What the Heck is a Beta Reader?

Chances are you don’t know what a beta reader is unless you’re a writer or friends with one.

Beta readers are usually the second people to peruse a story after critique groups or partners. Nothing is set in stone, but beta readers often provide their feedback before the novel goes to the editor.

Since they see the book before it is published, they serve a special function by finding plot holes, mistakes, and problems.

Beta readers are not other writers, but people who love books and reading. They tell us the boring parts, the places where they dropped out of the narrative for one reason or another, and many other things.

What qualities do you need? First, it’s important to like the type of work you’ll be evaluating. You’ll bring to the table an awareness of what fans of the genre appreciate. Also, you’ll have more fun with the process.

Being able to finish a book quickly is also helpful. No one expects beta readers to devour the book in a day, but we do prefer to hear from you in a reasonable length of time. Authors are anxious to release their books as soon as possible.

A critical quality is the ability to give honest reactions. We need to know where the work can be improved, and we won’t get mad at you for telling us. Please be specific. Just saying the book was great or terrible isn’t enough. Tell us exactly what you didn’t like and why. We can take it!

What you don’t need is expertise in grammar or punctuation or an eagle eye for spotting typos. Editors and proofreaders address those issues.

What do you get for doing this? You probably won’t get paid in cash. However, you will get the book for free, and your name may be listed on the acknowledgements page. I also give my beta readers paperback copies of the book, bookmarks, and other swag, and take them to lunch or dinner. I treasure my beta readers and treat them like solid gold, because that’s what they’re worth to me.

If you’re asked to beta read for someone, I hope you’ll consider it. It means the author trusts you with their baby before it is completely ready for the world, and they believe you can help them make it better.

Are you already a beta reader? What has the experience been like for you? If you aren’t, are you interested in trying it out or isn’t it for you? Do you have questions about anything I didn’t cover? I would love to hear from you in the comments.

This post was originally published on the Pen Dames blog https://pendames.blogspot.com/p/home.html