Question 11

My question is more logistical for writers. How do you prepare your manuscript for beta readers? What platform, if any, do you use to transfer/send to them to read? And do you have any settings in place to protect your work?

You can find this mentor, Beatrice Iker, here!

My fav platform is Google Docs! I use the ‘Commentor’ setting when I share with betas or CPs rather than ‘Editor’ bc I want to see both their comments & what was originally there.

Honestly, there’s nothing you can do to 100% protect your work from people copying and/or sharing it. Until you develop strong writing relationships with people (which I encourage!) it really is the honor system. Still, I suggest when you email the link make it so only people added to the doc can view it.

P.S. If you don’t have writing buddies to share your project(s) please please tweet about wanting to exchange a chapter or two with someone. There are too many amazingly talented people on the bird app for anyone to go without a few trusted betas. Is it scary? Absolutely. It’s terrifying. But having a community - or at the very least people you trust with your work - is such an important thing in an industry that often makes you feel alone ❤️

- Beatrice