Beta reading is your opportunity to provide feedback to another author. Some will have teams of betas, others will work with just a very select few. How beta reading is approached is a very personal choice; there is no right or wrong way, it’s what the writer is comfortable with.
I have beta read on two occasions (same book, later version was heavily revised), and really enjoyed the experience. Not only did I get to read something very few people had set eyes on, but I also got to enjoy it in its original incarnation. I am now beta reading another manuscript, and expecting one more to come my way soon.
SO, WHAT IS A BETA READER?
- Someone who will read your unsolicited manuscript.
- Provide feedback and critique.
WHY DO I NEED ONE?
Betas can help writers see the woods for the trees. As a writer, you’ve spent months, maybe even years on your opus magnum, it’s precious to you; this makes it harder to see the flaws. You love the story, and that’s what counts. Right?
Wrong. It’s for this reason that a beta will provide an invaluable service.
- Overall feedback on the story.
- Critique on plot, tone, pacing, characterisation, and dialogue.
- Spot plot holes.
- What they liked/didn’t like.
Ideally, your beta should be a fellow writer or bookworm who works and/or reads in the same genre. You might have written a great thriller, but someone whose interest lies in historical romance probably won’t be a good fit.
It’s also a good idea to have a few betas, too many can muddy the waters though, how much critique do you want to sift through? Three is a good number as you are more likely to spot an overall theme in their feedback.
Family and friends aren’t always the best choice, more than likely they won’t want to upset you!
WHAT ABOUT PROFESSIONAL BETAS?
Beta reading isn’t a recognised skill such as editing or proofreading i.e. you can’t get a qualification in beta reading. Your best source for betas is the wonderful writing community of which you are already a member! Social media is a fantastic place to find people more than willing to read your manuscript. If you have a Twitter or Instagram account geared towards your writing endeavours, you will find betas amongst your connections. Facebook and Good Reads have critique and beta groups.
Of course, you do have to consider the implications of copyright and trusting someone with your work, so don’t just e-mail off your manuscript to someone you’ve only had one or two interactions with. Do your research, ask other writers if they can recommend someone.
This article has some very useful information on writing copyright.
WHAT SHOULD I ASK FOR?
This is entirely down to you, here are some examples (not exhaustive):
- What was your overall impression?
- Favourite character and why.
- Least favourite character and why.
- Were there any parts that bored you? Please elaborate your answer.
- Any particular prose or phrases that stood out as well written?
- Were there any scenes that seemed unnecessary?
- Were there any sections where the pacing suffered?
Again, this is where you, the writer, decide what you want to get out of the beta read. Tailor the questions to suit the genre, if there is romance involved, or violence, for example. Do they illicit the reactions you want?
Remember, betas are not for proofreading or line editing, services which do work on a hire basis. They are not there to pick up on grammar and punctuation, writers should already have a pretty good grip on these, and they will be fine tuned during final edits.
I hope this post has proven informative, if you would like to comment, please do. Additional tips are always welcome!
Aspires To Create 