Beta readers may do a lot of things for authors, but aside from pointing out confusion in a manuscript and revealing aspects that are lacking in the story, the most important task they perform is to bolster the writer’s self-confidence. 
  
If you’re not using beta readers as part of your writing process, the reasons you should are many. I can’t imagine surviving the road to publication without them. But before I get to that, let’s talk a little bit about these people and where they fit in the editorial process. 
 
At their most basic, beta readers are the first responders to your manuscript. After you’ve toiled over your novel-in-progress for weeks or months or years, and you’ve deemed it ready for another reader’s eyes, betas step up to the plate. 
  
Anyone who likes to read and vows to be gently honest—emphasis on gently—about how they feel about your work will do: friend, relative, complete stranger. Writers in general make better betas than nonwriters do because they usually have a greater level of understanding of story structure. The more detailed a beta reader can be when giving feedback, the better.  

I have beta readers who provide very few in-line notes and instead respond to the book as a whole in an overview, and I have other betas who give me notes all the way through the manuscript. There is value in both methods, though I feel it’s imperative to obtain at least one detailed reading with many in-line notes. In my “pool” of beta readers (I use at least six per book), I make sure I have two who will provide comprehensive feedback.  

The best betas are amateur developmental editors in that they concentrate their suggestions on the larger parts of the story: the content and characters, and not the commas. They comment on plot, pacing, characterization, and setting, letting you know where you’ve gone astray. They tell you where a scene falls flat and where they’re confused.  

Why are they crucial to your process? 

As writers, we all do things in our writing that we think are just fine but that don’t, for whatever reason, work for readers. If no one points out these blunders for us, they remain in the story, potentially rubbing readers the wrong way. These may be small issues or large ones. 
  
The problem with self-editing is that our brain glides right over most of what we’ve written because it understands what we’ve meant to say (even if what we mean to say doesn’t exactly appear on the page). 
 
Our mind can visualize our characters and what they’re doing, so it may not think to raise an alarm and shout, “Hey, this isn’t working,” or “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”  

The beta reader can guide our focus to these problem areas so that we can fix them before we spend a lot of money on a developmental editor (the next step in the editorial process), who will help fine-tune the deeper, harder-to-grasp issues that may linger below the surface—those a beta reader doesn’t likely have the skills to pick up.  

Beta readers clear away the lower-hanging fruit so the pro can more easily reach, and comment on, a deeper level.  

How do betas create self-confidence? 

If you ask your beta readers to, they will also tell you when you’ve impressed them with your storytelling or wordsmithing—and who doesn’t love that? The brain is equally oblivious to the “good” that we’ve done as it is to the bad.  

Pointing out the impressive parts of our novel—the lines that sing, the twists that blow them away, the delightful quirks you’ve given your character and how they bring those characters to life—may actually be the betas’ most valuable role. No one will comment more precisely on your book than those you enlist in the beta-reading task. In other words, it’s likely that you’ll never hear more from readers than you will during this phase.  
 
It’s gratifying to learn that what we’ve written moved a beta reader emotionally or made them stop and highlight our painterly turn of phrase. Of course, we want to know all that’s missing or wrong with our story—we rely on others to point out our missteps—but our beta readers’ happy or intrigued or thrilled notes build us up and remind us that we’ve made a lot of solid choices in our story in addition to making a few mistakes.  

Seeing what we’ve done right reminds us that we are good writers. That we have what it takes to impress a reader with our skills. That plenty of the scenes we wrote do work, and that the climax is both brutal and amazing.  
  
Betas are the first to let us know they’ve understood our jokes and humorous circumstances (which either made them LOL or grimace), our tragic love stories (which either made them cringe or cry), and our tender moments of reflection (which hit the nail on the head or missed the mark). 
  
The comments and compliments they provide are the gold that keeps us going through each manuscript revision, through every edit, through countless rounds of proofreading and fixes. Yes, we’ve made mistakes, and the manuscript has its weaknesses that we aim to work out, but the writing is worthy, moving, has potential. There is strong work here, and because you’re in the beta-reading phase there’s time to transform what needs help into something wonderful (or at least better).  

Your betas have reassured you of that.  

Down the road, when a reviewer leaves a few words about how disappointed they were with the story (every book gets a few of these), when they sum up your hard work with a couple of thoughtlessly scrawled phrases, they probably won’t add, “But, wow, this metaphor she wrote made my head spin in the best of ways!” There won’t be any specifics at all. The wonderful details that make up your book will not enter their critique.  

