What is a Beta Reader

Once your manuscript is as good as you can make it, it is time to show your new creation to a select, small group of people who will hopefully admire it like a newborn that it is. These are your Beta readers.

Their job is to read the entire manuscript and to make supportive, yet constructive comments and answer questions such as:

1. Did the opening scene capture your attention? Why or why not?

2. Did you get a good sense of the setting?

3. Did you notice any inconsistencies in setting, timeline, or characters? If so, where?

4. Did the dialogue keep your interest and sound natural?

5. How did you feel about the characters?

6. Did you get bored while reading the story? At which point?

7. Was the ending satisfying and believable? Are you left with any unanswered questions?

It's best to find your Beta readers among people who read books of the genre you have written, and who, once the book is finalized and published, would be happy to recommend it to others. Preferably, they are not a writer themselves, or you'll find that they might want to rewrite your story in their own voice. There are many ways of writing a story and you should feel confident enough about your point of view, your voice, and your style before submitting your manuscript to a Beta reader.

The most appropriate way of thanking them for their help is by sending them a signed copy of your published book.