What is a beta reader?
Just like beta testing ensures that all the bugs have been worked out of a system before it’s released to the public, beta reading is the process of reading and reviewing a book to identify any problems and areas for improvement before it’s published or sent to agents. Beta readers are the people who provide pre-publish reviews and feedback for your book to make sure it’s ready to be received as you intended by your readers, as well as flagging up any areas where you can improve the story you’re telling.
How do beta readers fit into the writing process?
This very much depends on what you’re intending to do with your book – whether you want to self-publish or query for traditional publishing – but, generally, beta readers come in when you’ve “finished” the first draft of your book. Their job is to read your story as your audience will and provide you with feedback on what’s working, what isn’t, and where you can improve things. Once you’ve made your beta reader edits, you may want to have fresh betas review it (if you’ve made significant edits) or you can then send it to an editor for polishing. From there, you’re ready to self-publish or begin the query process.
Do I really need a beta reader?
In my humble opinion, beta readers are an essential part of writing a book (and I'm not just saying that because I am one, I promise!). I think my noodle sandwiches are delicious but if I tried to sell them I might find they're not as popular I think they'd be (in fact, I'm pretty sure I'd have no takers!). That's why impartial, honest feedback is so important. If you're thinking about getting a beta reader for your book, here are a couple of the main benefits:
Fresh eyes
To use a cliché I’d recommend removing from a book, sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees. When you put your story together, you do so with all of the supplementary knowledge that you’ve built. You know your characters and their history, you know your world inside out and you know that the sneaky reference that you made in chapter five sets up the big reveal at the end. But does it all come across to your reader? A beta reader picks up your book with no prior knowledge, just as your readers will one day. This lets you know if important information needs clarification, if too much information has spoiled the flow of the story or if you’ve gone over-the-top with irrelevant details.
A different perspective
While critique partners read your manuscript for craft and editors polish your text, beta readers review your book with your reader’s eyes. This unique perspective gives you an additional viewpoint on your story, one that gives you early indications of how your book may be received by your readers.
Less work for your editor
As a rule of thumb, editors tend to be much pricier than paid beta readers. While a beta reader absolutely does not replace an editor, they can help you pick up errors and issues with your manuscript that can be fixed before it’s sent for edits. This means your editor won’t have to waste time correcting story issues that a beta reader can point out.
Honest, candid feedback
Friends and family are good sounding boards, but unless you have brutally honest relatives you might find yourself with a lot of polite feedback on how good your book is, with very little actionable feedback. Beta readers, particularly those who charge for their services, know that their job is to read your manuscript to help you polish your story, and the only way to do that is with honest, helpful comments.
Pre-publishing feedback from your audience
Most beta readers specialise in a couple of genres or at least have their preferences. By working with a beta who specialises in your genre, you're getting feedback on your novel directly from the people who will one day buy your book. Not only can you find out if your story works for the genre, but betas tend to be pretty well-read in their area so any similarities to other books or cliches that have been done to death can also get flagged up.
If you want to connect with beta readers, there are plenty of online forums where you can request a beta or order from one who's already offering their services. I tend to post my availability on the Goodread Beta Reader Group forums and take bookings through Fiverr, but there are lots of writers forums out there sharing recommendations and tips.
