I've been waiting for an article like this! Thank you so much for taking the time to put this information together, Tash. Can anyone else share how they got their beta readers? Are there groups on Goodreads they go to first, or a standard avenue? I have friends and folks on Substack I can definitely ask, but what if I were green, and wanted to reach out to people I didn't know? Any good suggestions?
I joined a few beta reading groups on Facebook and offered to read for a couple of members who pitched manuscripts that sounded interesting to me. I built rapport with these authors and in exchange, had them read for me if I felt comfortable with our level of communication and honesty.
Totally! Kudos to you, Sharon, in any case! It's so hard to get to the end of a draft of a novel, only to realize that in a month or so you'll be drafting it all over again. That's why I focus on improving over time...as long as your manuscript has improved, it's worth it :)
Thanks for this insight, Charlotte! Truth be told, this is just for my first novel. Maybe I'll have more nuanced ideas like yours about this once I'm on my second or third... :)
I like having posts on this subject, gets me thinking. I usually ask for feedback from my writer friends, like on a short story I wrote recently, but I've never had a formal beta reader agreement.
Yes. I found myself having to use beta readers because my writer friends were too busy to keep reading my work...Good for you if you have a supportive community like that though!
This is great. I'm close to the point with the edits on my novel and will be looking to do some beta testing soon so perfect timing for me. I've already started the hunt for beta readers. You're post said you used 3-5 beta readers per round - is that typical or is there a reason of line of logic to use more?
Amazing, Dan! Glad to hear it! You can use more than 3-5. I just found that when I had about 10 beta readers in my first round of feedback, it was way too many and things got really complicated when I tried to incorporate their feedback all at once.
This was especially hard when people gave me helpful feedback which was difficult to implement. For example, my beta reader who said, "The relationship with the character's mother doesn't really go anywhere." It was such a general thing to have to change throughout the whole story i.e. every scene where these characters are together. There's only so many manuscript-level changes you're going to want to handle at the same time.
Yeah - totally makes sense. I'm working hard to make my revisions just from my editor so piling on comments from additional people probably makes it exponentially harder. I also liked your advice to find some beta readers that I trust and nurture that relationship. Thanks so much for sharing some tips. 🙏
Beta readers are helpful, especially if you can find ones who will offer kind but--and this is crucial--honest feedback. I do think today in general there’s a trend in writing communities which encourages more constant positivity than is genuinely helpful. There’s an art to giving constructive feedback that’s both helpful, kind yet also authentic. The goal isn’t to protect the writer’s feelings at any cost; the goal is to help the writer improve his or her craft. Also, if you have the dough: Hiring a developmental editor can be very helpful, especially if you’re a new writer and you don’t really know what you’re doing.
I have used beta readers for my screenplays. I don’t use them for short stories. I have found that a beta reader who is passionate and doesn’t have as many fancy credentials has better insight and advice. I have hired expensive beta readers and I could tell that they didn’t even completely read my screenplay and their advice didn’t make sense. I have had beta readers who were free or charged next to nothing give a better critique of my story simply because it wasn’t just a gig. They just have a passionate love for art and stories. Those type of readers are gold.
Totally agree with this, Kevin! It's the real target audience at the end of the day who can give the best insights. I hope you still paid the great readers for their contributions :)
This is a fabulously valuable and actionable post, Tash. Thank you for sharing the process!
Thank you for reading it, Ashley! I'm so glad you liked it.
I've been waiting for an article like this! Thank you so much for taking the time to put this information together, Tash. Can anyone else share how they got their beta readers? Are there groups on Goodreads they go to first, or a standard avenue? I have friends and folks on Substack I can definitely ask, but what if I were green, and wanted to reach out to people I didn't know? Any good suggestions?
I joined a few beta reading groups on Facebook and offered to read for a couple of members who pitched manuscripts that sounded interesting to me. I built rapport with these authors and in exchange, had them read for me if I felt comfortable with our level of communication and honesty.
Thank you Brian! You are so welcome. Let me know if you have any more specific questions I can answer... :)
Great resource. It's hard to know what to do when you finish but you know you're not really done!
