Finding beta readers, and getting feedback you can use

Beta readers read your book before it's finished, as readers, and tell you how it felt. They're not editors and they're not reviewers. Their job is to show you where a reader gets bored, lost or pulled out of the story, while you can still fix it.

Beta readers, ARC readers and editors

• Beta readers read a draft and help you improve it. Their feedback is for you.
• ARC readers read a finished advance copy, just before release. Their reviews are for other readers. (See running an ARC.)
• Editors are paid professionals who work on the text itself. (See what editing costs.)

Beta readers come first, after your own revisions and before any money goes on editing.

How many

There's no magic number: enough that you can see patterns, few enough that you can read everything they send. One reader's reaction is their taste; the same reaction from three is a problem worth fixing.

Invite a few more than you need. Some readers who say yes won't start, and some who start won't finish, and that's useful information too.

Who to ask

Readers of your genre first. A romance reader and a thriller reader want different things from chapter one, and you want the one who'd buy your book. Other writers are useful, but they read like writers.

Places to look:

• Your newsletter and social followers. People who already like what you do. Ask for readers of the genre, not just fans.
• Writing and reading groups you're already part of. Read the group's rules before asking; many have a thread or a day for it.
• Swaps with other authors in your genre. You read theirs, they read yours.
• Readers who gave thoughtful feedback on your last book.

Friends and family are the hardest beta readers to use: they like you, so they're kind. Use them for encouragement, not for notes.

What to ask

"What did you think?" gets you "I liked it." Specific questions get answers you can use:

• Where did you put it down, and why?
• Was there anywhere you got confused about who someone was, or what was happening?
• Which character did you care about most? Least?
• Did the ending feel earned?
• What would you tell a friend this book is about?

Ask them to note where they stopped reading for the day. Where readers take breaks isn't always where they get bored, but where the breaks cluster is worth a look.

Watch, don't just ask

What readers say and what they do can differ. A reader who says "it was great" but stopped at chapter six has told you two things, and the second is the more reliable.

You can run a beta read on Bervet the same way as an advance copy, privately. Upload the draft, keep it to "only people with my link", and send the link to your beta readers. They read in the browser on any device, and you see:

• how many readers reached each chapter, and where they stalled
• a one-tap reaction at the end of each chapter: loved it, good, slow or confusing
• if someone stops for good, why: too slow, not for me, the writing style, confusing, content they didn't want, or no time right now
• notes and typos they send, tied to the chapter

Every copy carries a hidden mark tied to its reader, and nothing is emailed around. It's free. Set one up: choose "only people with my link" when you create it.

Using the feedback

1. Read everything before changing anything. Let it settle for a day.
2. Look for patterns. Two or more readers stalling at the same chapter, or confused by the same thing, is a signal. One is a data point.
3. Separate the problem from the fix. Readers are good at noticing that something's wrong and less reliable about how to fix it. "The middle drags" is gold; "cut the sister" may or may not be the answer.
4. Thank them. Tell them what you changed because of them. Good beta readers are hard to find, and they tend to come back for the next book.

Paying for beta readers

Some people offer beta reading for a fee. If you pay, ask for a sample of their feedback on another book first, and be clear about what you're getting: one reader's detailed reaction, not an edit. Watch for anyone who promises reviews: spotting predatory services covers the warning signs.