**Disclaimer; Not everyone will find this useful and should be managed/used carefully**
We all have those times when we're writing our story, but then we lose motivation or stop getting new ideas.
In all my writing, one thing that I have done personally to help keep me motivated is I asked my sister if she wanted to read along. I gave her access to view my work as I write it so she can read and give me feedback, plus I feel more motivated to write so she can read more.
Plus, havung someone read along can help inspire new ideas. When my sister and I talk about the story, she tells me what she thinks might happen or what she hopes happens. I can then use her thoughts to help make a decision on what to write that rwould make sense to someone reading my story as it is something they might come up with on their own and it helps the story run smoothly. *Do Not use all of their ideas, and those you do use should be editted. You want them to be able to understand what is happening without giving everything away*
Additionally, when using this technique there are a few things you should remember:
The person should be given the option to read, not be forced to.
You want someone you trust, not only because these are your original ideas, but also because if you publish you Don't want them to have shared it with possible readers, you want to keep it to the audience level you want. (NO offense, but I would not let Tom Hollad read my book early if I plan to publish it)
You should only use this method if it suits you. If you think it will make writing feel like a chore or something you have to do rather than something you enjoy, a different method may be better.
When picking the trusted reader, you should check to see what genres they enjoy. I've had friends ask me to read and give feedback despite it not being a genre I read often. This should not feel like a chore for them either.
Sometimes the feedback WILL be negative. Maybe they think all the characters sound the same or that its moving along slowly. You need to be careful not to let that make your relationship negative.
Do not let them limit you because it is what they want. They are a reader, but you are the author. They aren't going to like everything that happens. I hated Chapter 40 of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, but the duology was amazing despite it. Not everything has to make the reader feel good. In order for a good story, they should feel everything, even sadness/anger.
