Writing a book is an incredibly personal and vulnerable experience, and often times we hesitate to show others our work before we feel it’s truly “ready”. The role a CP/Alpha Reader can play in the creation of your MS is an invaluable one, and worth pushing through any fears.

You’re a writer, and a damn good one at that, but you are also human, and fallible, and probably writing while juggling ten other obligations. Chances are, there are one or two or seventy spelling and grammatical errors in your MS, maybe a few plot holes, and DEFINITELY two to three times where you used the same word twice in the same sentence.*

This is where a CP comes in. Consider them a teammate, fresh off the bench and ready to be tagged in so you can take a breath. They will catch every cringe inducing “their, there, they’re” mistake, every forgotten closing quotation or period. They will gently remind you that in Chapter Two you stated that your character was allergic to chocolate and yet here in Chapter Sixteen you have them sharing a brownie with their love interest.

A CP can also brainstorm different ways to approach a scene or a particular plot point. They may offer a new perspective you hadn’t considered, or point out an unfavorable subtext you’d failed to notice. If you’re feeling stuck at a certain part and aren’t sure how to “write your way out”, a CP is an excellent sounding board to bounce ideas off.

What a good CP doesn’t do is sugarcoat, gloss over, or outright lie. They know how to tell you something isn’t working without being unkind or counterproductive. You trust them to deliver honest, constructive feedback in a timely manner. You trust them to be as vulnerable with you as you are with them. Like with all art, the creation process can be an isolating and chaotic time, and a proper CP should have respect for both you and your work.

It’s important to etch out the details of what the relationship will look like: define all expectations, set any timelines or guidelines, and clarify requests and preferences prior to sharing any work.

Generally, the CP relationship is a symbiotic one, whether you are exchanging work simultaneously or taking turns. Don’t feel obligated to take anything on when you don’t feel you can give it the appropriate time and attention it deserves. It’s perfectly acceptable to tell your CP that you’d rather wait until you’ve finished your current goal or until you have a break in your personal life. Working out these expectations before you start will help prevent any miscommunication or hurt feelings in the future.

Tomorrow we explore the next type of writing partner: the beta reader.

Happy Writing!

*Yes, this was intentional 😉