Blogger: Mary Keeley
Conversations with several clients in the last couple of weeks had one thing in common. All of them were waiting for feedback from their beta readers. Music to my ears. I highly recommend participating in a critique group for the group sharing of feedback and suggestions, but they can’t replace the value of having several beta readers review your completed manuscript, inserting their individual comments and track changes into your document.
We’ve all had the experience of reading our own work looking for errors, typos, and inconsistencies, confident it’s in perfect shape, only to have a critique partner or friend point out a few more errors that your eyes didn’t catch. This illustrates the value your beta readers can have on the broad issues in your manuscript, such as:
- When you overlook an important piece of information
- When your novel drags in the middle
- When your nonfiction book doesn’t deliver what it promises or the main character’s inner conflict isn’t satisfactorily resolved by the end of the book
- When you use words, descriptions, or cultural mores that are inappropriate for the setting of your historical novel
You might want to enlist your beta readers’ input more than once. To get the most out of your beta experience, give them a list of questions you want them to focus on in each round. You’ll save yourself a potential rewrite by focusing on broad developmental questions like these when your first draft is complete:
- Were the main character, her main struggle, and goal introduced effectively in the first chapter?
- Is the issue to be addressed and the proposed solution clearly stated in the first chapter?
- Did you get hooked on the first page?
- Did the story drag at any point? Was there a point where you lost interest?
- Were you satisfied at the end of the book?
A later beta round would focus on more specific questions such as:
- Was the main character inconsistent at any point in the story?
- Did the dialogue sound appropriate for the setting and characters?
- Does the book need tightening throughout?
- Was my voice consistent?
Set your goal to have a variety of beta readers. Choose one who is in your target audience, perhaps a follower on your author Facebook page, a frequent commenter on your blog, or a subscriber to your newsletter. Develop friendships with readers in your genre who might be good beta readers. Look for those who contribute savvy comments on your author blog and other author blogs in your genre. Connect with published authors at conferences and on their blogs. They can offer knowledgeable input about what is involved in writing a marketable book.
Feedback from their varied vantage points will give you valuable insights. That’s the beauty of using multiple beta readers. Consistent comments from all of them confirm areas for improvement. You don’t have to apply every tracking correction or comment. Weigh and apply those you see strengthen the book.
Note the types of problems each of them finds and record that information on a tracker for future reference. For example, if at a later time in your manuscript development, you want to focus on looking for POV issues, you’ll know which beta readers to solicit.
Decide in advance that you’re going to be the kind of writer who appreciates even the toughest feedback because it will make you a better writer. And don’t forget to be generous in showing your appreciation for the time they spent reading your book and offering quality feedback. Send a generous gift card to your target-audience reader. Or offer to reciprocate and be a beta reader for those who are authors.
How will you select beta readers in the future as a result of these tips? If you have used beta readers in the past, were they all the same type—target audience, readers in your genre, or published authors—or did you have a variety? Have you given your beta readers specific aspects to focus on in the past?
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Hi Mary,
Thanks for these tips. I’ve used beta readers, but I never gave them specific points to look for. I’ll definitely make a copy of your post today for future use.
Hi Jackie. I’m glad that tip is helpful to you.
I have several beta readers who give me exacly what I need. Great advice, continuity, grammar and typo alerts, and whether or not a certain name is applicable. One of the secondary characters in my first book loved a man from Paris. So, I made up a name. And got called on it by my toughest beta reader, and good friend, Monique Levert (Lah-vare). Apparently, the name I’d chosen was not fitting for a Parisian, so she gave me one that was properly Parisian circa 1850.
Monique was a very tough critic, and my work is better for her eagle eye. I met her at the rink, while we waited for our boys to play hockey. I have several other beta readers, but hers is the opinion I trust the most, because she’s VERY smart, pushes me hard, and she loves my work.
Because she and Francois have been so supportive and helpful, two tertiary characters in my second and third books are named Frank and Monica Green. Levert means “the green”.
