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The beta reader who called my chapter 'a grocery list'
She said my action scene read like I was just checking off plot points, so I started cutting every transition word and letting dialogue carry the beats. It made the fight feel way more urgent, anyone else get feedback that stung but was spot on?
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davis.noah17d agoMost Upvoted
Why let a beta reader dictate your style just because they threw out a cheap shot? That feedback was lazy on their part, not a real critique of your pacing. Cutting transitions and leaning on dialogue works for some scenes, sure, but it turns every fight into a staccato mess if you force it. Your original draft probably had a rhythm that mattered, like building tension before the hits land. Now you might be overcorrecting and losing the breathing room that makes action feel earned. Take the sting, but don't hand over your instincts to someone who calls your work a grocery list without showing you the actual problem.
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