What two controversial blog posts taught me about writing clearly - and why you need a beta reader

When your message gets lost in translation

What we write and the meanings that our readers take from it can be pretty different. Tightening up our language to avoid ambiguity can help but we can never be in control of others' experience, bias and what shall we call it . . . jumping to conclusions!

The post I wrote last week on the effect of the fire on Union Street in Glasgow led to a whole lot of comments on why the SNP were responsible - not my intended point!! Far from it - the whole point was to explore the sense of frustration I'm/we're feeling about how things are going in our world right now. The outpouring of support for the businesses and people affected was testament to the spirit at the heart of Glaswegian friendliness. But, I felt there was something more at play, something grounded in our desperation to help those affected currently in Gaza, Beirut and all of the areas across the globe where the skies are raining fire on the people below. It was, in fact, the very opposite of a nationalist or internationalist agenda - it was about people, not flags.

Meta decided that it would be a good post to make viral and so only 1% of my audience saw it, leaving 99% of viewers being completely new to me. It was an uncomfortable feeling.

Writing about the Manosphere: a case study in audience response

So, when I decided to write a post on 'Manosphere', I did it with a sense of trepidation. That said, I had vowed not to stay silent on topics that I feel are important and so I went for it anyway knowing that lots of people would get my point, some wouldn't - and that both would be ok as it would be outside of my control. Here's what I wrote:

"What shocked me about watching 'Manosphere', the recent Louis Theroux Documentary, and BBCs 'Men of the Manosphere', was that I wasn't very shocked.

It didn't feel new, abhorrent though it is.

Nearly thirty years ago my first teaching job was in an inner city school where a fairly large group of boys believed that female teachers were not to be respected, or even seen. They had learned this from their peers and so it continued. I hadn't experienced that kind of misogyny before and I found it bewildering, laughable and pretty scary at times.

Back to the documentaries, in Theroux's - the main 'characters' were silly little boys, devoid of a coherent argument and open about the fact that they were saying outrageous things for clicks. The raised eyebrows from the women in their lives said it all.

Was it a sensationalised account? Of course it was.

Does that make it any less concerning? Absolutely not.

Are all men and boys vulnerable to these influencers? Again, of course not. But some are and we cannot be blind to this.

Was it a deep enough dive into the issue? No, really, really not.

What worries me more is the insidious creep that is happening right now. The return to 'traditional values'. The idea espoused by the horror show that is leading the US that men are the head of the family and thus should have the right to vote for the family. Oh, really!!

Let's keep the church and the state separate.

The removal of women's rights, the fact that investment into female led companies in the UK has dropped even lower than before to under 2%, the idea that how a woman looks is more important than what she says - all of it is a real, constant problem and one that is not going away anytime soon.

Why aren't there laws against misogyny? Why is it not deemed a hate crime?

The point of this post is not to blame men, that would be far too simplistic. The point is to be aware of the problem, in the myriad of ways that it presents itself, and to feel a sense of collective responsibility about how to address it rather than to dismiss or to sensationalise it.

We have a long way to go."

Why Beta Readers Are Essential for Every Writer

Fortunately most people understood the point that I was trying to make but it got me thinking about your writing and why having beta readers is so important. It may be absolutely obvious to you what you mean but it's a good idea to run it past others to check that there is no ambiguity, or rather, not too much - remember that we can't control how other people read our work.

I've put together a couple of beta reader checklists for you - one for non-fiction (business) writing and one for fiction (novels). If you'd like one, simply email me at [email protected] with the one that you would like and I'll send the PDF straight over to you.

To be clear, I am not talking about censoring your work - what you say is important and there will always be those who love it and those who are looking for fault. But, do use a variety of beta readers before publication to ensure that your meaning is as true to what you want it to be as possible.

Get Your Free Beta Reader Checklist

Email [email protected] to receive your free beta reader checklist - available for non-fiction/business writing and fiction/novels.

Looking for support to find your writing voice and communicate with clarity? Suzanne works with writers one-to-one as a writing coach - visit thecuriouswolf.co.uk to find out more.

AUTHOR BIO

Suzanne is a writing coach and founder of The Curious Wolf. She works with writers, business professionals and creatives to help them communicate with clarity, confidence and authenticity. Based in the UK, she offers one-to-one coaching for both fiction and non-fiction writers. Find her at thecuriouswolf.co.uk.