But thanks to the gold your beta readers gave you, you can remind yourself that you know your work is of value. Even if it didn’t resonate with this particular reader, it did resonate with others.  

No one can take that from you. Whenever you need it, it will be there, bolstering you up, protecting you from the damage those inevitable harsh words that come flying out of the blue can do to a writer. 

When you send your manuscript to your beta pool, give them a short list of tasks to keep in mind.  

1. Focus on the content: the story, not the commas.
2. Point out any confusion.
3. Make a note in any place that moves too slowly or any detail that seems wrong or off.
4. Feel free to mention anything you particularly like! 

With their “here’s what works, here’s what doesn’t” critique, betas are on your side. Think of them as the light—and the confidence—that shines a way to a better novel than the one you’ve written all by yourself.  

Where can I find beta readers? 

The best way to find a good beta reader is old-fashioned word of mouth. Aside from that, you can reach out and take your chances. All feedback that you receive has the potential to be valuable. It also has the potential to be damaging. If the comments are harsh or overwhelming, feel free to set them aside. What you want is helpful, constructive criticism that makes sense to you. If it doesn’t resonate, do not feel obligated to follow through.  

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(5 Things to Know When Writing With Friends.)

Don’t be that person who makes them nervous. Here are five tips to help you give feedback that is both compassionate and useful.

1. Be specific.

The most helpful feedback points to specific things in the text. Instead of saying, “I found it boring,” highlight exactly where your attention started to drift. Instead of “This character is unbelievable,” try something like, “I’m finding it hard to understand Brenda’s motivation for quitting their job.” This technique also helps you discuss the writing through a less emotional lens. It’s about the writer and their writing, not your own feelings.

2. Include positive comments.

Some people think “critique” means identifying all the bad parts or revealing all the flaws. The word “critique” comes from French, where it means “examining the merits” of something, usually art. It’s only when “critique” migrated to English that it took on these judgy overtones. Part of your job as giver-of-feedback is to say what the writer has done well. Again, be specific. Congratulate them on finishing the piece. That’s already an achievement.

3. Offer questions and suggestions.

It can be tempting to show your writer buddy how to do it better. Avoid this temptation. Just ask questions and offer your commentary. Don’t rewrite the text in your own voice. Every writer has a style. Rewriting the text makes it yours, not theirs. If you want to modify the text, use Track Changes or another method that retains the original version. But don’t just make changes. Say why you think the change improves the text. Be sure to state clearly that these changes are only suggestions. It’s up to the writer to decide what works for them.

4. Focus on a few big things.

It’s most helpful to focus on a few areas for improvement. Too much feedback can lead to information overload—or, in the worst case, despair. You don’t want the other writer to give up on the piece just because it needs a polish. Pick a few points to focus on. Big-picture stuff like plot holes or inconsistent characterization. Never proofread or “fix” grammar mistakes, unless they’ve explicitly asked you to. That stuff comes at the very end, once the final draft is nailed down. There’s no point in fixing stuff that might be cut out or rewritten, and it leads the writer’s attention in the wrong direction. It can also come off as pedantic or teacher-y, even if you mean well.

5. Thank them for trusting you with their words.

We writers care about our writing. Sometimes to the extent that any negative comment feels like a knife to the chest. Death by a thousand cuts. Putting our work out there, even showing it to one other person, takes courage. Keep that in mind, always. Acknowledge their trust in you. Doing so can alleviate some anxiety around getting feedback. Almost any piece of writing can be improved. An early reader always has thoughts on how to do that. But start out by recognizing that they have just handed you a piece of their heart. Handle with care.

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That’s where a solid beta reader comes in.

The Importance of a Second Opinion

It’s easy to get lost in our own heads when we’re writing. Things make sense to us as the writer because it’s all immediate to us. But just like conversations can be jumbled when the words and feelings inside us are spoken aloud, so can stories.

Beta readers are the people who help work through that jumble on an early draft. Not the zero or first draft—that’s for you to figure out what story you’re telling. Once you’ve done an initial review and revision, a beta reader can provide feedback about whether you’re on the right track. They approach and respond to your work as a reader first, not as a writer.

This early review is important to help you, the writer, gain perspective. It’s an opportunity to see if the plot and emotional points land the way you want them to, whether the story is engaging, and what didn’t make sense.

It’s also a milestone to draw a line under drafting, especially if you’re someone who has rewritten draft after draft and doesn’t know what to do next. External feedback is key!

Before continuing, we should define what a beta reader is not:

• An editor
• A proofreader
• A sensitivity or cultural accuracy reader
• A critique partner (CP)

[Who Are Sensitivity Editors? And How Much Does Sensitivity Reading Pay?]