One of the most interesting things about Moniquethe CBA beta reader? She’s a chain smoking Acadienne (NOT French Canadian, merci beacoup) who cusses like an angry, drunken sailor. And yet, she loves my writing, and feels that the Christian thread throughout is “just right, not too heavy, not too light”. As for the acknowledgements section that Janet talked about? Monique y Francois seront la. (will be in there)
Another trusted beta reader/hockey mom is named Jill Green. Maybe her character should be named Levert? Hmm.
Neither of those women are evangelicals, so for them to go through the books and read how God was consistently there for the characters, means theyve heard the Gospel and saw it play out in the lives of people they have a connection with. And they know that I’ve plumbed the depths of my own experiences to be able to drag my characters down with me, and then up and out again.
I have one super secret beta reader who let me know that a perfectly wrapped HEA for two antagonists was taking the easy way out. So, up until the last chapter, one was truly nasty. And, seriously, he killed the MC’s wife, so he should really be a bit more polite to the MC, don’t you think? But nooooo, Secret Beta told me I needed to grind a bit more salt into things. She was right.
I know which betas I can trust for toughness, which ones for continuity, and which ones will email me and get all up in my face about WHY I had to sell off the MC and what about poor Kemma??
So, all points covered.
Wow, it’s a good thing that’s so short.
Upon reading this, you know AFTER I hit send…I must correct myself. Super Secret Beta and Acadienne Beta are tied for first place in the Crown Princess of Beta Readers.
They smack me with their scepters and make me work all that much harder.
Jennifer, you are marvelous.
thank you, dahling.
Jennifer, I love your positive attitude toward tough beta feedback. I read one editor’s comment that she always can tell when a manuscript submission has gone through beta readers’ eyes. That’s surely true of yours.
I came accross you blog looking for tips on beta work. Thank you for the information. I will apply it when I do beta reading.
Ah takes mah reeders as ah fahnds ’em, fur beta or fur worse.
* Sorry. Had to get that off my chest.
* Seriously, though, my selection of beta readers is pretty much driven by circumstance. I don’t really have the opportunity to ‘select’; friendships develop from whatever beginnings the Almighty ordains, and I go from there.
* I’m also pretty reticent about asking for a read, because most people – especially writers – are very, very busy, and one’s asking for a large commitment of time and attention.
* I would suggest one more category – choose a beta reader with some expertise in any kind of special thematic material you use. For instance, a Christian writer should have a brother or sister look over the work for non-Scriptural elements, and a writer on military matters should definitely have the MS vetted for the proper approach, nomenclature, and jargon.
I actually have a personal example for the last category – my musings on why bad stuff happens to us, “Faith In The Night”, went live on Kindle last night, and since I’m something of a theological Neanderthal, it went to a couple of Beta readers selected both for their writing skills and their Scriptural acumen. I’m simply not in their league.
* And one of them may be reading these words later on, and I hope she won’t mind the callout…for she is the awesome Michelle Ule, whose writing makes her rather a hero to me, and whose friendship is very deeply treasured. Thank you, Michelle!
Good point, Andrew. It’s important to choose beta readers carefully. That goes for the target reader as well as experienced writers and published authors. It’s good practice to visit their blogs and even buy one of their books to decide which is a good fit for your work.
Yes, beta readers are so critical because they get a chance to see the whole picture. As a newbie, it’s so hard to ask. Pray and wait for open doors. A few people have entered into my life who work in the area as my MC … and they are not writers, but readers. One has been seeking me out to walk 5-Ks with her (I’ve known her since the 6th grade and live close to her now). So like Janet had written about earlier this week, it’s that being intentional in a non-intentional way. I really want to get brave and ask them to read it for me. And I love your set of questions … I’m saving these. And yes, we need to let them feel safe with their feedback … you can’t go wrong, you can’t say the wrong thing, you can’t hurt my feelings. 🙂
It IS hard to ask. But, it’s also hard to not ask and then spend too much time wondering if you’re on the right track.
So, just ask your walking buddy and see where God leads.
Yes, I had two beta readers already read it … but two readers in the same field as my MC … that’s a plus. 🙂
Shelli, for all you know, your 5-K friend might be overjoyed to be asked to read your book, and your friends in the writing community might welcome the chance for a reciprocal arrangement. You’ll never know until you ask…yes, in an intentionally non-intentional way.
