Here at Horseshoe Books, we have a limited selection of services available – and one of those is beta reading.
Therefore, we felt it was about time to explore the role of a beta reader, and illustrate the reasons they’re so important to the publishing process.
Although our focus will be on fiction, we’ll be offering some inspiration as to the sorts of questions you may want to ask your beta reader that could be adapted to non-fiction, if needed. So, without further ado, let’s dive in…
What is a beta reader?
A beta reader could be a reader and/or fellow writer whose job it is to read your book prior to publication. Usually, a beta reader should represent your intended audience, and they’ll pick up your novel after the proofreading phase.
Please note: It’s worth mentioning that a beta reader’s feedback might lead to the need for further editing, if you decide to act on their suggestions.
(Psst! In case you need a quick reminder of the various steps on the journey to publishing a novel, you can visit our article about ways to publish a book.)
Why are beta readers important?
Often, the beta readers you work with will be avid readers of certain genres, which means they’re capable of providing insight into the expectations of the genre you’re writing in.
In addition to this amazing insight, beta readers are able to offer their honest opinions on your novel from a reader’s perspective – as opposed to an editorial viewpoint. The benefit of having a reader’s point of view will confirm which genre-specific aspects of your book work well, along with empowering you to perceive your story in a completely different light if your beta reader picks up on anything that isn’t quite working.
For lots of authors, beta readers are also amazing at boosting confidence in their books! It’s a fantastic feeling to know that readers are highly likely to enjoy the novel into which you’ve invested so much of your time, energy, and (in the case of indie authors) hard-earned money.
Inspiration for questions to ask your beta reader(s):
- What aspects of this story worked well (e.g. plot, character, worldbuilding, etc.)?
- What aspects of this story didn’t work so well (e.g. character motivation, conflict, pacing, etc.)?
- Who was your favourite character, and why?
- Which aspects of the protagonist(s) character development did you find most relatable?
- Who was your least favourite character, and why?
- How believable did you find the antagonistic forces and their impact on the protagonist(s) throughout this novel?
- How well do you feel this story handles – or subverts – genre expectations (like tropes, settings, and story length)?
- What was your opinion of the dialogue used throughout the novel?
- What were your expectations at the beginning of the story, and how were those expectations met (or not) by the end?
- Please list any storyline inconsistencies, obvious mistakes, or typos that distracted you from the story.
Top tip: Avoid using closed questions (that can be answered simply with ‘yes’ or ‘no’, for instance) when asking your beta reader for feedback! Open-ended questions (beginning ‘what’, ‘why’, and ‘how’, for example) are far more likely to encourage your beta reader to provide in-depth answers.
Have you ever considered working with a beta reader before? If you’re searching for a beta reader to work with, please feel free to check out our Services page and contact us for more information 🙂
Thanks for reading!
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