Your moment has arrived. After spending months drafting and revising a manuscript, getting feedback from your critique group, and sharing it with your first readers, you’re ready to take the next step. Maybe you’re thinking about pitching to agents or editors. Maybe you’re self-publishing and thinking about formatting and graphic design. Still, a question tickles the back of your mind: Is this any good? (Or rephrased: will someone other than my mom/brother/significant other enjoy this?)
Enter the beta readers.
Beta readers read your unpublished work and give you feedback. Think of them as a focus group that can help you further improve your work before you call it final. These readers can be an invaluable resource. I’ve used beta readers in my own work and served as one for other authors. Through trial and error, I’ve gathered a few tips to help make the most of the beta reading experience:
Pick the Right Readers
There are no set rules for who can be a beta reader. They can be authors, avid readers, or people interested in your subject matter. I look for these characteristics:
- A new perspective. I don’t want someone who critiqued an earlier draft to read at this stage; I want my beta readers to experience the story for the first time without any preconceived ideas about the manuscript.
- Honesty. I want real opinions. If there’s a plot hole that I’ve glossed over but didn’t really fill, I’d rather find out at the beta stage than when pitching to an editor. My beta readers are tough critics because I want my book to be the best it can be. At the same time, if my readers really like something, I want to hear that, too. You want someone who will objectively critique your writing, good and bad, and not just tell you what you want to hear.
- Dependability. Simply put, I want to know my readers will actually do the reading within the timeframe I’m looking for.
Use a Manageable Number of Readers
You can use as many or as few beta readers as you want. Bear in mind, though, that if you use too many, you run the risk of having stragglers take a long time to get you their feedback. You also risk receiving opposing viewpoints. While it’s good to get a sense of how different readers might respond to your story, you don’t want to spend all your post-beta-read time refereeing among conflicting views. On the other hand, if you use too few readers, you might not get the depth of feedback you’re looking for. I find that having 3-4 beta readers gives me the right amount of feedback without making me a full-time beta reader manager.
Set Clear Expectations
Asking someone to “read this and tell me what you think” elicits a variety of responses that may or may not be helpful. I get my best feedback by clearly articulating what I need up front. When I reach out to beta readers to see if they’re interested, I’ll share the pitch for my book (to make sure they’ll be interested in it) and tell them what two or three things I’m most interested in hearing about. It could be pacing, character development, or the ending. I’m open to any feedback a reader wants to share, but I find that focusing the beta read on the areas of my manuscript I’m most unsure of makes the critiques more helpful.
I also state my timeframe. The writing community is generous with their time. We love helping one another. That also means we overcommit. If I’m sending a manuscript for beta reads in June and want to pitch to editors in September, I need to make that timeline known. That way, if a reader is already stretched too thin and won’t meet my deadline, we can save ourselves some frustration.
Own Your Manuscript
Once you receive feedback from your readers, you’ll have to decide which suggestions to act on. I find it helpful to remember that, eventually, it will be my name on the cover, so I avoid changes that move me too far away from the story I wanted to write. At the same time, if I’m rejecting all suggestions, I have to question why I asked for feedback in the first place. In other words, critically evaluate each suggestion you receive and ask if it’s a change that will improve the story.
Asking for feedback on a manuscript you’ve already invested hundreds of hours in can be intimidating, but if it leaves you with a better book, it’s worth it. The guidelines above can help focus the process and make it a rewarding experience for you and your readers.
[Image by WokinghamLibraries on pixabay.com]
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Travis Tougaw grew up in a military family. As a perpetual “new kid,” he quickly learned the value of sharing stories to connect with others. Having settled down after his own stint in the Air Force, Travis stopped relocating, but he’s never stopped telling stories. He’s always on the lookout for characters and storylines that will grab readers’ attention and keep them turning pages. Travis lives in Colorado with his wife, children, and an enormous dog. When he’s not writing, he enjoys reading, outdoor activities, playing musical instruments, and trivia competitions. The first three books in his Marcotte/Collins investigative thriller series (Foxholes, Captives, and Last Call) are now available. Learn more about Travis and his books at https://travistougaw.com.