Beta reader? Isn't that the old video tape format that was quashed when they developed the VCR?

Serious part: I ran into a problem in the past when what I thought was my e..."

I was too. Just heard about them from another source. They will read the book for you after it is edited. Sort of the 'test audience'.

The order can vary (books may be beta-written before editing. For mine, I had it beta-read first and edited second).

Well worth getting, and I'd add a suggestion: as well as being constructively critical, point out jokes you particularly like. Otherwise a writer might just get negative opinions of a given joke (say 1/3 beta readers dislike it) and axe it. But if the other 2 actually like it, axing the joke makes the book worse, so it's useful to specifically ask for positive as well as negative feedback for comedy (which is perhaps the most subjective type of writing).

Gordon wrote: "Anyone have any funny projects on the go and would like feedback? It would be great to have a little group to kick things around with for perspective before publishing. I shall lurk in the shadows ..."

Hi Gordon, That sounds like a good idea. I am close to completing a book of satirical snippets. Would be keen to do some beta reading for others too. I will be in touch. Nice throne by the way. Have a good weekend. Guy

cool. talk soon.

Sounds like a good idea. I've seen critiquing groups work well in some forums and bomb in others. It all seems to depend on whether people treat it with a light touch. It usually works when people give positive feedback which is genuinely meant and the people receiving the feedback don't take it too personally. It's a critique on their writing, not them.

It usually doesn't work so well when people use it to bash each other or push their own views/ expertise too strongly.

Done well it can be exceedingly useful. I've made some very good friends from beta reading, and learned a lot.

Will wrote: "Sounds like a good idea. I've seen critiquing groups work well in some forums and bomb in others. It all seems to depend on whether people treat it with a light touch. It usually works when people ..."

Good advice Will, thanks. Humour is so subjective too. What we find amusing varies hugely from person to person. A glance at our book ratings in 'Compare Books' emphasises that.

But hopefully it will work out well. Members here don't appear to be as earnest as some other groups I've come across, at least that's my observation. We should be able to find a way to make it work.