Questions for finding and using Beta Readers

[Gina]

I'm new to all of this. I've just finished writing and developmental editing my first novel. I need Beta readers but I'm not sure where to begin. I have a few questions.
1. What format should I put the book it? I've got a read only link to Reedsy and 1 reader doing a paper copy. What's the safest and most preferred method for beta readers?

2. Should I complete a closer grammar edit first? I'm working on an edit focusing on grammar but I wanted to wait until I heard from Betas to know if I needed to make more changes (and do another grammar edit)

3. Should I provide a short list of questions or items I want to them focus on or just let them go at it?

4. How do I know if I've got the right reader?

Sorry if this is a lot and thank you in advanced for any advice.

[C.]

Hi,
Hopefully, these answers help reassure you.
1) format - ask the beta reader and what they say. Some might be open to being flexible, others might specify their preference. Go with it where you can. If there is a format you can’t do, let them know what you can.
2) -4 I have to post separately as I can’t read or remember what they were.

[C.]

Questions 2 - 4

2) Grammar - yes, if you ask them.
To me, beta reading is reviewing the story, structure and characters. More of a general approach.
Editing can be done at a later stage through an editor.

3) Yes, if you want.

4) what Ruth? What do you mean by this?

From
Caroline

[C.]

Looks like I need an editor :)
Right is what I meant for the last one. What do you mean by right?

[Gina]

Thank you!

Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not exactly sure By what I mean by "right". I saw some posts about concerns about readers never contacting them back. I guess I meant one that will finish it and communicate if they don't.

Also, I went and checked my original post thinking I'd written Ruth instead of Right. Isn't autocorrct fun?

[S.]

Hello,

As a paid beta reader, I might be able to help you here. :-)

1. I personally like paperback copies when I beta read. However, I have also beta read books in PDF and Word Document formats. It all comes down to what works best for both you and the reader at the time. Note: beta readers work in different ways. Some like to comment directly on the work itself with digital comments or margin notes. Others like to write down their findings in a separate document, like myself. The best way to do this looks something like:
Page 86, paragraph 4, sentence 3: Omit the excess speech tag; we already know who is speaking.

2. Grammar errors and typos distract greatly from a story. If you give a beta reader a book that contains a large number of errors, that is what they are going to focus on the most. The less grammatical errors in the book, the more the beta reader will be able to focus on improving the storyline itself.

3. It doesn't hurt to ask specific questions about things that you are concerned about.
"Does this character come off as needy/whiny/ungrateful/shallow/malcontented/etc.?"
"How far into the story did you get before you figured out the mystery/twist?"
"Were the characters believable?"
However, a very long list of questions may not be the best idea unless you want that to be all the readers focus on. They should feel free to pick up on other things that you might have missed, as well.

4. Check the reviews of potential beta readers. Are they thorough? Do they contain vast amounts of errors? Do they review frequently? Do they seem to enjoy books that are similar to the one you want them to beta read? The answers to these questions can really help you to know if they're the right readers for you.

[My_every_day_chilling]

1 - Hi, as an experienced Beta reader I would say a digital format where the beta reader can leave notes and suggestions for the author would be best. If it's an online document (like Google Doc, etc.), the author can see the notes as the beta reader does her job. If it's a file send for the reader to work offline (like Word Doc), notes can be made all the same, but the author only gets to see them when the beta reader sends the document back to the author.

2- I would definitely say you should not allow editing on the document. A beta reader is not there to edit the manuscript but make suggestions, so the author can change what he/she wants to change and get the book ready for his/her editor. So I ask my authors to disable the edit function. It's easier to keep track of what needs to be changed. If I go ahead and edit the doc, the author will definitely loose track.
Sometimes there are so many suggestions and changes to be made, in the end I ask to be sent a "clean" document with all the changes made, so I can beta read again and make sure everything is covered.

3 - Definitely provide a list of what you would like the Beta reader to look out for. We will look out for those and all the others we normally do too. When an author asks for special attention on some things, these things will go down on my report for her too (if they weren't something I usually write about).

4 - It may be hard to get the right beta reader for you. But we beta readers normally make book reviews too, so try and see how the reader reviews books. And make sure the reader is into the genre you wrote about. Give the reader trigger warnings, all the tropes the book has. This should help the reader decide if he/she is the right reader for your book. And if you know the reader has worked with other authors, ask them for their opinion.

Hope this helps.

[Sara]

would you be able to help me find a beta reader not sure if this allowed but i could use some help

[Fiza]

Hi, Sara. There's a different discussion board for finding beta readers, but if you're new to this, it's alright. I'm a beta reader myself and would love to help you with this. Feel free to drop in my inbox or you can reach me at
✉️fizaabbas.562@gmail.com

[Gina]

Thank you S. Daisy and My_every_day-chilling.

So, practically, talk to them and see what they prefer for formatting, finish my second grammar edit, and be very specific on what's in it.

[J.R.]

I've been doing volunteer beta reads for a few years. I'm also a published author, so I've approached this from both sides. :)

1. As to format, I would aim to be as flexible as possible - especially if you're looking for volunteer beta readers. Beta reading is very time-consuming and a person who volunteers to read your work is doing you a HUGE favor. Some beta readers like to leave notes through TrackChanges in Word, for example. Others may want a PDF. The more flexible you are, the more likely you are to find readers.

2. You should be sending something "clean" to beta readers. Since many authors use beta readers as a sort of a poor man's developmental edit, there is no expectation that the manuscript be professionally edited & proofread. However, it also shouldn't be littered with grammatical errors. When I beta read, I expect that the author has at least read the manuscript over a couple of times and has removed all the glaring mistakes.

3. This really depends on you and how you want your reader to approach your work. If you have specific worries about your manuscript (i.e. "is my hero likable enough?"), I personally find it is helpful to have those questions upfront, so I can specifically read for those issues. But sometimes authors want a reader to read without expectations, and that's fine, too. You can ask the reader if they are ok with follow-up questions.

4. Know yourself. All authors are different. If you're a sensitive person & the work is something personal and close to you, you may not want to work with a reader who takes pleasure in being brutal and cutting. Conversely, you may want brutal and blunt feedback on your novel. With professional beta readers, you can read their websites and their testimonials; with volunteers, you can check out what they read and review via their Goodreads profile and get a general feel for what type of person they are. You should feel like, "yes, I'm willing to trust this person with my manuscript."

With a professional beta reader, you have a better idea of what you're getting; with volunteers, it's a complete mixed bag. If you go with a volunteer beta, you may want to consider working with a fellow author. In my experience, they tend to be the most reliable volunteers, and sometimes it's good to have a peer to commiserate with, or someone you can look to as a mentor.

Good luck. :)

[S.]

Gina wrote: "Thank you S. Daisy and My_every_day-chilling.

So, practically, talk to them and see what they prefer for formatting, finish my second grammar edit, and be very specific on what's in it."

You are very welcome! I hope I was able to be of some help. Feel free to reach out to me if my services become of interest to you. :-)

[Gina]

Thank you J.R.