Fly Little Bird, Fly... by Erik Smetana

Fly free.

Or don't. There are writers, probably more than I realize that are completely capable of writing a story, reviewing it on their own and revising without the assistance of any outside eyes. I am not one of those writers. I love the workshop environment, whether it be online or as part of something more formal like a MFA program. My writing requires the use of first readers.

Whether it be a short story or the novel I rely on the thoughts, critiques and scrutiny of others. Some are writers, some readers (as in they have no desire to write anything themselves), but they all share the commonality of having a keen sense of detail and plot. I hope that they aren't afraid to tell me when something works and when it doesn't.

I bring this all up because as I near the end of a graduate degree in writing, an experience filled with group workshopping, and work on my novel while having the amazing opportunity to act as a first reader for a handful of other writers, I realize the importance of the first reader (importance for me anyways).

So thanks to those that read my writing before it resembles anything close to a final product and an even larger debt of gratitude to those writers that have allowed me to look over their words in the early stages (from you I have learned so much). And a future thanks to those that I plan to tap/ask to look over MOAAG in a few short months.

I've made it clear how I feel about first readers (beta readers), for the other writers out there, what is your take on this?