Totally! Kudos to you, Sharon, in any case! It's so hard to get to the end of a draft of a novel, only to realize that in a month or so you'll be drafting it all over again. That's why I focus on improving over time...as long as your manuscript has improved, it's worth it :)
I prefer one solid critique partner who is a novelist in my same genre, vs multiple betas.
Other novelists have the benefit of suggesting the solutions to your problems.
But on 2nd novel, I did use paid beta readers, just no longer prefer that.
I prefer reader feedback at the Arc phase and then have them agree to leave reviews in exchange for the advanced copies.
Everyone must find their own way.
Thanks for this insight, Charlotte! Truth be told, this is just for my first novel. Maybe I'll have more nuanced ideas like yours about this once I'm on my second or third... :)
Not a bad system, just more time consuming. Good luck!
Thank you!
Thanks for writing this up, Tash. Excited to finish the current draft of my novel so I can put this advice to use.
You got it, Jordan! Keep hammering away!! :)
I like having posts on this subject, gets me thinking. I usually ask for feedback from my writer friends, like on a short story I wrote recently, but I've never had a formal beta reader agreement.
Yes. I found myself having to use beta readers because my writer friends were too busy to keep reading my work...Good for you if you have a supportive community like that though!
I started beta reading for other authors last year, and it has been very interesting.
I hope they have been paying you to do that!
This is great. I'm close to the point with the edits on my novel and will be looking to do some beta testing soon so perfect timing for me. I've already started the hunt for beta readers. You're post said you used 3-5 beta readers per round - is that typical or is there a reason of line of logic to use more?
Amazing, Dan! Glad to hear it! You can use more than 3-5. I just found that when I had about 10 beta readers in my first round of feedback, it was way too many and things got really complicated when I tried to incorporate their feedback all at once.
This was especially hard when people gave me helpful feedback which was difficult to implement. For example, my beta reader who said, "The relationship with the character's mother doesn't really go anywhere." It was such a general thing to have to change throughout the whole story i.e. every scene where these characters are together. There's only so many manuscript-level changes you're going to want to handle at the same time.
Hope that helps!
Yeah - totally makes sense. I'm working hard to make my revisions just from my editor so piling on comments from additional people probably makes it exponentially harder. I also liked your advice to find some beta readers that I trust and nurture that relationship. Thanks so much for sharing some tips. 🙏
Anytime !
Beta readers are helpful, especially if you can find ones who will offer kind but--and this is crucial--honest feedback. I do think today in general there’s a trend in writing communities which encourages more constant positivity than is genuinely helpful. There’s an art to giving constructive feedback that’s both helpful, kind yet also authentic. The goal isn’t to protect the writer’s feelings at any cost; the goal is to help the writer improve his or her craft. Also, if you have the dough: Hiring a developmental editor can be very helpful, especially if you’re a new writer and you don’t really know what you’re doing.
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Totally! The truth hurts, but the point is that we should all be trying to improve our stories over time.
This is really great advice; thank you.
You're so welcome Tom! :)
I have used beta readers for my screenplays. I don’t use them for short stories. I have found that a beta reader who is passionate and doesn’t have as many fancy credentials has better insight and advice. I have hired expensive beta readers and I could tell that they didn’t even completely read my screenplay and their advice didn’t make sense. I have had beta readers who were free or charged next to nothing give a better critique of my story simply because it wasn’t just a gig. They just have a passionate love for art and stories. Those type of readers are gold.
Totally agree with this, Kevin! It's the real target audience at the end of the day who can give the best insights. I hope you still paid the great readers for their contributions :)
Very helpful post, Tash. Thanks!
You're welcome Lori! :) Let me know if you have any more specific questions...
This is good advice. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you liked it! I'm open to more questions if you have any... :)
También, no sé donde estas, pero vivo en CDMX. Es tan chido que tu Substack es bilingual! :)
Since beta reading is inspired partially by tech startups, here’s a video on how tech startups do it: https://youtu.be/z1iF1c8w5Lg
Thank you for sharing!