Getting The Most Out Of Beta Readers

1. Be leery of people who love giving advice.
These people often just love to hear themselves talk. They might be thorough, but they'll also be super annoying. Recruit them at your own risk.

2. Send your manuscript strategically.
While there is no “right” way to send your manuscript to beta readers, I suggest doing it in “rounds.” A few people will receive the first draft. After you get their feedback and revise accordingly, you’ll send it out again to other beta readers who can give feedback based on the new revisions. That means you have a chance to organize who will see which draft.

I sent my first draft to a writing buddy that I've been friends with for many years. She's not an editor or a proofreader, but she IS a great gauge of storytelling, pacing, and character development. Her "bird's eye view" of my overall novel provided valuable insight for me during later revisions. More completed drafts of my manuscript I sent to people I knew would look at it more critically and from the point of view of general readers.

If your beta readers are the type of people who will buy your book and you get positive feedback, then you know you’re doing something right.

3. Be specific with your questions.
Ask your readers specific questions about the manuscript, like did the character’s motives make sense? Were there any scenes you felt were unnecessary? Were there words/phrases overused that seemed to distract from the story? Was the ending satisfying? Believable? Did the descriptions and emotions feel real to you? It will help them focus their thoughts and help you get the most out of their feedback.

I should have been more intentional about this with all of my beta readers because I got the best feedback when I did.

Using beta readers doesn’t have to be a scary process. In fact, they’re an important part of writing that can take your story to a whole new level!