Beta readers are your manuscript's first responders
But don't forget to give them this one instruction
A beta reader is an important person on your team. Beta readers can be an essential part of the revision and editing process for many authors, and I realize that not everyone knows what they are and what they do. They can be your manuscript’s best friend, and I’ve got some tips on how to build a relationship with your beta readers. First, let’s answer a basic question:
WHAT IS A BETA READER?
A beta reader is someone who reads your finished draft and someone you trust to provide suggestions about your story before it’s published. I’d say that beta readers sit somewhere between your friends and family and professional editors in terms of the type of feedback you’ll receive. They read a lot of manuscripts and can offer insight into what’s working and what’s not working in your story.
They are like your manuscript's first responders. They are first on the scene to read your manuscript before you hire a professional editor. Beta readers review your messy draft and ask helpful questions like, Why do aliens land in chapter five of your rom com? Or, Why did you kill off your protagonist on page 50?
WHERE TO FIND BETA READERS
Let me start by saying that beta readers are most likely not your friends and family. Your loved ones love you. Unfortunately, that probably disqualifies them. Keep in mind that great beta readers don’t have to be writers. So, where can you find them?
Writing Groups (Online or In Person). Are you a member of a writing community like NaNoWriMo? You can offer to trade reading with members of your group. (Looking for a writing group? Here are my tips on how to find the best group for you.)
Writing Courses. I teach writing workshops and classes, and many of my students reach out to each other to set up beta readings.
Conferences. Are you planning to attend a writing festival or conference? Make connections with fellow writers and don’t be shy about asking for a beta reader.
Web Sites. It’s possible to hire beta readers on sites like Upwork and Fiverr, but some folks listed as readers are actually selling editing or proofreading services. The point of a beta reader is to provide another set of eyes on a messy draft before spending money on a professional editor. Be aware before you dive in here.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A BETA READER
Honesty. You’re looking for straightforward, truthful feedback about your manuscript. (This is one reason why your family and friends may not be the best choice for this process.) You don’t want a reader who holds back. However honesty does have its limits. You don’t want a reader who will tell you how to “fix” your story but one who will point our areas that aren’t working for them.
Familiarity with your genre. Your beta reader should be well-read in the genre of your manuscript. If you’re writing romance, a reader who doesn’t read romance probably won’t understand the tropes or give you the most insight with your target audience.
Whenever I'm teaching a seminar or workshop, someone will ask me if I recommend using a beta reader for feedback on their manuscript. The answer is always: Yes, and... As in, yes, beta readers can be invaluable, and they can also provide feedback that isn't useful.
But more often what writers receive in the way of feedback is what I call vague cheerleading: So good! Loved it! There is nothing that you can do with that feedback. So, before you turn over your manuscript to a beta reader and simply say, "Let me know what you think," I want you to include a few instructions with your document. These instructions are going to guide them to give you insight you can use.
The first, and most important, instruction is:
Identify any pages where you are bored and want to stop reading.
Your beta reader doesn't need to have won a Pulitzer Prize to know when the story is no longer holding their attention. And if they highlight pages 95-98 because they started scrolling Instagram while reading your manuscript, you know what you need to do --> increase tension, add stakes, create consequences for the characters.
HOW TO WORK WITH A BETA READER
Give your reader a deadline. You don’t want to just hand over your manuscript and ask for it back “whenever they get a chance” while you’re biting your fingernails. Set a date that is realistic for both of you.
Give your reader guidance. Just as with the deadline, you don’t want to tell the reader to “let me know what you think.” This is especially true of a reader who is new to you. Set everyone up for success with a list of questions. Here are a few of my favorites:
Were the setting and locations clear? Throughout the book, did you always know where you were?
Was the timeline clear? Did you always know roughly when you were?
Did you feel like the main characters grew and changed from the beginning to the end?
Were you bored at any point? Were any plot points predictable?
Did the end feel satisfying or unfinished?
Did any of the characters, even the secondary ones, seem cliched?
Were there too many points of view, or did you wish I included another character’s point of view.
Did the dialogue sound natural?
What scenes were the most memorable?
You don’t have to agree with every comment a beta reader makes. When you get their notes, make sure that any changes you make align with your vision for the story. But be open minded. Sit with the comments for a few days before outright discarding it.
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With 20 years of experience at Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster, Jacquelin Cangro is a seasoned book editor, workshop leader, and writing coach. She provides guidance, inspiration, feedback, and accountability for dedicated fiction and narrative nonfiction writers. Jackie has helped dozens of gifted authors work toward their goals.
I can certainly vouch for the “no friends & family” plan of potential beta readers. They are all gung-ho to volunteer to read your latest opus. Not so much when it comes to actually offering feedback. (Likely because they still haven’t read any of it even six months later). Not even your mother. Not even your wife!
Out of 12 offers I got actual feedback from a grand total of 1 person--a girl I hadn’t seen in person in over twenty years since college.
Lesson: learned.
(Love that you’re on Substack now. Feels just like the old freewheeling days of the all-in-one blogosphere before the antisocial media gatekeeper’s euthanized it. Happy to help support your endeavor).