What is a beta reader? Have you used them, fee-based or free?

[Quantum]

A brief opinion from the venerable SFWA. Along with the rise of self-publishing, fee-based author services, beta reading being one of them, have also sprung up, seemingly overnight.

Has this article neglected to change with the times in that beta reading is now a valid--in that a level of competency and value is provided that justifies a fee in the marketplace--fee-based service?

Have you paid for beta reading? Did you think that it was more of a critique by a professional editor? What is a critique? Did you think you got your money's worth? Other thoughts?

Beta readers aren’t professionals. You don’t hire them, and they don’t charge you any money (though they may ask you to read their manuscript in return). Recently, however, a growing number of freelance editors have started offering “beta reading” services for a fee. In fact, what such services are selling is not beta reading at all, but a paid critique. There’s nothing wrong with that, as long whoever’s providing the service is competent–but associating a term that already has an established meaning with a moneymaking service is at best confusing, and at worst misleading.

If you want to buy a critique, buy a critique. If you want a beta reader, find someone who won’t ask you to haul out your wallet. (For suggestions on how to do that, see this helpful article from author M.K. Weiland.) [Here's the URL to the referenced article: http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthor...]

(http://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/f...)

[Graeme]

You might as well go the whole hog and buy an editor.

[Philip]

Graeme wrote: "You might as well go the whole hog and buy an editor."

Agreed. Beta readers offer a reader's view of the story. Their reward is the free story.

[Andrea]

Beta readers are and should always be free, like reviewers. They are brought in to be readers and nothing more, and their feedback is typically that of a reader. They give their reactions and thoughts, but they aren't editors.

But I think paid beta readers, while badly titled, can serve a useful function if they actually have some editing abilities along the lines of book coaching (something I do alongside my own writing) or developmental editing. Authors sometimes need more than just a reaction. They need some creative options based on marketing trends, their genre, their story, characters, plot, etc., and sometimes, brainstorming by yourself isn't enough. A good, observant coach or editor can go beyond proofreading and help you flesh out the vision of the story (otherwise, we shouldn't be getting paid).

And I think editors shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Some money, yes, as time and work is involved, but realistically, independently published books may not make hundreds and hundreds of dollars for the writer. Why should they make that for the editor or "paid" beta reader? There should be a balance between "I believe in my story enough to pay for help" and "the help is making more money than I am."

[Lizzie]

As a beta reader, some authors provide a list of questions. I only answer those I feel qualified to do so. I can't tell someone how to fix their book or where the story should go. I can tell them if I got lost along the way, if a female character should have been stronger to fill a role, and where I started feeling sleepy.

[Quantum]

Lizzie wrote: "As a beta reader, some authors provide a list of questions. I only answer those I feel qualified to do so. I can't tell someone how to fix their book or where the story should go. I can tell them i..."

That sounds like the efforts of a conscientious and effective beta reader.