Mary, this was such a helpful post! I just recently had a few beta readers who read through my manuscript. The feedback they gave me was so incredibly helpful! Two were readers and one was a writer. Each came at my story with slightly different eyes, and each gave me helpful improvements for my story. All three honed in on one aspect where my hero was way out of character. I was able to change up that scene and (hopefully) improve it as a result of their insights.
*I have them a list of questions as a guide. A number of the questions focused on the emotions aspect of the story, those parts they couldn’t stop thinking about, and those parts that seemed slow. And, there were a few other questions as well.
*I love your idea of cataloguing what various readers picked up on in my story so I can revisit some of those things with them. Such a great suggestion!
Ohh, Jeanne, very good questions!
I especially like the one about what parts they couldn’t stop thinking about. Those are the parts that grab the reader and sing to her/him. Knowing the technique and emotional arsenal for those parts helps the writer know when and where to use them.
Jeanne, I’m glad this was helpful. The questions you gave your beta readers to focus on are excellent.
I can’t take credit for them. 🙂 Erin Healey spoke to our local ACFW group about self-editing a few months ago. She included questions to ask beta readers. The answers my betas gave me yielded gold. 🙂
My main beta reader is one of the most powerful tools in my publishing arsenal, right up there with my editors and literary agent. (Thank you.) It took a while to find her, but her responses to my work were head-and-shoulders above those of my other beta readers, which meant she was “the one.” I also have a secondary beta reader who looks at my work from a twenty-something perspective, and she is invaluable as well.
These ladies have lint-catching brains and are exactly my target demographic: educated, well-traveled, well-read, independently thinking Christian woman. I couldn’t do this without them. (Or you.)
Love my beta readers!
Do you take random volunteers for beta readers? Asking for a friend.
her name is, uhh, Jain Dough. She’s really smart and knows her stuff.
I’m sure she’d be good.
She is completely above board and her compulsion to know if Maggie chooses Matthew or that other useless, spineless wonder is purely for uhh, good intentions and has nothing to do with getting her hands on a file of your 3rd book and finding out before all your other readers.
And the fact that her email is identical to mine is totally a coincidence.
hashtag: teammatthew
Score one for TeamMatthew. And duly noted, Jennifer. I like a woman who knows her mind. BOTH of them.
NLBH
Thanks Norma. You were savvy in your selection of beta readers, and the benefits to your manuscripts were multiplied as a result.
More room for growth. I’ve never had a beta reader, and I wasn’t sure what people meant when they used the term. I should have googled it! Is money involved?
I do not pay my beta readers, Norma. But I do give them Christmas presents!
Can we pretend I beta’d for you?
“Wow, that was so good, but you spelled neighbour wrong.”
So, now that I helped, a gift card to Perry Null is good. I don’t wanna brag, but they know me, and well, they know I realllly want a squash blossom necklace with a giant naja…local turquoise only, and definitely at least a pound of it.
10,000$ ought to cover things.
Thanks.
Good to know. I suppose it depends on the circumstances. Thanks.
Norma B, I found that when I finally decided it was okay to find a beta or two, I asked my civilian friends who were well read. They tended to rip the MS out of my hands and smile sweetly and say “took ya long enough!”
PS-that comment about the pretend beta was for NLB… 😉
:0). Thanks!!! (Cute joke, too) It’s nice to hear from the voice of experience. What’s funny, I wondered if a beta reader was a technical program one could use to trouble shoot problem areas in the manuscript. Michelle Ule mentioned it once and I thought, what is that?
One of my beta readers cried during a scene in one of my manuscripts – for a good reason. Blessed me bunches, as you can imagine. When she first began reading for me, I had to insist she mark up the pages I had printed for her. She was hesitant to write on them, but I convinced her that it was part of her “job.” She is a reader not a writer, and I give her questions similar to those Mary has listed. I print out the entire book, put it in a 3-ring binder, and have her work from that. I have another beta reader who is also a reader only, but very word-savvy. She is out of state and receives an electronic copy to critique. I always give my beta readers signed copies of my books.
