Beta readers, those early readers who stand in for our future audience, can be a valuable tool to employ before finalizing a manuscript for submission or publication. Note that the version of the manuscript you proudly (and maybe anxiously) hand over to them should be the final version or close to it. After all, you don’t want their comments to focus on spelling errors, a glaring plot hole that you promised yourself you’d eventually fix, or anything else that could be taken care of during a normal round of editing or revisions. The point here is to receive early reader feedback, which may include comments on characters they did and didn’t like, areas that felt rushed, and sections that confused them. These comments can then be used to further strengthen your manuscript, and for some, it may even be a suitable replacement for pricier pre-publishing services.
But who qualifies as a beta reader — the friendly neighbor down the street you trade recipes with, your aunt who belongs to all the area book clubs, a hired professional? The answer is that it depends, though some may be better suited to the task than others. For instance, there are industry pros who offer beta reading services for a fee, and this feedback is likely to be in-depth, actionable, and genre specific. However, if you’re interested in having more than two or three beta readers, this cost could add up quickly or may not be financially feasible. Let’s look at some of the other beta reader options:
- As mentioned above, service professionals: many editors and other publishing professionals offer beta services, though you can find others at sites like Fiverr and Reedsy.
- Another author/writer: others may be willing to either read as a favor/out of friendship or in trade (you beta read their manuscript and they’ll beta read yours); it’s common to find groups that perform these services for one another on a regular basis and who make ongoing commitments to one another to perform this task whenever they’re able to.
- Members in online writing/reading communities: join and participate in groups, both online and offline. Some places to look include Goodreads, appropriate subreddits on Reddit, Facebook groups (which overlaps with the option listed below), and any in-person reading/writing groups you may belong to.
- Social media platforms: begin by identifying and interacting with accounts that belong to readers who fit within your target audience (this will be helpful for later when you choose to message some of these users as they’re more likely to respond to a message from a recognizable name). Some of these users may indicate they enjoy beta reading (or they may even volunteer if they know you’re in search of an early reader), but it also doesn’t hurt to send a message and politely ask if they’d be interested in performing this service for you. If you have an account that routinely receives a decent amount of engagement, you can make a post announcing that you’re in search of beta readers.
No matter who you choose, ensure that these readers belong to your book’s audience! Someone unfamiliar with reader expectations for a genre, or who may not even enjoy it, isn’t likely to give feedback representative of what you’d receive later from the book’s readers. For nonfiction, think also about the reader’s assumed level of understanding/background knowledge and whether your beta reader has a similar level of expertise. If not, the chosen beta reader may be confused while reading Advanced Care and Upkeep for Your Prize-Winning Finches when a reader in the book’s audience would come away informed and motivated.
But how many beta readers should you have? The standard answer is between three and five; less than that and the sample size is too small to be considered a true reflection of your book’s audience, but too many and the amount of feedback can quickly become unmanageable. Using an odd number allows for easy tiebreakers. For instance, if two readers love Character A and a third person did not, you’re likely safe to assume that Character A is fine.
While it may seem daunting to offer your manuscript up for critique, remember that it’s all being done in the name of creating the strongest version of your story. Seeing the story through new eyes can often illuminate weaknesses we never knew were present, and it can shine a spotlight on elements that are truly exceptional and stick with your reader. A few carefully selected beta readers can be just the ticket to making these discoveries . . . and maybe even leave you with some newly found inspiration.
Jennia Herold D’Lima is a full-blown logophile. She joined her high school’s newspaper in ninth grade, winning statewide awards for her writing, and expanded her journalism skills by continuing to write and edit throughout her high school years and as a college freshman. While earning her BA in psychology (and minoring in cultural anthropology with a focus on precolonial Mesoamerica) and her MA in applied developmental psychology, her writing and editing naturally skewed toward all things academic. Writing for and publishing in peer-reviewed journals, editing papers for classmates, and writing parenting resource guides honed her research skills. Jennia joined multiple professor-led research groups and completed four internships throughout her academic career. After graduating with a master’s, she worked at a national nonprofit in Washington, DC, and as an assistant researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle. Jennia gradually transitioned to full-time editing. As the host of the Writing & Editing podcast, she loves connecting with others in the community. Jennia enjoys traveling, volunteering, and taking creative photos of books and book-related items in those rare moments when she is not reading or editing.
Once you’ve completed your manuscript, you’re likely to feel a sense of accomplishment. Those months, or possibly even years, of hard work and dedication to your story have finally come to completion! You then go back to your manuscript and revise it, tinker with it, and maybe run it through a software program to check for issues with grammar and spelling. After those steps have been exhausted, you may realize there’s only so much you can do on your own, and you embark on the next step toward publication — finding an editor. But how do you find one, and more importantly, how do you find one who is trustworthy, skilled, and reliable?
Jennia Herold D’Lima
The author sits down to write their memoir, relying on journals written over a period of years, copious notes, vision boards, and an outline. They open a blank document, ready to begin, pulling from their memory as they write their opening scene. But suddenly they make a daunting realization, one that stops them mid-sentence. July 6 was a Tuesday, right? Or was it a Thursday? And was Grandma Jean the one who knocked the cake over or was it Aunt Susan? Writing comes to a standstill as the author grapples with these questions, unable to proceed due to a fear of sharing anything but the truth.