How do you find a good beta reader or “test pilot” to critique your manuscript, preferably for free?
“Beta reader” is just a fancy term for a person who reads your manuscript, and gives you feedback to help you make it even better.
I’ve written before about why beta readers are so valuable, and described the characteristics of the ideal beta reader.
Finding the ideal beta reader can be a challenge. But here are some tips for where to start.
I’ll tell you about the long-term solution. I’ll also give you a couple of quick fixes, in case you’ve left it a bit late. (We writers do that sometimes.)
The magic trick
- Click your heels together three times.
- Say, “There’s no place like home, especially one with a beta reader in it.”
Did a beta reader appear?
No?
Dang. I guess we’ll have to work a bit harder at it.
Make friends
I’ve written before that the best beta readers are often not close family members, and you’ll usually get the best results from fellow writers.
The simplest way to find good beta readers is to network with other writers.
Yes, I know that sounds like it might take more than 15 minutes to achieve, but think of all the fun you’ll have. And all the support and encouragement you’ll receive from other writers, who are the only ones who really know what this mental illness called Writing is all about. 😉
Making friends who are writers is a long-term investment in your writing career, as well as being socially rewarding.
Where can you meet other writers? Here are some ideas:
- Join a local writers group. In my town they tend to meet in libraries, and can be found listed on library websites. If you google “writers group” and the name of your town, you should get some options for what is available near you.
- Go to seminars and workshops for writers. Take the time to chat with people at coffee break time. If you “click” with someone, find out if they’d like to keep in touch and encourage each other as writers. They don’t have to live near you. There are plenty of technological ways these days to connect with people from afar.
- Join Twitter. I’ve written before about why Twitter is so useful for writers, but I now believe its greatest benefit is in helping writers meet other writers. You start by exchanging tweets, move to commenting on each other’s blogs, and in time some of these friendships develop to the point of email or Skype conversations. I’m not making this up. Two of my beta readers for my own novel Poison Bay were people I met on Twitter, and they provided excellent feedback that really strengthened the book.
- Visit writing blogs, and get to know other writers, including how they think, how they write, and what matters to them. As you comment on their posts, over time they may visit your blog and comment there, and sometimes friendships develop from those beginnings, especially when you share values and interests.
- Check out the presence of writers on your social network of choice. For example, LinkedIn has a lot of writing and publishing groups. Get to know people, and visit their blogs and websites.
- Don’t let geography stop you. Two of my beta readers live in another country. One is in another state. The one who is in my own city, I have not yet met in person!
How to approach people:
- Be real. Make genuine friendships. Don’t “case” people, to see if they might make a good beta reader, before you make friends. People can tell if you’re using them.
- Be patient. I knew my two Twitter friends for about a year before we asked each other for beta reads. (Yes, I know. You want it tomorrow. I’ve got some suggestions for the panic phase, below. But still pay attention to this concept, and start now to avert next year’s “I need a beta read” disaster.)
- Be generous. Help people if you have the skill and the time, even if they may never be able to help you back. That has value in and of itself as a worthwhile thing to do. It also makes you feel good and lifts your spirits. And sometimes the most surprising things come back to you (in a good way) in days, months and years to come.
The quick fix
Should I pay a beta reader?
Paying someone is not my first choice for a book critique, but it’s always a possibility if you are in a rush and you have the budget for it. Using a paid reviewer can also be valuable when you are writing a book as part of your business, and you need to move quickly to get it to market.
How do you find a paid beta reader? These are some options:
- Google ” manuscript critique “. (“Beta read” tends to be a term used more by writers amongst themselves. People who do it professionally are more like to call it “manuscript critique” or similar.)
- Go to LinkedIn and type ” manuscript critique ” in the search window up the top, select “people” from the drop down box to the left, and hit Enter/Return. You’ll get quite a list of people, descriptions of their abilities, and links to their websites.
But how do you know if you’re getting someone good?
I know one person I would gladly recommend to do a critique of a book, but her schedule is clogged 8 or 9 months in advance, she’s that good!
For a simple, easy-to-read explanation of ways to use writing feedback, check out my info page for Use the Power of Feedback to Write a Better Book
These are some possible ways to evaluate people who offer beta reads, structural edits, or manuscript reviews:
- Ask exactly what they are going to do, as you need to know what you’re getting for your money, and whether it suits your needs. A written report is ideal, so you have plenty of time to think it all through later, but a Skype session can also be valuable, especially if it’s in addition to the written report.
