A Purposeful Advice Column: Who Should I Listen To?

Dear Purposeful Prose,

I see a lot of different kinds of writing advice on the internet about getting editors, having writing groups, getting beta readers, and things like that. I recently saw a piece of advice that resonated with me a little bit, and I want to know if it’s true. The post talked about how so many writers who have become household names today never had the need for beta readers or editors, and we should ignore the naysayers who tell us that we can’t get published without them. Is this true? Is it worth ignoring all of the advice about beta readers or editors and just going for publishing?

Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), best known for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, had an editor by the name of William Dean Howells. While Clemens was an incredible rhetor and humorist whose works have remained in discourse for good reason, it is the firm belief of many that his projects would not have been the same without the support of Howells. 

Biographer Ron Powers stated: “In the slipstream of the Clemens-Howells creative bond, American literature ceased its labored imitation of European and Classical high discourse, and became a lean, blunt, vivid chronicle of American self-invention, from the yeasty perspective of the common man.” 

Essentially, Powers is arguing that Twain’s work as we know it would not have been as powerful without the input of Howells, and while I cannot say for certain whether this is true, I can say that a writer’s support system speaks to their work. 

Toni Morrison, author of The Bluest Eye and Beloved, began her journey in editing and the promotion of Black women writers. While Black women writers still face racism and sexism in the publishing industry, barriers to access were even more rigid in 1977. I highly encourage further reading into The Sisterhood. That said, Morrison’s network was vast, and writers continue to be inspired by her work and her journey today. Again, she had this support system. 

Not all gifted writers are lucky enough to have the same kinds of support that the authors we’ve admired had. Authorship, for many, is a lonely journey, and some even commit to the idea of loneliness as necessary. The idea of writing groups, of beta readers, editors, anyone who can support you in your writing journey, is that they are there because writing does not have to be the lonely endeavor that it was advertised as. They are an option available to writers where, in the past, they were either found in different ways, called by a different name, or difficult to access. 

Also, if you find good ones, they won’t be naysayers. 

There is a stark difference between a naysayer and those who give genuinely critical feedback. When you meet those two doors, however, they will both claim to be the latter. So, how can you tell which to walk through?

My first piece of advice in that regard is to watch out for people who claim an absolute. Saying, “you have to do this, have that, etc. or you won’t get published/considered by a traditional publisher” is not true. Honestly, there is no “have to,” there is no “must,” and there is no “only.” People can succeed in publishing without the backing of sources of support. That said, there is a great deal of benefit to be had from seeking that support out if it is accessible to you. 

Perhaps a good editor is outside of your price range, but maybe you can vet and source volunteer beta readers who can give you valuable reader-centered feedback. There are groups online where you can find other writers who would be thrilled to exchange ideas and critiques. 

People who provide writing-centered services, as long as they are genuine (not scams) and fit your needs are here to offer you options that you might not have otherwise considered. You know your work best and you will always make the final call, but you will at least have additional options. When you are living inside of a literary world of your own making, you might not recognize conflicting information, gaping plot holes, errors in characterization, or jarring tone shifts. 

Many of the authors you know and love, perhaps not all, but many, have had sources of support whose names are not as well-known as the authors themselves. We can, however, give them our deepest thanks for the books that have shaped and have beautifully broken tradition.

If you have a writing or editing-focused question, I would be more than happy to dedicate a post to you. Contact us with any questions you might have or to schedule a free consultation with yours truly!

All submissions will remain anonymous unless you explicitly request for me to include your name.