I am a professional editor and a beta reader, but today I am going to talk to you about only beta reading. Self-publishing has been on a rise and for mostly the right reasons. And when you are the all-in-all in the process of your manuscript getting published, there are aspects you need to be critically careful of. Like, editing. There are various stages of editing out there and every author will have their requirements.
Self-publish or not, your storyline needs to be perfect. There cannot be loopholes in the plot, ill-defined characters, or aimless rambling that will prove to be a turn-off to your agent, publisher, and readers. Ideally, an extensive professional edit will take care of everything that needs to be, in your manuscript. However, it is a fact even I cannot deny that not everybody might have the budget for extensive editing. Beta reading helps in such cases. Getting proper direction for the story will elevate it and increase the readability of your story.
Also Read: Four Things Everyone Who Wants To Be An Author Must Do
Who is an alpha reader?
Alpha readers are people who are reading your manuscript while it is being written or just after it’s been completed. They read it in the stage where it hasn’t been edited, even by you. It’s the raw manuscript that they read and give you their feels. They usually are not experts in the industry, but as readers they can give you valuable feedback based on their reading experience. Alpha and beta readers are not to be confused. A beta reader reads your work after you have worked upon the feedback given by your alpha reader(s).
Who is a beta reader?
A beta reader could be a professional, or your author friend, or even your sibling who reads. While the first will charge you for the work, the services of the latter two would be free of cost. A professional will, of course, give you your money’s worth, there are no two ways about it. But what is your money’s worth?
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A beta reader will:
* Assess your story for loopholes,
* Find all time, event, and character mismatches, and drag them out,
* Separate the wheat from the chaff, and tell you what you have done right, and what you need to get rid of, and
* Act as the floor test for your book and give you an idea of how it will work with actual readers.
What is the best way to find the best beta reader?
Two of the best ways to find a beta reader would be either to dig through your social media network or talk to your author friends. Most of my clients come to me from word of mouth. If an author recommends an editor/beta reader/proofreader they have worked with earlier, you can take their word. Connect with the person and find out what their deliverables are. If the beta reader is also an editor, check if they have any service where beta reading and editing are together. For instance, advanced editing that I provide includes extensive editing as well as a critique of the manuscript.
Also Read: The Why & How Of The Oft Dreaded Self-Editing
Working With Beta Readers
If you have hired a beta reader, there will be deliverables from your end and theirs, apart from the financial aspect.
Your deliverable:
You will be giving them the manuscript in their desired format. Usually it’s in .doc or .docx formats. What you need to remember at this point is to not send your beta reader the first draft. The first draft should be read by nobody other than you. After you have finished writing your manuscript, step away from it. Come back to it a week later, and perform the first edit. This step is very crucial because this is where you will be noticing things you don’t want to remain in the city, make changes, even probably add something.
Your first draft has been about putting your ideas to papers. Now comes a time for you to refine the story and present the best you can at your end. Of course, it wouldn’t be properly edited yet. When your beta-reader gets your manuscript, it needs to be the version you are the happiest with.
Also Read: 7 Reasons Why Every Book Needs A Good Editor
Beta-reader’s deliverable:
The beta reader will read your manuscript from cover to cover and make notes while reading it. I’ll tell you what I do. While reading, I make notes at two places. One, on the document, in comment boxes. And, the other in my notebook. The former has observations that occur while reading. These are reactions, questions, etc that might arise while reading. Some of them get answered while I read ahead, while a few others remain unanswered. I delete the comment boxes I have found answers to and leave the other behind for the author to see and address.
The notes I add to my notebook are the ones I elaborate on and send back to the author. These are observations of loopholes, character development, unnecessary babbling, etc. So in short, my authors get two levels of feedbacks.
But, remember:
Don’t take the feedback personally. Firstly, you asked for it. Secondly, there might be the feedback you don’t agree with in which case, discuss it with your beta reader. It’s quite possible that what was pointed is your blind spot since you have written the story. Happens to the best of us! The very idea between getting your story critiqued by a beta reader is so that publishers and readers don’t deliver the same critique and reject your book. The criticism is of the manuscript and not you, so remember to keep your sentiments aside and take the feedback constructively.
A beta reader is there to help make your book better. Work as a team and improve the story based on the feedbacks you receive. Accepting every feedback is not a compulsion, the beta reader could be wrong sometimes. But I would strongly suggest that you consider every feedback and have conversations around what you don’t agree with.
All the best with your book! Let me know in the comments section if you have any other queries on this topic and I’ll update the reply on this post.
If you are looking for an excellent manuscript editor, someone to create content for your business, or an expert to help build your personal or professional brand on social media, then look no further and connect with me at editor@samarpita.in I can be followed on instagram at @samarpita and on twitterat @samarpitadotin.
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Read my ebook WRITE. EDIT. PROMOTE. to learn the basics about becoming an author – from writing your own book, to editing your first draft, and to promoting your book yourself! You can also read my ebook How To Write A Story Effectively and learn some valuable lessons about how a story can go from average to extraordinary. This book is part 1 of the series.
In fiction, I have two short stories for children in an ebook called Bedtime Stories.