- Ask about the genres and styles they generally review.
- Read the person’s blog or study their website. Is their writing of good quality, and does it show insight into the book writing, publishing and reading process? If the writing and general quality of the blog is sloppy, I’d be very wary.
- Ask them for testimonials from authors who have used their services. Then do an online search to see what each writer’s work is like. Is it similar to yours? Or a completely different genre? You could even consider emailing the writers via their websites to find out if they were happy with the beta read they received. This will also allow you to find out if the testimonials were genuine!
- If you are able to get the titles of books for which they have done a beta report, you can chase down the book and read it, to see what you think. (Of course, if the book is rubbish, it may be that the writer didn’t do what the reviewer recommended, but at least it’s a start! And most beta readers/manuscript reviewers will only give you the names of books they are proud of.)
- You can also ask your writing friends who they may have used in the past. Word of mouth is often the best way to find one of these mysterious people.
- A little warning: brace yourself for the cost. It takes a long time for someone to read your book and then prepare helpful, intelligent comments on it. It’s often hard for many writers to afford, but it is appropriate for the reviewer to be compensated fairly for their time, as any other worker would be.
Other articles in this series:
Join the discussion! How have you met other writers? Any success with beta readers? If you’ve ever used a paid manuscript reviewer, how did you find them? Share your ideas.
I’m a bit late here, but wanted to say thanks for this series. For me, it is timely as I’m excited at the prospect of becoming a beta reader. At the moment I just have a little blog where I review audiobooks
I’m about to re-read your articles to get a little guidance,
Thanks again
Hi Bec, glad it’s helpful. Best wishes with the beta reading!
Anyone looking for a beta reader for YA fiction book, here I am.
My fiverr gig is linked below.
https://www.fiverr.com/zakblak/give-feedback-on-ya-book-14-years-old
Writing is ultimately a group effort. My book would have of been a shadow of itself if not for the people reading and giving feedback. But you’re right, a good one is essential. I’ve had beta readers whose only comment was they liked it, but couldn’t really express why.
Thanks AE, and I agree… my book is so much better thanks to the feedback of others. 🙂
Already made a similar post on your great piece What Makes a Good Beta Reader (and pinged it on my blog), but it seems relevant here so I repeat, I put up a bulletin board for beta readers and other publishing resources (www.betareader.us) and have over 400 readers ready and willing to go. What the board needs is more authors–so I’m trying to spread the word.
Pardon my saying so, but readers don’t necessarily need to be writers any more than a taste-tester needs to be a chef or a vintner. Any reasonably intelligent, thoughtful reader can tell you that the dialog falls flat, that the protagonist isn’t interesting, or more practical things such as that it’s impossible for Roger to be at the opera at the same time you’ve got him eating dinner with the suspect, that 42nd Street seems to have shifted from running North-South to East-West, that you’ve miscalculated the time difference between New York and London, or that you’ve used a colloquial or trade expression that few readers will understand.
Very true, Brian. It’s often simpler to ask fellow writers which is why I’ve tended to major on it in this article, but they are certainly not the only people who can provide useful feedback. I went into that topic in more detail in another post: https://smallbluedog.com/what-makes-a-good-beta-reader.html
Thanks for the reminder that it’s wise to keep an open mind about beta readers!
I understand the importance of beta readers who are also writers, but why should they be experienced authors? I would be considered a fledgling author, and to be quite frank, I don’t have opportunities to meet experienced authors just jumping out at me. (In fact, the nearest writers critique group meets an hour and a half away! I certainly wouldn’t consider them experienced, either.)
Would it not be a good idea to get several inexperienced writers to be Betas as opposed to limiting your responses simply because they aren’t veterans?
Thanks for all of the tips!
Hi Jen, thanks for your comment. I’m not quite sure which part of this article or comments you are reacting to. Was it something I said, or something another commenter said?
A couple of my own beta readers happen to be published, and I found it useful to be able to read their books to know their style and whether we might be a good fit for each other. But I wouldn’t be insisting anyone set that kind of requirement on a beta reader. It’s not practical and also overlooks the great skills many people have in providing useful critique.
However, if you are thinking of paying for a critique, I do think it’s very important that the paid beta reader can somehow show evidence of their experience and ability — not as an author but as a beta reader. If anyone wants to set themselves up to provide a paid beta service, I recommend they get testimonials from authors who have used them and whose books are now available to be read.
