How much have you paid for beta reading?

[Quantum]

I haven't seen any metrics on standard or market paid rates for beta reading. Do you know of any? (I have seen standard rates for editing.)

Barring any reputable stats, I thought it would be a good idea for the group to compile its own data on market paid rates for beta reading.

Bearing in mind that the quality and scope of beta reading have wide variances, it would be worthwhile to see what others are paying. After all, true knowledge is power. Perhaps, at a later time--and depending on the response to the current informal survey--we might have undertake to have more detailed data collection covering the aforementioned areas.

Questions
1) How much have you paid for beta reading per standard ms page (250 words/page)?
2) When was that beta reading performed (month and year is fine)?

Notes:
* We want real data--not what beta readers are saying they will charge.
* We are not concerned about the quality of the beta read because that is more subjective.

Results
I'll compile the results into a google sheet and share it with all of you.

Deadline
Let's complete the data collection by the end of the month, 31 January 2018.

[Cat]

As a pro-beta, I'm particularly interested in how this shakes out. As an author, I've paid around .001 per word.

Some beta readers run promotional offers from time to time.

[Keith]

All together, I've had 62 readers for 3 novels. I paid 24 readers, ranging from $22US to $150 with a mean of $40 and an average of $18.75. The novels were all between 75-80K.

[Rita]

I have been paid a rate of $0.001 per word to do beta reading last December. I have experience in proofreading and editing, and the writer I was working on recognized that and chose to pay me.
I will say, however, that most writers (or most writers I've come across) don't think that paying their beta readers is fair. I've been told that beta reading should be done for free because it's a hobby.

[Keith]

I don't ask to be paid when I beta read (over 100 books and short stories by 90 authors) because I feel that gives me the flexibility to say I'm not being grabbed and passing on it. I've been told I give good feedback by many authors and a number have asked me to read sequels or other works, so I feel I'm contributing something.

But the main reason I'm not asking to be paid is I already have a good job and this isn't how I make a living (though I'd sure like to). Also, I learn a lot from reading other authors. That being said, I'm happy to pay beta readers because I know a number of them do this as a way to make a living. If they give me great value for my dollar, I remember and ask them again for future work.

If people can't or won't to pay, they should be up front about that and not harangue people who are trying to earn a living doing something they love.

[Rita]

Keith wrote: "I don't ask to be paid when I beta read (over 100 books and short stories by 90 authors) because I feel that gives me the flexibility to say I'm not being grabbed and passing on it. I've been told ..."

I agree with the points you made! For a lot of us, freelancing and beta reading is how we make an income or make ends meet.
I always request five chapters as a sample, that way I can decide whether it is my style or not.

[Jesslyn]

I've been paid between $.001 and $.0015 per word for beta reading, depending on how heavy the feedback was. I used to charge closer to $.008 per word, but I ended up coming to the conclusion that I wasn't making enough money for the effort I'd put into the novels.

[M.K.]

I've always exchanged beta reading. This is new information to me. I belong to writers' groups, but for some reasonl, after writing for years, I've never heard from paid beta readers unless they were "going to make my book a best seller."

Think there needs to be some way of linking real commentator with writers needing a second opinion.

[Jay]

$90 for a ~100K novel.

I see the merit in paying for at least one structured beta read where the reader not just reads and gives some generic comments, but actually provides thoughtful impressions of each chapter.

We all know how hard it is to get people we know to give feedback beyond the cursory "yeah, I liked this / this could be better" to a more substantial commentary on plot, character, pacing.

I will probably not pay for more beta reads but certainly see the value in one good quality review.

[J.D.]

Later this month when my editor is finished with my thriller, I'll be looking for beta readers to give it a final read.

I'm happy to compensate them for their time, because I don't think authors should just expect beta readers to read for the sheer love of it (although it's wonderful when they do).

My question is: If you pay some beta readers, is that unfair to beta readers who agree to read your manuscript for free? Or do beta readers think it's fine if some get a fee while others don't?

[Keith]

I don't charge, yet I'm happy to pay when I think there's a good fit, so I doubt it makes a difference.

[J.D.]

Makes sense, thanks!

[Annie]

I'm new to beta reading here, but (as a long-time reader of student work in college English) there is a tipping point where you wonder "When do I get to work on my own stuff?" I can see swapping for short amounts, but an entire manuscript is a big ask ... $.001 seems affordable but is a modest acknowledgment of the reader's time.

[Keith]

In my mind, ask what makes it worth your time. If they pass, you've lost nothing, if they accept, you're getting paid what you feel your work is worth.

I attach a very high hourly rate to my free time, but I also enjoy reading and like to give back to the community, so decided (to my wife's chagrin, from time to time) to read for free. I don't mind paying, but I also make a comfortable living. I see paying for reading as another way to support the community.

I've had people ask for several hundred to beta read (usually turned down that much, but often because my boss (wife) would give me hell for paying that much) and I've paid (as mentioned above) as much as $150 and felt I underpaid for the feedback I got.

I estimate I read around 10K words/hour, so that translates to 10 hours for a 100K book. $10 an hour is barely minimum wage (here in the US, anyway), so $100 for a beta read is not, in my mind, outrageous, as long as I get detailed and actionable feedback. But not all readers provide that sort of feedback, so it becomes a bit of a gamble on the first go 'round.

Swapping or being critique partners is different, but finding good partners is hard. And sometimes finding volunteer readers can be challenging, particularly if you're not good at writing blurbs. Sometimes it just makes more sense to pay several readers and pool their feedback.

[James]

I traded manuscripts with two beta readers and their feedback was helpful and insightful, but it didn't really address the problems I had. After my third draft, I paid a professional beta reader. she charged by the word. My novel is only 52,000 words, so it came to about $75.

It was well worth the money. I received a detailed analysis and it really helped the structural problems I had. I couldn't recommend her work highly enough.

I won't spam the site with her website, but if you want to know how to contact her, feel free to message me.

[Jesse]

The one I normally use when I pay for it is $5.00 for up to 15,000 words. Well worth the money as well, it's pretty quality work.

[Douglas]

Alex wrote: "I haven't seen any metrics on standard or market paid rates for beta reading. Do you know of any? (I have seen standard rates for editing.)

Barring any reputable stats, I thought it would be a goo..."

[Douglas]

I paid Cleaver $25 each for several private short story (3K words) reviews. Their critiques were strong and helpful, pulling no punches. The $25 was to speed up the review process (valuable to me) as well as (in my opinion) to promote a valuable service for authors. I paid $40 each for five book reviews (again to speed the process) and received happy reviews (made me feel good) with very few private criticisms that helped. I may be off, but I love criticism that helps me see my blind spots, and I would happily pay for it. I would be reluctant to pay for feel good reviews that blow smoke up my pants legs.