Incorporating Test Readers Feedback

I wrote about the anxiety ridden experience of test reading my manuscript in July. You can read that blog post here.I sent a dozen manuscripts to a group of select readers in order to receive feedback. And although not everyone was able to read it, most of my readers returned their manuscript after four weeks. They included notes in the margins and answered the questionnaire as I requested (the questionnaire can be found here). I also interviewed a few readers to dig deeper into areas where I needed further explanation.It was both nerve-wracking and exhilarating to listen to others talk about my story. Until now, this was a story that only a couple of people were privy too and now that circle had widened. I felt vulnerable but the emotional roller coaster was well worth it. I received invaluable insight as to how others viewed the world I had created and what stood out for them. Also, which characters they liked and hated; what emotions they experienced as they read; and their overall thoughts on the story.Thankfully, most of the feedback was positive, but my Achilles' heel was my grammar, in particular prepositions - a result of growing up in Puerto Rico with English as a second language. I did not let this feedback discourage me but used it instead to improve my writing and surround myself with others who could help me. For this reason, after incorporating some of the feedback, I sent a copy of the manuscript to a colleague and friend who was kind enough to check my writing for grammatical mistakes.It is important to note that I did not incorporate every suggestion I received from my readers. Instead I evaluated the criticism for repetitiveness. How many readers felt the same way about a certain part in the story? If more than three or four readers highlighted the same area, I would give it extra attention.I will admit this process required A LOT of patience because I was jumping at the chance to start querying my book. But I knew this was a necessary step if I was going to query the best book possible. So once again the lesson is… patience, grasshopper.And just for laughs, let's throw in the fact that in September I was getting married. The dramatic tension in my life was already at an all-time high without adding the stress of checking my email inbox every five minutes to see if I have received a response from one of the agents. I took the advice of my very wise now husband and set the book aside for a few weeks. He even made me promise not to take the manuscript on our honeymoon, to which I reluctantly agreed.In the next post I will share how I structured my query letter and how I have managed my query process.What was your test reading experience like? Post a message below.