"Should I Share My Writing?" Part Three: Go for It!

Hey guys! Last week I started a post series all about sharing your writing with others. We covered when you shouldn't on Thursday, when you maybe should on Tuesday, and now today we'll finish off the series with the final answer: when you should!



1. It's the final draft/you've completed it
Your book is done! Your story is complete! You've edited a few times and it doesn't sound first draft-y at all! When your book is in the final stages, it is most definitely ready for another pair of eyes. While it can be a little nerve-wracking to share your writing, it's an important step to take at this stage. Putting your book through multiple rounds of edits often drains a writer and makes the book sound super uninteresting and just blah.
When I was working on Unperfected, I had read the same words so many times I wanted to tear my eyes out. And while it was scary, I knew I needed another pair of eyes to take a look at it and tell me whether or not the story was actually boring and blah. Letting people read your final drafts allows for feedback without (hopefully) readers finding tiny mistakes or big plot inconsistencies.

2. You like what you have written.
If your confidence is up and you feel content with where your writing is at, then don't be afraid to let others take a look. This is one of the few instances where the stage of your book doesn't really matter. If you like what you have written and want to show someone, go for it. However, I do suggest only showing little bits at a time if you're only on the first draft, simply because first drafts tend to be a blend of great writing and okay/bad writing.
When I was playing around with my mystery WIP, The Rosewood Does Not Lie, I was really happy with the first chapter and decided to put it on Wattpad for others to read. However, I have yet to let anyone read more of it simply because I don't particularly like the rest of what I've written. So it's totally okay to pick and choose what to show people--if you're comfortable and like a paragraph or sentence or even a whole chapter, go for it and let someone take a look!

3. You feel ready for beta readers.
As I said before, when you near the end of your project, it's easy for your writing to become boring and blah because you've read it so many times. This is often the time when a writer is ready to start looking for beta readers. For a long time, I was terrified of getting a beta reader because the idea of letting a stranger read my writing freaked me out. What if they stole my idea? What if they hated my book? What if they think I suck? So, I started by putting the first few chapters of my book on Wattpad. That ended up leading me to finding a beta reader (who was an amazing help) and now I'm so glad that I did!
If you feel like your book is ready for the beat reader step, then don't hesitate to try and find one. It's a very crucial part of writing a book that will definitely benefit you in the long run.

When it comes down to it, sharing your writing is ultimately a decision you have to make on your own time and based on your own feelings. It's easy to be blinded by fears and what ifs, but letting others read your work is important, helpful, and ultimately inevitable.
I hope you guys enjoyed this series and when you're faced with choosing whether or not to share your work, you'll know the answer!

ALSO, check back here on Saturday for Writing Spark Saturday (if you don't know what that is, you can check it out here.) I have something very exciting planned, so make sure to check it out!