After reading my original comment again, I hope I didn’t sound hostile. I truly didn’t intend that. I guess I was responding more to the comments than the article itself. Namely, Deborah had mentioned being apprehensive about critique from those in the beginning stages of their careers.
I honestly only know and have the opportunity to meet others in the same stage as me. In that situation would it be better to try to have more people read it? Pay someone? I’m simply trying to understand why a person would be a bad choice since my options are so limited.
Again, I apologize for sounding rude. Perhaps I need a Beta reader for my blog comments, too. 🙂
Hi Jen, no I didn’t think you were being rude, I just wasn’t sure where I’d said a beta reader had to be an experienced author, because it’s not what I think and I was worried I’d given that impression! I hunted and couldn’t see it, and I wanted to respond to the thing that had triggered your thoughts. (often hard to remember what one has said…) 😉
Have you seen this other article of mine about what makes a good beta reader: https://smallbluedog.com/what-makes-a-good-beta-reader.html That’s an IDEAL (!) list of what makes a good beta reader, but by thinking it through carefully and adapting it to your own situation, it can help you figure out among the people that you know, who might be best at providing which kind of feedback.
I hear you, regarding the constraints of your own situation. Don’t be discouraged by what others may say about beta readers. Even inexperienced people can provide good feedback — often they have natural insight. I think the key to making the most of such feedback is a. briefing your readers carefully so they know what you are looking for and b. interpreting their responses carefully.
I do have some more articles coming about how to do both those things. It’s such a huge area, I can only tackle it a bit at a time!
The best thing of all is that you are keen to get feedback on your book. That shows that you are serious about your writing. Enjoy it! 🙂
Excellent post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely helpful info specially the last part 🙂 I care for such info a lot. I was seeking this certain information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
Hi Belinda. Thank you for writing these three extremely useful articles on beta readers. I’ve shared all three on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. I suggested a program for connecting writers with beta readers to the good librarians at Mechanics’ Institute Library, here in San Francisco. They love the idea. We’ll be looking into educating people who aren’t necessarily writers but love to read, as well as writers who might want to pair up as beta readers. I’d reached the stage where my writers’ group had seen my manuscript go through all kinds of growing pains and needed to find a fresh pair of eyes (or perhaps several fresh pairs) to look at the revision. I found your blog posts while researching “beta readers” which was a term I was vaguely familiar with, and needed to understand better before I sought one. I have two beta readers now. One is someone I’ve known for years from a book discussion group. The other is someone I met more recently at a talk for writers by a literary agent. Just wanted to share how things are working out for me since your articles were so helpful, and to say, thank you.
Hi Bettina, thanks so much for the feedback. It means a lot to me to know the posts have been helpful.
That’s really exciting what’s going on at your library! How wonderful if many more libraries could begin similar programs. Keep us posted on how well the program develops. Maybe they could share how they went about doing it. In fact, if it works out, I’d love to have a guest post from you about how it was set up, as that would help others out there to start similar programs in their local area.
Also, I hope your new beta reader relationships work out really well. Once you find a good beta reader, hang on to them! They are gold! 🙂
Hi Belinda, Deborah and Marianne,
Thanks for the great article and comments. A connection between author and readers is definitely important. We’re working on a solution for authors to find beta readers and build this connection. All of Belinda’s tips are awesome – the question is: how to do you join them together as a beta reading community to make a great book?
We call it ‘reader request’. It lets authors share a URL of their book draft, and readers can request an invite into the draft. Authors check the user profile and decide who they let in. When a beta reader is accepted in, they can comment on any paragraph in the book to give contextual feedback.
I’d love your feedback on the approach – and if you think it’s useful for growing your community of beta readers 🙂 Guy
Hi Guy,
I think any site that connects writers and readers for this purpose can become a useful resource. There are a number of author bloggers out there who start such threads, plus Goodread groups, and all such have potential for marrying up mutually productive partnerships.
My only question always (as I said above) is how the author can be sure of the quality of the beta reader’s input. When you say ‘check the user profile’, just what information is that profile going to provide?
To me, that’s always the sticking point.
Hi Deborah,
Thanks for the suggestions 🙂 I think it’s best to give readers both objective data (statistics on usage, what is read, what isn’t read) as well as subjective data (likes/dislikes, comments) so the author can interpret the feedback.
Quality of beta readers is an important issue. The user’s profile will show recent comments on other author’s books, plus statistics like the total number of comments. The idea is to build a positive feedback loop of constructive feedback.