While some of the people offering those services may also do beta reading, you shouldn’t expect to receive editing or cultural reviews as part of a default beta read. You also shouldn’t necessarily expect targeted tips on how to fix things, like a CP might offer.

A beta reader is also not the last stage in your review process. Depending on your needs and publishing path, you may want to send your work for further review and editing before publication.

Getting Connected

Finding beta readers can be a challenge. Many writers turn to the #WritingCommunity on Twitter or elsewhere to find other writers to beta read their work. They might agree to a swap or other exchange for the time put into the reading and feedback. Beyond finding a beta reader, there may be additional challenges like slow turnaround times, genre mismatches, or the quality of the feedback received.

If you can afford it, one of the ways to add structure to the beta reading process is to pay for it as a service. Platforms like Fiverr can help you find and secure beta reading services, and you can check for things like genres read, feedback given, turnaround time, and reviews. For self-publishers trying to set a regular publishing schedule, this can be a good option to make sure you get quality feedback without missing deadlines.

For those wanting more structure without the upfront costs, the BetaBooks platform offers a mix of free and paid services.

What to Look for in a Beta Reader

Generally, it’s a good idea to look beyond friends and family to ensure more objective feedback. And while everyone is potentially a reader, that doesn’t mean everyone is potentially a good beta reader. Giving feedback requires empathy and a balance between critique and encouragement which will vary by the reader and the writer.

To start, think about how you receive feedback best. Do you need tough love or the compliment sandwich? Are you someone who needs to hear feedback or read it? Understanding this helps you find a beta reader who’s a match for you and sets you up to receive the feedback better.

Next, look for someone who reads (and loves!) the genre you write and who represents your target audience (this might require some market research). If you’re coming from a marginalized background or writing about sensitive topics, you might also consider checking whether a prospective beta reader either has similar experience or has demonstrated open-mindedness and empathy in online spaces.

Finally, be clear up front about needs, expectations, and deadlines.

Getting the Most Out of Beta Feedback

So, how else can you prepare in advance to get the best possible feedback? As with many things in life, it helps to know what you want before getting started.

Think about where you struggle with craft skills (like characterization, dialogue, world-building, setting, plotting, pacing, etc.) and outline a few questions for those. Then think about where you consider yourself strong, and cover some of those as well.

Example questions you might send with your manuscript include:

• Is there any point where they’d quit reading the book? If yes, why?
• Reaction to the characters: Were they believable and fully fleshed-out? Did their motives make sense?
• Plot concerns: Were there any glaring plot holes? Did they end the book with questions that should have been answered earlier?
• Ending: Was it satisfying? If the book is a part of a series, does it make them want to read the next book?

Don’t forget genre-specific questions as well.

Content warnings can also help. Far from giving away the plot, content warnings demonstrate respect for a reader’s time and sensibilities. They also ensure the feedback you receive is focused more on the story as a whole, rather than on a potentially objectionable section that elicits a strong reaction from the reader.

Lastly, prepare yourself mentally. Getting early feedback can be stressful for some.

Processing the Feedback

Once you’ve gotten your feedback, breathe.

The first thing to remember is that most of the time, feedback isn’t personal. Just like the things people say in our daily lives are often a reflection of them, their experiences, and the things they’re dealing with, beta reader feedback can be the same.

It can be especially tough if you’re called out for something harmful or insensitive in your writing—and this can happen despite the best of intentions and effort to learn! In this event, pause to consider where there might be gaps in your knowledge. And if you’re writing about something personal to you, remember that not everyone with similar backgrounds shares the exact same experiences.

Whether good or bad, it’s easy to take feedback to heart. Staying objective is important to improving as a writer. If there’s something that needs work, make a plan to shore it up in this story—and also to develop your skills for the next. If something is called out as great, are you able to reverse-engineer that or find a way to improve it further for future work?

The goal with feedback throughout the writing process is to understand where the vision has fallen short on delivery. It’s up to you as the writer to take or leave what’s offered.

You’ll also need to decide what to do about conflicting feedback if you engage with more than one beta reader. Again, bring it back to your goals. Which piece of feedback is more in line with the goal?

*****

Sharing your work with beta readers is the first step to sharing it with the world. Understanding what a beta reader is, where to find them, and your goals for engaging with beta readers can help you make the most of the experience. Now, go get some good feedback.