Davalynn, these are good suggestions about how to work with beta readers. The perk for beta readers who are your target readers is that they get the early scoop on your book before it’s available for sale, and then they get to see their fingerprints, so to speak, in the published copy your send them. Feeling somewhat like a participant, these beta readers often become strong influencers.
I hadn’t considered asking readers who were not in my target audience to read my book. Ladies in our library’s book club have read and critiqued my work but I didn’t give them specific questions. I asked them to offer suggestions for improvement and left it at that. I also like the idea of asking the people who are following me on Facebook to consider being a beta reader. Thanks for the tips.
You’re welcome, Shelia. The ladies in your book club are a perfect resource for choosing the target reader type of beta reader because they’re so familiar with the setting and small-town Southern culture. Avid Facebook followers who read your genre and experienced author friends are good sources for the other types.
As with most aspects of my writing, I’ve had very little luck with beta readers. If I pick them and they agree, I’m likely to get 50% participation. If I put out a general request and have a number agree, I’m likely to get 25% response. And in both cases, though who respond say practically nothing at all. A few times I’ve had substantive comments; once or twice I’ve had edits for typos. Once I had a comment “You have about 50 typos.” I asked back, “Did you mark them?” They replied, “No.” That seems to represent my betas. Perhaps the response I’m getting is telling me more than if they said something.
David, it’s perhaps more likely that you need to be more particular in your search for beta readers. Look for avid readers in your target audience on your social media. Develop friendships with commenters on blogs of authors who write in your genre, those who would be naturally interested in what you write. Also, connect with writer friends who have developed craft skills.
Mary, this is mostly a great list of questions to share with my beta-readers. I have several friends who are ravenous readers who beta-read for me. I emphasize that what I want most is negative comments that will help me improve, and they do give them to me when I stress that saying only nice things doesn’t really help me.
I am very surprised by the second question: Is the issue to be addressed and the proposed solution clearly stated in the first chapter? Is this only for relative short genre works? When I read engrossing novels with complex plots and 3D characters, one issue will be raised in the first chapter, but sometimes even the central issue grows in as the plot develops. Stating the proposed solution? Why bother to read the book if I know exactly where it’s going and how it’s going to be solved? Is this something that trade professionals look for when deciding what longer novels to publish? Wouldn’t such first-chapter transparency dilute the dramatic tension?
My plots can be summarized as man meets woman under adverse circumstances involving other people, man and woman coming from different world views struggle with conflict between romantic love and faith in the midst of opposition, conflict resolution leads to happy conclusion for many but maybe not for all. My husband (my best beta tester who suffers through hearing the story many times as it develops) tells me some characters don’t deserve a happy ending and I shouldn’t give them one.
Because faith struggles are so integral to my characters, I always ask my betas to make sure the way they struggle and the words and events that help them reach a faith decision (or not) are realistic. If the struggle seems too easy, then it doesn’t ring true. One of my better betas isn’t a believer, so I really pay attention to that person’s input.
Thanks for providing so many useful tools and solid advice to us here. I look forward to this blog showing up usually by 2:30 am. When I’m still writing, I can’t resist checking out the topic before I shut down and finally go to bed.
Carol, thanks for bringing the second question up for clarification. That question is in reference to a nonfiction book, and “topic” would have been a better word than “issue.” Does that clear it up for you?
Having a beta reader who isn’t a Christian is a great idea for your faith-rich books.
And thanks for your kind comments. They’re much appreciated.
This is so helpful, Mary. I’ve had a few small casual groups of beta readers. Your tips give me great guidance for approaching it with more intention in the future. Makes perfect sense that we’ll get what we put in to it. I’ve learned through the process that an overwhelming percentage of readers and critique partners want you to succeed. Simple as that. To look at it any other way is a gross disservice to an integral part of both growing our writing and building the community of authors. In the future, I’ll take your advice to approach beta readers with well thought-out questions for specific feedback. Thanks, again!
Hi There,
I stumbled on your beta reader article.
I just borrowed your beta reader superhero graphic to thank my beta readers on Instagram – hope that is ok?! I am at @storiesthatcount