What is a Beta Reader?

I received the edits from my first beta reader for Beggar's Byway... Hooray! If you don't know what a beta reader is, they are people who receive early versions of a manuscript in order to provide feedback to an author on what worked and what didn't work.

Typically, you want to find a mix of people to become beta readers. My beta readers are a mix of people who love YA fantasy, those who like epic fantasy, people who just love to read, and a range of men, women, people I know well, and those I don't know well. If you are writing a book about a topic you don't know well (such as architecture or sailing), ask an architect or sailor if they can be a beta reader for your novel. Their feedback will help your manuscript become even more accurate and believable.

If you don't know who to ask, there are plenty of Facebook groups and bookstagrammers/booktokers who would love to be beta readers for your book. Just make sure they are reliable and credible. Your manuscript is valuable, so you want to make sure the people who read it are trustworthy.

You can ask a myriad of questions when you chat with your beta reader, but having a handful of questions for them to be thinking through beforehand can help them read the book with areas of feedback in mind.

Below is a list of twelve questions I emailed my beta readers to help guide our discussion afterwards:

• Do the first 10 pages make you want to keep reading? If not, what is the problem?

• Does each scene flow naturally into the next?

• Did you feel there were any confusing moments or areas that skipped over information?

• Can you see the action clearly while reading?

• Can you see the characters clearly while reading?

• Does the dialogue sound natural and realistic?

• Does the character development and relationships feel natural?

• Who is your least favorite character and why?

• What’s your favorite part and why?

• Did you have a least favorite part? What is it and why?

• How do you feel about the overall arch of the story?

• Do you find satisfaction in the ending?

What have you found to be helpful as a writer dialoging with your beta readers?