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(28 Writing Prompts for the 2023 Flash Fiction Challenge)

When I met my first critique partner, I doubt I had even heard of the term critique partner. We met at our local writing chapter and found that we were in a similar place on our writing journeys. We had both written our first novels and were in the process of querying literary agents and collecting no thank yous and send me mores, but neither of us had gotten that coveted yes from an agent yet. We decided to trade books for critique. Having an outside person tell me what was and wasn’t working with my book, and offering me suggestions for what she thought would make my book stronger was invaluable. We were able to merge our knowledge and experience to strengthen each other’s work. That’s when the magic happened and both of us began to get more traction with our queries!

Eventually, my critique partner and I met three other women on similar writing journeys and this has constructed our critique group for the better part of a decade now. We don’t always read all of each other’s books in the editing stages—because we all have deadlines—but we do help with the planning and plotting stages of our books. I’m not sure where I’d be without my critique group—probably still querying agents and filling up my binder of rejection slips. What I do know, however, is that being an author is less lonely when you have partners to support you.

What Are the Benefits of Having a Critique Partner?

One benefit of having a critique partner (CP) is that it pushed me to learn more about my craft. My CP and I took classes online and attended conferences together, using this knowledge to make our own and each other’s work shine. It’s never a competition with your critique partner, but it’s motivating to learn and do more when you’re walking side by side.

What Should One Look for in a Critique Partner?

I think it’s important to be in similar stages of your career for a true partnership that’s mutually beneficial. I also think that a critique partner should be mutually invested in your work. Critiquing for someone involves a lot of time and effort. If you’re putting in your most valuable resources for someone else’s project, they should return the favor.

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Another key element for a good critique partner is honesty. Yes, we all want to be told our work is amazing, but it’s a million times more valuable to have someone who also tells you where your book needs fixing and why. A good critique partner offers constructive criticism that elevates your story. They do this while lifting you up and never tearing you down.

Where Do You Find a Critique Partner?

I found my first partner at my local writers’ group. Every month, I had to drive two hours each way to join my group, but it was more than worthwhile. I connected with the other three women in my critique group online. They were all part of a national writing organization that I was involved with, and we started to message privately. From there, we met in person at annual conferences.

If you’re looking for a critique partner, a good first step is joining your local and/or national organization where you can connect with likeminded authors who are writing in similar genres. There are often resources through these organizations to locate critique partners.

How Do You Keep Your Critique Partnership Alive?

My critique group has really become a part of my daily life. We have a running chat in our direct messages where we talk about writing all day long, every day. We plan regular Zoom sessions to plot our books and pitches for future books. We exchange our work and promote each other’s new releases and sales. We also try to get together for conferences in person, although that hasn’t been as frequent since the pandemic.

A healthy critique partner relationship requires time and effort. As a writer, it’s easy to isolate yourself because much of the job requires solitude. In my experience, reaching out and making that connection with other authors, however, is one of the most beneficial things a writer can do. Two heads (or more) is almost always better than one, especially when it comes to writing your book!

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(Creating Space to Ponder Your Bliss and Relying on Your Inner Compass to Guide Your Writing)

Like most things worth doing, there is a kind of naïveté when you first begin about how easy and blissful the journey will be. And then, when you actually get into learning how to do anything new, there are mostly big challenges to meet and obstacles to overcome. The capacity to persevere, at least for me, is only accessible if the inner urge is strong enough to overcome all the reasons to stop before the journey is complete.

Is it helpful to know a few things up front before you begin, which might prepare you for the journey ahead? Perhaps. And perhaps not. I say perhaps not because every person’s journey will be unique, as well as the challenges and obstacles to overcome. However, in case my own experience may assist others in at least being prepared for what may lie along your road, here are a few things I would share.

It Takes a Village

One of the big paradoxes of writing that I had to become very comfortable with was the image of writing as a solo experience. Oddly, it is both an incredibly private and solo undertaking, and it requires deeply embracing the fact that you are ultimately not writing for yourself—you are writing for others. Although what you may have to share has personal roots and inspiration, the impact and meaning-making of others who will read the book also matters.

Once the manuscript is well on its way, there will be obvious village members like copyeditors, proofreaders, and book cover designers. There will be various challenges with these aspects of your “support team” for sure. However, the more daunting challenges come much earlier in the process when you are trying to land a workable structure and coherent organizing flow of stories and material. Having the courage to share drafts and chapters with people you can trust to give you clear and creative reactions is no small thing.

I shared the first draft of my book with my father, a well-known and successful writer, as well as a good friend. Both of them read the draft with meticulous care—all 290 pages. And they wrote very thoughtful reactions being sure to praise the many aspects of the draft that had merit and also essentially to say to me, “Nice try. You can do better!” In the words of my father, “The main problem I see is the fact that I count 72 key concepts. That is too many.”

