Are ‘Beta Readers’ Really That Important?
Here’s what I always tell my clients about beta readers: Find more than one, three is best. Ideally one of them is a complete stranger.
Do I Really Need Beta Readers?
Beta readers are the first people who will read your book outside of your editor/book coach. The purpose of a beta reader is to give feedback on your manuscript so you can make some final edits before publishing or submitting.
This is important because during your writing and editing process, you will read your manuscript dozens of times. Trust me when I say that on that tenth time around, it all starts to look like one big blurb on the page. The more you read your manuscript, the more likely it becomes that we, [the author'], will miss things. Beta readers come to the project with fresh eyes.
You can certainly publish a great book without beta readers. If you go the traditional publishing route and get a deal with one of the Big 5, they will provide a team of editors and readers, so this is a step you might not need to focus on. However, when submitting your manuscript to agents (the step before you get a publishing deal), you will need to submit your most finished, most polished, and most awesome manuscript. This is where beta readers can help!
More About Beta Readers
Your questionnaire should include a mix of specific questions and broad questions.
To get the most out of your beta readers, you’ll want to provide them with your most complete manuscript and a list of expectations, questions, and/or focus points for them. Your beta readers are not there to tell you whether they liked your book — book preferences are subjective! — but rather give valuable insights on your manuscript. To help them along with this endeavor, it can be very helpful to provide them with a list of questions you’d like them to answer.
Ideally, you want more than just one or two beta readers, but remember: there is such a thing as too much feedback. Three is a great number and here are some things to remember:
1.) Do not ask your Mom or wife or best friend to be your beta reader. These people will love your book too much and might not be able to be objective about your work.
2.) You can choose someone you know personally as a beta reader but make sure they are someone who reads books, likes the genre you’re writing in, and can give constructive feedback.
3.) Choose at least one person who you do not know at all. Your writing coach can help you find this person, or you can outsource this by posting the position online, via social media, or on freelancing sites like UpWork. You may have to pay this person.
4.) Look at your list of beta readers and ensure there is variety in their ages, genders, educational background, etc. (i.e. Don’t pick three professors from your college who are all women in their 30s)
Set Clear Expectations
Send your beta readers a professional cover letter (you are a professional writer!) and include clear timelines, expectations, and boundaries. Insert a blurb sharing your book synopsis, your dream publishing date, and your gratitude.
Provide a firm deadline (keyword: firm!) and how to reach you if they need some wiggle room. Ask them to answer your questions after they finish reading and suggest they do it immediately after, while it’s fresh in their minds.
Lastly, make sure you ask them if they are clear on everything and if they have any questions about the process. <3
Are Beta Readers Free?
It is likely that your friends will consider you asking them to beta read your book as a distinct honour. <3 These are your people!
However, if you do need to source a beta reader outside of your immediate circle, especially if your book is quite niche, you may need to pay them for their time. In my experience, beta readers charge $50-300 depending on the timeline and also the length.
Where/How Do I Find Beta Readers?
Your beta readers are people who like reading, who are supportive of your writing journey, and whose opinions you trust. If you belong to any writing communities, this is a great place to start!
Other places you might consider finding beta readers:
Ask your library if you can put a poster on their bulletin board
Join a book club and get to know some book lovers in your area
Join an online forum or FB group that is specific to your genre (Poetry Lovers, Fantasy Sci-Fi, Books About Dogs, etc.)
Reach out to your local university and ask if you could send an email to their creative writing class
Get involved in community events like Open Mics or book clubs and make a new friend
(I found this source helpful while writing this article) + Beth Morris writes about what BR’s should and should not do here