Working with Beta Readers by Amanda Shofner

July 30, 2014

Is there a better feeling in the world than writing “The End” in your manuscript? It’s a moment to be celebrated: you’ve done it. You’ve written and completed an entire book. Not everyone can say they have.

But you’re not finished. No, not even after you wrap up your self-edits.

It’s time to pass your manuscript off to beta readers — volunteers who provide feedback on your book. If you’re thinking about skipping this stage and just hitting “Publish,” you might want to reconsider.

Why beta readers?

Software companies release beta, or test, versions of their programs to work out kinks and bugs before releasing to the general public. Businesses offer beta versions of their courses so they can tweak the content to ensure it serves the needs of their students.

Authors need beta readers to understand how people read their book and, like software companies and businesses, to identify confusing or irrelevant spots. Every author has weaknesses. You do too — but you’re blind to them.

Beta readers won’t be. And soliciting feedback from beta readers is your chance to address the weak spots of your manuscript before you publish and share it with the world.

Who you want as a beta reader?

As easy as it is to get them to help, best friends, significant others and family members are the worst beta readers. They know and love you, so they’re predisposed to loving whatever you write — no matter how good it is. While you might enjoy their glowing comments on your work, it won’t be the feedback you need to improve your manuscript.

Here’s who you want to enlist:

  • An acquaintance or a friend of a friend. People close to you can muddle through confusing sections or sentences to guess what you meant. That won’t give you useful feedback. Pick someone who doesn’t know you well enough to figure out your meaning.
  • A member of your target audience. If your book doesn’t resonate with your readers, you’re not going to sell copies.
  • Someone who’s not afraid to be honest. You need positive andconstructive feedback.
  • Someone who’s reliable. This seems obvious, but people can overcommit. Be conscientious of your betas’ time and priorities.

You need more than one beta reader. There’s no set number, but three to five is a good start. If you’re bootstrapping your book, find even more betas: good beta readers can mean forgoing the cost of a developmental editor.

After you have an idea of who you want, it’s time to find them. Look at your network. Reach out to people already in your community who fit the criteria. Consider posting in writing groups or on your social media channelsDon’t be afraid to ask. Many people will be honored you want their help.

How do you prepare your manuscript for betas?

Even though betas help you edit, that doesn’t mean you can skip the self-editing step. Your betas can only raise the quality of your manuscript, not perfect it. That means you need to hit all types of editing (developmental, copy and proofreading) before handing it off to them.

As you edit, create a “needs-to-be-fixed” list. It might be something like “add character” or “move section to a different chapter” or “add description to opening scene.” Ask your betas to pay close attention to these items because they’ll be able to determine whether you’re on the right track — or not.

When you get ready to hand your manuscript over, ask your betas which format they prefer. Microsoft Word lends itself best to receiving feedback because it’s easy to add and delete comments, and most people have access to the program. Even if you prefer not to write in Word, converting to .doc fromScrivener or Google docs is simple. Some readers may prefer a hard copy, especially if your manuscript is long. Make it easy for them — they aredonating their time to help you.

If you send Word documents, create and save a document for each person. Give it a specific name, like ManucriptNameBetaReader’sName.doc. You can merge these documents into one, but when you start incorporating edits and throwing everything together, it’s easy to accidentally delete a comment you need. If you preserve the originals with comments individually as well, you’ll be able to recover any lost feedback.

What do you want from your betas?

Feedback, yes. But don’t be vague: give your betas clear instructions about what feedback you need.

Remember that “needs-to-be-fixed” list you created during self-edits? Use that to guide what you need from your betas. Here’s a basic formula for instructions:

  • Have betas comment with their thoughts as they read, even if it’s to say, “Ooh, I like this” or to make predictions about what will happen next. This shows you how people read your book.
  • Specify what kind of feedback you’re looking for. My betas looked for:
  • Areas they felt were missing something or weren’t developed enough
  • Sections or scenes superfluous to the story
  • Any part of the story, dialogue, or narrative they didn’t understand or found confusing
  • The flow and pace of the chapters
  • Ask them to focus on certain aspects of your book. My manuscript had weak worldbuilding, so I had them pay close attention to it.
  • Tell them to supply “whys,” not “shoulds.” “I’m confused here because…” or “I don’t like this because…” will be more helpful than “You should do…” statements.
  • Set a due date. But build in cushion — if you want it back in three weeks, tell them you need it in two.

How do you deal with feedback (without freaking out)?

It’s both exhilarating and terrifying to share something you’ve poured effort into. What if they hate it? The trick to dealing with feedback without freaking out is your mindset. Here’s what you need to remember:

  • Your goal is to make your book better, and you can’t do that without constructive criticism.
  • Your betas are nice people who want to help you write a better book, not tear you down.
  • Having something to fix doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer or that your book isn’t worth publishing.
  • You don’t have to accept every piece of advice you get.
  • You can do it.

Dealing with beta feedback is where many writers give up. Don’t be one of them. Sorting through feedback — especially if it’s conflicting advice — gets overwhelming quickly. I had more than 500 beta comments on my novel. Cue the panic!

When you feel that panic and overwhelm — and you will — stop and take a deep breath. Remember: this isn’t about you; it’s about your book. They’re not the same. Pull your ego out of the equation and focus on writing the best book possible.

http://thewritelife.com/ultimate-guide-to-beta-readers/

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