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They were the first of many people who gave me reactions along the way. And every time I got reactions with creative suggestions for improving the manuscript, I had to go through a very real and specific cycle of “fuming!” It was pretty predictable: first anger and indignation, then denial, then a long list of reasons why they were wrong and the manuscript was close to perfect, then some long walk in the woods and finally sitting back down at my desk and taking a deep, honest look at what I had written.

In all the drafts and thinking about all the feedback I received—and some feedback so close to the print deadline I thought I would implode—the number of things I left as they were written I could count on one hand.

What I realized was that it truly takes a village to get out a good book. The final product is the result of many people offering their time, love, and careful attention, as well as their willingness to share their personal experiences directly. Writing has a very real element of “reciprocity”—a dance between my creative way of putting thoughts, feelings, stories, and ideas down on paper and then being willing to let them be changed and revised even as they are being captured. This dance required me to shift the stories I was holding inside myself constantly.

Be Prepared to Change Your Inner Story

The main story I needed to shift was the one that says, “If I am really in the flow and know what I am writing about, the words will come onto the page perfectly the very first time I write them.” Now, this may be true for some writers—and if it is, more power to them. In my case, it was not true, and I had to come to terms with the idea that much of the writing experience is rewriting, revising, and being willing to totally let go of material that doesn’t work or fit. Although it can seem like such a simple concept to embrace, in my case, I had a more emotional attachment to the story of “out it flows perfectly” than I knew.

The more I let go of this one story, the deeper I had to go in embracing the fact that writing, like any skill, is something you learn how to do. Like any skill, it takes time, dedication, and commitment to learn how to write well. Story number two: I would simply be a good writer immediately. I would not have to learn how to do it. I would not have to meet and be honest about the levels of my incompetence as I practiced the craft.

Anytime you take up a new activity, you will always have to face the challenges of being a beginner. And it seems the older we get, perhaps the harder it is to take up something totally new and deal with the emotions that arise when you notice you are not as good at that activity as you might have imagined. Relaxing with this truth is the first step. In my case, the second step had to do with—once again—reaching out to those who have more experience and learning from their wisdom. I hired a “book coach,” a dedicated person who would help me work through chapters and stuck places and contextual leaps, which made sense to me but were too giant for someone else.

My book coach was exceptional. And just like my experience of getting input on the full manuscript drafts, most all of the feedback from my coach required me to go through my mini-cycle of “fuming.” And with practice, my fuming cycles also got shorter and, therefore, more efficient too.

Holding the Thread of Your Own Voice

Although the support team is vital to producing a book of quality and substance, having deep confidence in your own voice and the importance of what you are trying to convey is paramount. Keeping ahold of the authenticity of voice while receiving and being able to pivot with the writing can be as challenging as it is to embrace the feedback. A kind of steadfast appreciation for yourself in the midst of being willing to let go and make changes is the dance. I suspect if one is meant to be a writer and does it as their primary livelihood, perhaps it gets easier to know and hear your voice. I would be curious to know. For those of us first-time writers, I think it is harder to find this balance. A part of the balance seems to be about timing.

Listening for when it is time to share and when the process is too delicate and nascent is important. There are times to “let it flow” and not have anyone else’s voice in your head or heart. And then there are times to “let it go,” taking in others’ suggestions and getting rid of or heavily trimming ideas or content which simply doesn’t work. All of this kind of bookwork requires emotional resilience. The ability to feel the emotions and yet not have your feelings, whatever they may be, cloud your ability to see your writing with clarity.

With this kind of emotional resilience, it gets easier to receive input and make changes such that your voice comes more to life rather than less. And then, when you come to a place where you truly love what is written and don’t want to change it in any way, it will be because there is no better way to describe something, not because you are stubborn or egotistical.

Having a sense of reciprocity with those helping make the book as accessible and valuable as possible is not for the “faint of heart.” It requires a lot of guts and courage and the willingness to persevere even when you might feel discouraged or disheartened.

If You Do Not Seem to Have a Choice, Go For It

Luckily, the book I ended up completing just would not let itself be shelved. For some reason, it kept demanding I keep going, not give up, and find a way through. The book is out in print, much to my amazement. As I said at the start of this article, if I somehow could have been stopped, I would have been. But this little book seemed to have a life of its own and a real desire to see the light of day, so onward ho I went. And the finished product did, indeed, take a village to come to completion. One thing I would offer as you contemplate this journey is to remember this truth and learn how to lean into it and embrace it rather than lean out and run away.

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