Beta Reader Group discussion
Standard practices for Beta readers
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The best recommendation that I can give an author is to remember that a beta reader is not getting paid to read your book. They are generally offering their services for free to be helpful to an author or/and to get a free book to read. Keeping that in mind, authors should be very respectful of that beta reader's time and not be pushy. But they should clearly communicate what they are looking for from that beta reader such as the following items:1) Provide a reasonable deadline so that the beta reader can know when you expect their feedback. For example, expecting feedback in less than a week is too soon.
2) Send them a questionairre/comments sheet that includes the main questions you would like them to answer about their reading experience. Also provide them with space to list the issues they had with your book. Make sure to ask follow-up questions when necessary.
3) Lower your expectations. Since beta readers are generally not professionals (critics, reviewers, editors), don't expect them to be able to deconstruct your book like an editor would. Carefully consider their comments. Pay close attention to areas of your book where they say they are experiencing confusion. If your beta reader has issues about an element in your book, you can bet other readers are going to have that same feeling as well. On the other hand, don't take everything they say as Gospel. It's your work after all and you have the final say on its contents.
4) Don't expect beta readers to edit your manuscript for you. If they want to mention any grammatical errors they notice (punctuation, spelling, etc.) fine. But editing a manuscript is labor intensive and requires a tremendous amount of skill. There's a reason writers pay editors to "doctor" their books. In fact, no editing is sometimes better than bad editing.
As a beta-reader here's what I say to the authors who give me their work.1) If I can't start it right away I will tell you (roughly) how long I expect it to be before I can. I WILL always over-estimate so you are happy when I get to your book quicker than you expect me to.
2) I tell you exactly when I've started.
3) I tell you exactly when I've finished.
4) I log my comments, observations, grammar issues, corrections/proofing in the order I read it. I send you all those as I wrote them so you get how your book made me feel as a human being whilst reading it. I then add anything else as comments after that.
5) I offer my feedback openly and honestly, you as the writer are free to disagree and ignore anything or everything I have said.
I also freely offer Kevis as a reference. If anyone can openly comment on getting the "me" experience in full then it's him. Ask him anything. His responses may scare some people off ;-P
If you still aren't nervous after knowing all that, and have horror or sf (of any type) you want someone to look at so closely their eyes will cross from being too near then I'm your beta.
Everyone is different when it comes to Beta reading and as a rule I say it's always important, as the author, to state what kind of feedback you're looking for and, as a Beta, state what kind of feedback you tend to give. Some are RAW - so to speak.When I was looking around for beta's a while ago I came across "The Diplomatic Critiquer" on the critters workshop and I have to say, as a Beta reader, I try my best to meet these standards!
http://www.critters.org/c/diplomacy.ht
What are considered "standard practices" for beta readers?
What is good Beta reader etiquette?
What is good etiquette for an author using the services of a Beta reader?
If possible I'll try to keep an abbreviated running list in Comment #2.