The Right Pair of Eyes

I've had a healthy four-week break from my manuscript while some sample chapters have been read by a trusted pair of eyes, eyes unaffiliated to me by marriage or blood. This is important. Proof-reading is not to be approached lightly, and yet I've had almost as many offers from friends and acquaintances suggesting they look at my story as advice that I include them as a character in some future book.

Finding the right pair of eyes can take time, for the simple reason that the reader has to know what he or she is doing. Proof reading requires not merely a knowledge of grammar and punctuation, but an acute understanding of structure and voice. This person should have some familiarity with the novel format, and an acquaintance with contemporary fiction. A reader who spends all their time correcting your use of the comma is missing the big picture you're trying to paint with your story. That said, maybe your story sucks so badly that all your poor reader can do is correct your commas. You decide.

The proof reader  has a responsibility to tell you the truth, and this can be a huge burden. If said proof-reader is a family member or spouse who's made their own sacrifices so you can play Ernest Hemingway out in the garden shed, then asking them to look at your manuscript is the worst thing you could do. Sure, they'll want your story to be good, but if it's not, then they'll wonder why you haven't spent your time more constructively. The house is falling down, your kids are out stealing hubcaps, and all you have to show for it is 90,000 words of self-indulgently poor grammar and negligible comma usage. Is any story worth this?

Get someone you trust, who has nothing to gain or lose, and who will complete the task in reasonable time.

I've just received my sample chapters back from one such person who gave me balanced feedback, and moreover enjoyed the story. Thank you, Alison. Time to approach agents - after I've fixed the shed and returned the hubcaps.