Everything You Want to Know About Beta Reading

If you’re working on a book, you might be wondering how authors know their audience so well. Part of it is research of course, but another crucial part is actually sending your book to your target audience before publication to see what their thoughts are. These readers are called beta readers and a good author knows when to use them!

What is a Beta Reader?

A beta reader is someone who reads and reviews the book’s manuscript before the book is published. This typically happens during the author’s editorial phase and can be before or after hiring a professional editor. Beta readers will provide comments on the text about the characters, plot of the story, and pacing among other aspects. They’ll notify the author when they get confused, when more explanation is needed, and areas they do and don’t like. This is incredibly helpful for the author so they can understand their readers better and make editorial changes before the book is put out into the world. Once a book it out in the wild, reviews can really make or break a title so you want your best foot forward and a beta reader can help you do that.

Do You Need to Pay Beta Readers?

While there are plenty of free beta readers out there, you may not get as much of an in-depth analysis of your work if you’re not paying for someone’s time. A professional beta reader (like me, see my editorial services here) is paid for their time so they will typically provide an extensive analysis of your book along with an editorial report. These professionals are publishing experts and know exactly what to look for to help you reach the targeted audience. For example, I provide in-document comments for every book I review along with an editorial analysis PDF that explains more about those comments and breaks down what’s working in the book and what needs some improvement. Based on my decade in the publishing industry and my creative writing degree, I’m able to give very specific suggestions and comments. You’re essentially paying for a beta reader’s time to read the book and their experience.

I usually recommend to authors to have a mix of paid and unpaid beta readers. Unpaid beta readers are usually people who just love to read and you’ll want to ask questions like “did you like the book?” and “on a scale of one to ten how likely are you to refer this to a friend?” These types of questions are just as helpful as more in-depth ones like the character development because your average reader is just going to pick up a book and decide if they like it or not. My advice would be to hire about three to five paid beta readers once the book is finished its editorial stage. (If you’re looking for a developmental editor, I do that too!) Then, once you get the paid beta readers’ feedback and implement any changes, utilize free beta readers to finalize the book!

What Type of Questions Should I Ask a Beta Reader?

This will depend on your book and your specific goals. Are you worried about a key scene making sense? Ask about it! Are you not sure your timeline adds up? Ask about it! For both unpaid and paid beta readers, you’re welcome to ask any questions you want (some authors even provide a questionnaire), but professional beta readers typically know what to look for without any questions from you. I usually recommend coming up with about five questions you really want to know about the book (“Does Joey come across as too forward in the bar scene with Emily?”) and then leave it up to the beta reader to let you know their thoughts.

How Do I Find Beta Readers?

There are many different avenues to finding beta readers. If you don’t have an online presence yet, I recommend searching on Goodreads, Reddit, and online writing communities. You should definitely ask any friends or family who are readers in your targeted genre to see if they’ll provide some feedback as well. A great place for free beta readers is betareader.io. For paid beta readers, you can look for them on Upwork, Fivver, or Google searching “beta readers.”

Do Publishers Provide Beta Readers?

No, publishers do not provide beta readers. Beta readers should be hired before the book gets sent to a publisher or self-published.

Should I Be Worried About Copyright?

Copyright law protects your manuscript as soon as you write it so you don’t need to additionally apply for copyright until the book is officially published. For sending the book out to beta readers, you’re still protected under copyright law, but you’re welcome to have reader sign NDAs or acknowledge in writing that all your rights are reserved for your manuscript.

Do Beta Readers Post Reviews of the Book Once It’s Published?

Since beta readers are hired before a book is finalized, they do not publish reviews of your book. If you are looking for someone to publish reviews, you’ll want ARC (advanced reader copy) readers instead. That’s a separate post!

What Do I Look for in a Beta Reader?

You’ll want someone who genuinely enjoys your genre. It won’t do your book any good if you pick a beta reader who only reads science fiction and your book is a regency romance novel. You’ll also want someone who isn’t afraid to give you both good and bad feedback because that is going to give your book the best chance. It’s okay to ask questions before you officially sign-on a beta reader!

Hiring beta readers is a publishing step that’s not to be missed. If you have any other questions about beta reading, feel free to reach out to me at hello@thereadingchamber.com!