You’ve written a book! Wow! Now your task is to edit it shitless until it’s publishable. But what is publishable? That means your book is finished and ready to sell. It’s ready for readers.
Before you publish, you’ll want to see what other people actually think of your book. Other people’s eyes are extremely important to help you discover areas of improvement for your novel and to gauge what will be publishable from your drafts. Your early readers are called beta readers, and they are superheroes.
But where do you find people who are willing to read an unfinished, unedited manuscript for free? Today’s post is some tips for finding yourself some awesome betas (and, possibly, some shitty ones too but it’s a right of passage lol) So without further ado here's some ideas of where to look for beta readers:
1. People who you have beta’d for!
I’m hoping if you’re searching for betas that you’ve actually done it yourself once or twice. Reach out to those writers you have worked with and see if they are willing to return the favor. It should be noted that they definitely have the right to say no even though you have beta read for them. Beta reading is something you do for someone else, and you shouldn’t necessarily expect something in return unless it’s stated upfront. However, many authors I have beta read for have been so grateful for feedback that they jump at the chance to return the favor. Plus, you already know the quality of their work and what they do well (or don’t) which will help you assess how relevant their feedback is to you.
2. Writers at a similar stage to you.
Who understands the intricacies of a WIP better than a fellow writer? Whether you know them IRL from a writing group or you met them online, other writers are a great resource to ask to beta read for you. It should be noted that you don’t necessarily want only writers as beta readers--not everyone who reads your finished book is going to have an author’s eye. But at early stages other writers will help you identify problems and possible solutions.
I also specify that writers should be at a similar stage to you, mostly so that you don’t harass published authors to read your book. No matter how much you look up to them, if you don’t already have a personal relationship to them then it’s not appropriate to ask. They have deadlines to accomplish and other fans asking to have their work read--honestly, they’ll say no. So don’t try asking your favorite author. Ask your peers.
3. The online book community.
Posting on your social media is a great way to find beta readers! This way, you can have people reach out to you, which means you know they are interested in your book for itself and not just because it’s you who asked. Some things to remember:
You need to get your post noticed. This means making sure you are active on social media year round and gaining followers in the community. If you make a twitter and post your book to your 10 followers, I hate to break it to you but you won’t get noticed. Ask for RTs, use hashtags, visit beta readers hubs and forums. Think of it as practice for when you eventually need to market your book.
You need to sell it. Write a synopsis that will hook your potential readers and make them interested. Tell them exactly what genre you’re writing, and potentially include things that might interest them like whether you used a popular trope or included diverse characters. It’s not an official synopsis of your book, so it doesn’t need to be perfect, but you do need to make it intriguing enough to generate some interest. Pay close attention to how other writers do this when they make their beta reader posts.
One good way to generate interest to consistently build a platform around your book. I talk about my work all the time on my social media, and I can’t tell you how often I get messaged about a throwaway detail I posted from my WIP that intrigued someone enough to want to beta read! Keep a list of people who express interest in this way, and also keep track of which of these details/snippets intrigued potential readers. It will help you sell your book later on.
4. Critique groups/forums.
These might be a little bit harder to find for a less experienced internet user, but if you ask around you’ll be able to find some critique groups. There are tons of subreddits, facebook pages, and discord groups for your genre if you know how to look for them. Joining those critiquing groups can be a great way to find people who provide feedback for you. That’s literally what they are there for.
5. Friends and family.
I caution you with this one. Friends and family are a valid option for beta readers, especially if you know that your book is actually their preferred genre anyway. However, sometimes their feedback can be tinged with the fact that they know you. They have seen your process and can read the words in your voice. You can be assured that they likely won’t ghost you. However, they will also most likely be too nice. They aren’t going to tell you that they hate this project that you love with your whole heart. They aren’t going to give you the tough love you need to make your book better. People you know personally are good to ask as a confidence booster and to fill out your beta list, but you shouldn’t solely rely on them.
I hope that was helpful! Finding beta readers can be difficult sometimes, but it is well worth the effort. As I mentioned, it is also a good way to practice marketing your book. This post was only about how to find beta readers, but I hope to post more about what this process looks like in the future if you’re interested. For now, happy writing and good luck wrangling those betas.
Peace out,
Grace K.