Fantastic Beta Readers (And Where To Find Them)
It's Not As Hard As You Think!
Alpha and beta readers are a vital part of the revision process. In many cases, they're part of the actual writing process as well. If you've got a manuscript finished, or maybe even self-edited, but you're not sure what to do next, look no further: I'm going to give you a crash course in finding your beta readers, including what to ask once they've finished reading your book. (But, you know, without actually crashing. Or burning.)
So, what exactly is an alpha or beta reader, and what's the difference?
I'm glad you asked. Alpha readers and beta readers are people who take time to really read your work and give you feedback on it. They're people you trust with your unpublished manuscript, who are willing to invest some serious thought and want to see you succeed.
The difference between alpha and beta readers basically depends on what draft they're reading. If they're reading a rough first or second draft, they're alpha readers. If they're reading a more polished version, say a fourth draft, they're beta readers. For the sake of keeping this post easy to read, I'm going to refer to the general group as beta readers, since that's the phrase most widely used in the writing community.
How do I find my readers?
First of all, find people who know books. As I said: It's easier than you might think! Chances are, you've got some friends who like to read. You don't need to approach all of them, maybe just one or two - ideally the ones who enjoy reading the same genre you write, who love books, and know how serious you are about writing. Ask them if they would be willing to read your book and give you some feedback. There's a good chance they'll say yes, but if they decline, don't take it personally. Some people just can't commit to reading and making notes, and that's okay.
- A Rabbit Trail on Critique Groups
Whether you've got a friend reading your work or not, I highly recommend joining a critique group if you haven't already. It's okay to go to a few and see what they're like before you choose one. In fact, I'd recommend that too. These are people who are going to give you some pretty tough advice, so make sure you feel comfortable and accepted among them. This part of the process is terrifying enough already; there's no need to make it harder than it has to be.
Critique groups often meet once a month and submit pieces of writing via email or a shared document for everyone to read and make notes on beforehand. These are usually short, with a limit of either chapters or pages. (My group's norm is 5 pages or 1 chapter.)
DO NOT SEND THEM YOUR ENTIRE BOOK. Just because they're fellow writers, doesn't mean they have time to read the whole thing. Go to a few meetings, be involved in the critique sessions, let them get to know you. Then find a couple of people to approach about beta-reading your full project.
Note: It can be really tempting to ask your family to beta-read your book, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to share it with them - but unless you're sure they can be objective and honest with their feedback, skip the beta part of it. They might not be serious readers, or they might not enjoy the genre you're writing. They'll probably be willing to read it once, see what it's about, and tell you if they liked it, but they probably won't have the answers to questions like 'what did you think of the internal conflict here' or 'how can I fix the pacing there'. My parents both like to read, but neither are really into YA fantasy, so I've learned to keep them updated on my writing progress without pushing for them to give me feedback and advice on every little thing.
Another Note: With the rise of the internet have come online platforms and chat rooms. While some writers get lucky and find good, honest people to read their work online, I would advise against looking for beta readers on the internet. You don't always know who you're really talking to, and unpublished work is vulnerable to theft and plagiarism before you ever get a chance to publish it yourself. And if anyone ever asks for advance payment in return for reading your work, run the other way as fast as your proverbial little legs can carry you.
What do I do now that people are reading my book?
That depends. Typically, if you've given them your completed manuscript, you wait. If you and your beta reader agreed on some kind of update system, say, emailing you every so many pages or when they reach the midpoint, great. Let them contact you, though, and let them read on their own time. Don't go spamming them with texts or emails asking if they've gotten to 'the good part' yet. Wait, patiently, until they let you know they've finished reading. Then you can move on to the next step.
There are some cases, however, that require more frequent communication. I've got a wonderful friend who likes to read each chapter as soon as I finish it, and gives me more specific feedback on each scene. The only downside to this is since she doesn't get to read the book all at once, she doesn't get the experience of reading several chapters in a day and sometimes we both miss continuity errors. So, I often like to have someone who will read the entire manuscript once it's finished as well.
They finished reading. . . Now what?
Now come the questions! This is my favorite part of the process, and it works for my friend who reads chapter-by-chapter too. There are plenty of YouTube videos on this part of the process, many containing a go-to list of questions. The one I like to refer to is Abbie Emmons' What To Ask Your Beta Readers.
Here's the list that I've compiled, with some questions from other writers and some of my own!
What did you think of the story in general?
What kind of character development did you observe?
At what point did you feel like 'aha, now the story's really begun'?
Where did you stop reading the first time you opened it up?
At what points did you find yourself skimming?
What was your favorite part of the plot and why?
What was your favorite element of the story and why?
What part put you on the edge of your seat?
Who was your favorite character and why?
Who was your least favorite character and why?
Were there any scenes you wish lasted longer?
What message or theme did you take away from the story?
The idea is to be specific enough so your reader doesn't feel lost, and get them to really think about what they liked about the book and how it can be made better. It's not their job to fix the book; you're just trying to get enough information so that you, the word mechanic, know how to do so.
Voila! There's my best advice for finding beta readers. If you found this helpful, feel free to comment below, and be sure to subscribe to my email list so you'll be the first to know about more posts like this!
Best of luck to you on your writing journey, mate!
- Lydia
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