Having beta-readers who will go beyond spag and dig deeper has been important for me. When I first started posting fic, I was lucky to find some betas who had a gift for giving perceptive and useful critique and shared it very generously. Not everybody has the insight to see how a story could be taken from good to great, and even if they do, not everybody knows how to articulate it in a helpful way. And, as you say, they may not be willing to risk it with a writer they don't know well.
One thing to try is asking people whose writing you admire if they'd be willing to critique your work. I know asking a specific person directly is more daunting than just asking for a volunteer, but it can be rewarding if they say yes!
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2020-04-21 02:33 pm (UTC)One thing to try is asking people whose writing you admire if they'd be willing to critique your work. I know asking a specific person directly is more daunting than just asking for a volunteer, but it can be rewarding if they say yes!