Beta Readers and Phases of Manuscript Development

Is your book ready for a beta reader? Let’s discuss the phase of your manuscript…

I’ve been a beta reader for some time, and many people who ask me to beta read their work are not yet at the stage where it’s ready. So, depending on the manuscript’s development phase, there are different ways to approach it, especially if you are seeking to pay for a service to help. (Yes, professional beta readers are a thing!)

Here is my approach to manuscript development and when to engage different kinds of people for particular types of feedback.

These are my interpretations of the different phases of manuscript development. Others may have different interpretations, so use what is best for you. My process works for me, and that is what I share here.

Phases of manuscript development

Write the story—The author writes a complete story. The output is typically a rough draft, but they get the whole thing down on paper (or computer file.) A complete story has a start, a middle, and an end.
Self-Editing—The author edits their own work. They refine the rough draft through self-editing into a first or maybe a second draft. Depending on how much effort is put into self-editing, it could be a third draft, but the author should not get stuck in a never-ending self-editing loop.
Peer Critique—Typically, when the manuscript is out of the rough draft and maybe after a self-edit or two, an author can circle their work for peer critique. Peer critique is when others (typically works best with other writers) help an author review their work and go through different technical aspects of writing. Maybe they help with basic edits, i.e., obvious spelling and grammar issues. Perhaps they can identify various plot, POV, voice, tense, character, and setting issues. The manuscript at this phase most likely requires more development. This usually can produce a second or third draft beyond the self-editing draft. 

NOTE:

There are various ways to participate in peer critique: You can sign up for a peer critique website, such as Critique Circle or Scribophile (see footnote below), or join an in-person critique exchange group, such as one at a local library.

However, it is critical to understand that the output from peer critique websites or any peer critique relationship, which may include several rounds of peer critique resulting in edits and manuscript updates, does not mean a manuscript is ready to publish. It’s just further along in the manuscript development process.

Alpha Reader — The author sends copies of the manuscript to friends and family who typically are not authors. This phase helps tell an author how well a true reader’s perception is and what works or doesn’t work, what makes sense, what is unclear, etc., from a reader’s perspective. This typically doesn’t identify technical issues of the writing craft but the perception of a consumer reading a book. Some don’t go through alpha readers at all, but it can provide valuable insight to an author.
Beta Reader — The beta readers don’t generally perform a regular peer-type critique; that should happen earlier in the manuscript development process. Instead, beta readers aim to provide feedback to the author and validate that the story’s plot makes sense. They identify plot holes, evaluate pacing, identify character inconsistencies, and help to validate that the required parts of a story (such as exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denouement) are present and occur at the at reasonable places in the manuscript.
Professional Editing—An author either works with their agent/publisher’s editor or hires a professional editor to edit their work and revise it to a polished stage, ready for publication.
ARC Reader—At this phase, the manuscript is nearly finished. Here, the author solicits a pre-release review in exchange for an “advance reader copy, i.e., ARC.” Not much editing/polishing is needed at this point—mainly tweaking small items for that final polish before the manuscript is sealed for publishing.

I have been approaching it this way: When would I engage a beta reader? First, I would ensure my manuscript is ready as described above. Sending a manuscript to a beta reader prematurely can waste much time (and money if a paid professional beta reader is hired.)

I’m more likely to accept a beta read request if the author can honestly state that their entire manuscript has undergone several rounds of self-editing and peer critique.

Footnote

Critique Circle – www.critiquecircle.com

Scribophile – www.scribophile.com