Hi Guy,
That sounds promising.
Clearly the biggest part is going to be getting started – getting those first comments, reviews etc so there is something for authors to see, but as there are authors at all stages of their careers out there, I’m sure you’ll find some willing to take the initial plunge. Seems to be what a lot of people want, and I dare say once it gets up and running, it will be in demand.
Good luck with it and keep us posted.
Deborah
It’s an intriguing concept, Guy, and good on you for trying to find a solution. I wonder though if it might end up being an addition to the beta reader system, rather than a replacement for it.
It all depends on who it draws. I’m very very very picky about my beta readers. Was that enough verys? 😉 I tend to want to select and approach them, rather than be approached.
But for those who haven’t a clue who to approach, it may well provide an alternative… Keep us posted on how the project goes!
Hi Marianne
I agree with you that some readers are great at critique… it all depends on the person, as we are continually seeing in our work day by day. And conversely, being a writer is no guarantee that a person will be good at critique. It’s such a very subjective area, all a-swirl with possibilities and pitfalls!
You obviously have great beta readers, judging by the quality of your books, so that’s some hard evidence that “readers” can make good betas too! (Unless of course it’s entirely due to your natural brilliance.) 😉
Thanks for visiting again and for your great comments (and the compliments *blushes* 🙂 )
Hi Belinda
Another great, really helpful post from you. I agree with everything you say here, especially the bit about the importance of developing a good relationship with your beta readers. Trust is everything – and usually you only know who to trust to do a good job by having a relationship with them and through trial and error – it is so easy to forget that. As you (and Deborah) have just said, finding a good beta takes time. Your post is a great summary of what is involved – and a great reminder. The only thing I would add is that if writers can’t find a fellow writer for a beta, they could maybe think about using a “reader”. My beta readers are readers. It has taken a few years to end up with two/three, whose opinion I trust. Of course, as you rightly say, Belinda, I don’t take on all their suggestions, but they have a great feel for where the novel is working and where it is not working and, usually, they highlight the very bits that I have been feeling unsure about. Their input is invaluable and worth the wait. Thanks again 🙂
Hi Deborah, so true, it’s hard work finding the right people. With my beta readers, I even had the benefit of reading the published books of a couple of them before asking for the critique, so that was a help!
I do agree though that even those less experienced writers you mention can give us the “reader response” aspect of a critique. In these cases, it’s especially important to weigh up their comments, and not just do everything they suggest. But it can definitely show you what may be confusing for readers, and that’s always handy to know.
Hopefully those people you’ve invested time in have grown as writers through the process, and in the future they’ll be able to help others because of it, and maybe even help you too. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, and I wish you well in your writing career!
Hi Belinda,
I’ve seen lots of people start threads for finding beta readers, and I’ve gone that route a couple of times myself. I just find it’s a bit hit or miss as to the quality of the reader you get.
I don’t mean to sound condescending, because I’m really grateful for the time people have put into reading my work and coming back with comments, it’s just that when I’ve done a return crit, I find more often than not that they are still at a very early stage of their own writing careers, so it leaves me somehwat lacking in confidence over the thoroughness of their crits.
At least it gives me their reactions as a reader, and that’s ultimately valuable too.
I’ve never used (and wouldn’t use) a paid service – unless I was getting professional editing. I’m lucky to belong to a cracking good writer’s group (we’re all published authors), but I feel the need for beta readers too, as the group see the work during its developmental stages and know it too well by the time its ready to be read in its entirety.
So I guess what I’m saying is that it takes time and trials to find really good beta readers – and when you’ve got them, don’t let go!
Why is there no way to post a comment on here unless we hit reply on someone’s post? Anyway sorry but… are you serious? Asking random people to read your novel? Why isn’t anyone talking about the obvious???? How easy it is for them to STEAL your entire book & publish it themselves!!! HELLOO!!! i finished my 1st novel & found a beta who fits my niche. I asked him for a $5000 deposit, Should he steal it, I can then hire an attorney. I haven’t heard back yet. Think I will?
Hi Common Sense – that’s one of the reasons I don’t ask “random” people to read my work. 🙂 I choose them very carefully. More details in this post: https://smallbluedog.com/the-brutal-truth-about-beta-readers.html
Also, the comment box is at the bottom of the list of comments. It’s a long scroll I know, once the discussion gets underway. Thanks for stopping by.