Beta Readers

Kat Howard posted recently about her beta readers, and so I thought I would add my thoughts, as OOP3 is off being beta read right now and I got some of the same questions.

In general, I am right on board with her thoughts: my beta readers are either writers or accomplished readers with whom I’ve had in-depth discussions on writing and story and stuff in the past. Certain writers are better at certain aspects of critique; I have friends who are great with plot, others who are great with voice, others who are quick to point out story problems, and so on.

I also don’t send out to a whole lot of beta readers. From the responses of the handful I have, I get a pretty good idea of what’s working with the story and what isn’t. More people would either reinforce or confuse those results. I don’t think there is an optimal number, other than “as many people as will read your story and will give you useful feedback up to the amount of feedback you can realistically process.” My writing group is five other people; I have a couple other reliable readers outside the group and a handful of writing friends who are intermittently available. Among that group, all of whom I have either known and shared writing with for years or spent a grueling writing workshop with, I can usually find enough people available to give me a good, useful amount of feedback.

So thank you for your offer to be beta readers. It’s a heavy responsibility and a fair amount of work, and if you can do it for your friends, I’m sure they will be eternally grateful.