The Search for Beta Readers

I periodically share updates here about a suspense novel I wrote a few years ago, inspired by my work podcasting. In early 2024 I hired a developmental editor to help me go over the manuscript. I began sending queries out to literary agents that spring after incorporating her suggestions. After the first few rejections, I had writer friends I trust help me tackle my query letter, and almost immediately I began receiving manuscript requests. I’ve written a few other novels before in the young adult genre and had never received a request, only rejections. I was elated. 

Two agents that requested the full manuscript both got back to me within a few months and turned down representation. They both had different reasons—I believe part of the problem is the book is written in an experimental format. A large part of the novel tells the story through podcast transcripts, and one agent said she wasn’t sure how to handle that. I don’t believe that was the only thing holding her back from working with me though, because I’ve since read several books that tell the story in a similar format. 

Two agents requested partial manuscripts, and I never heard back from them. And a few months ago, I queried a small publishing press, and they requested a full manuscript. I haven’t received a yes or no yet. 

But I can tell there is something missing in the writing or the format of the book that is keeping agents from offering me a firm “Yes, let’s do this!” I don’t want to send out any more queries until I figure out what the issues are. I was discussing my dilemma with my writing accountability group and they suggested beta readers. Now, I admit I only had a few readers look at the manuscript before handing it over to an editor, and not all of them read the book in its entirety. I think they are right. With a few exceptions. One of my friends from church suggested I give the manuscript to their book club, and they could act as a “focus group” for me. I was horrified and said that wasn’t quite what I was looking to do and she understood. 

I’ve been doing a bit of research on the best way to find beta readers. I’ve decided to put a call out to my own network first, and say I’m looking for 3-4 beta readers who can commit to reading the manuscript and answering a set list of questions (I like the ones I found on this blog post). In return, I can offer to read something for them (essays, short stories, manuscript, etc.) or offer up a gift card so they can purchase a book on their wish list. If possible, I’d like to ask beta readers to complete the book and questions within 4-6 weeks so I can begin work on incorporating their suggestions or addressing other issues. Then, if I still feel it necessary, I can either hire another developmental editor or begin querying again.

 For anyone that’s ever used a beta reader or been one, how do these parameters sound? And what is the best way to share the manuscript? Should I format it for anyone who wants to read on a Kindle, print out physical pages, or send in a Word document? I welcome any feedback and advice on this topic. I’m nervous about the process but also feel it will help move my book along as progress is at a dead stop for now. 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer who also produces and hosts the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. Learn more at FinishedPages.com and missinginthecarolinas.com.

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2 comments beta readers, editing tips, finding reader feedback, Renee Roberson, writing advice

Make Somebody's Day

These days--these days of wearing masks and trying to keep apart from each other and not living "normal" lives and living with a constant undercurrent of fear of a microscopic enemy--we all need help. A boost. A reason to smile.

This post began a while ago when I went to the bank. The drive-thru, since nobody gets IN the bank building these days...

(which makes me think of what a terrible time this is for bank robbers. I mean, they've been out of work for months. They're probably depressed, watching Jerry Springer instead of holding up bank tellers, because I imagine it's difficult to make an appointment to get into the bank... and then rob it.)

... Back to the bank drive-thru.

As I waited for the magical cylinder to drop down the chute, I glanced over at the person to the right of me. In fact, I glanced over several times. 

Apparently the teller said something humorous, because the woman in the car next to me laughed, and then smiled more than once during the conversation.

I thought, She has a great smile. Not a runway model smile. A genuine, quirky, dimpled smile. So that she didn't think I was a creeper or a Karen, I rolled the passenger window down and complimented her on her smile.

She smiled again and said, "You just made my day!"

Really? Is it really that easy to bring some joy into someone's life? And then I thought about it. Little things can have a big impact. And then I thought even more... on the things writer friends have done for me lately.

                                                                   image by Pixabay

Here are some ways you can make someone's day:

1. Offer to interview a writing friend--Linda O'Connell was so generous to interview me on her blog. Her questions made me think, and my book got some extra exposure.

2. Write a reveiw on Amazon or Barnes and Noble--I check occasionally nineteen times a day to see if there are any new reviews on my book. 

3. Volunteer to do a dental read-through. A dental critique is when the reader takes tiny picks and mirrors to look at the grammar, punctuation, potential tense problems and everything else.

4. Catch the sparkly gems in a writer's work--There are a couple of details in my brand new novel that only a few people will get. One friend sent her favorite lines from my book to her 700 followers. It makes all the time spent writing worthwhile.

5. Voluteer to be a beta reader--Writers need some feedback before a manuscript is sent out to agents and publishers. 

How about you? What have you done for a writing friend or what has been done for you? A grateful mind wants to know.

Sioux Roslawski is a middle-school teacher and a freelance writer. Her book, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, just debuted almost two weeks ago.

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7 comments beta readers, dental read-throughs, Greenwood Gone: Henry's Story, Linda O'Connell, Sioux Roslawski

Reconsider... and Revise

How do I revise thee? Let me count the ways.

The first three words in one definition of "revise" is reconsider and alter. I love the idea of integrating reconsidering into the art of revision (because it is an art), since when a writer reconsiders, they weigh choices, they look at their writing with new eyes and they make decisions.

Some say I'm old-school. Many say I'm old. (They're all right.) However, imagine my surprise when I looked up an article on revision tips, and it turns out that what works for me are highly recommended strategies. Here are some of them:

• Do a "find and replace." Do you worry you rely too often on "She raised one eyebrow" when adding gestures and facial expressions? If you look under "edit" (when it comes to Google docs) and choose "find a replace," you can type in "eyebrow" and it will highlight all the spots where that word appears. Recently Sue Bradford Edwards gave a tip about how we overuse the verb look. You know--"I looked at him," and "She looked down at the ground." Do a "find and replace" and change things up.

• Print out the manuscript and read it aloud. I did this before I headed to a recent writing retreat because I knew I had hours and hours and hours of time to sit my butt in a chair and work on my NaNoWriMo mess from 2016 manuscript. Reading it aloud (quietly) to myself allowed me to hear what didn't work rhythmically. What words had I left out? Where were typos still hanging around?

• Write in additional bits by hand. When I printed out my manuscript, I printed it with large side margins so there'd be plenty of room to make notes and write. I used a red pen so the notes and scratchings-out could be easily seen.

• Keep a list of issues that need to be taken care of. I would type in notes and highlight them in yellow, so there was no way they could be ignored or forgotten. For example, I was reading Jodi Picoult's most recent novel. In it, one of her characters recalled some very specific memories about their father. I thought a bit of reminiscing--at a key spot--would be perfect in my manuscript, so I made a note: Include a string of memories about Dad, a la Jodi Picoult. Towards the end of my story, my characters leave with their red wagon. However, earlier, I didn't include what they'd done with their red wagon when they had arrived. I made myself a note: Make sure and do something with the wagon when they get there.

• Beg a beta reader to read your manuscript. I have a few friends I'm going to entrust my manuscript to. The trust is not a component because it's such a valuable stack of papers. No. The trust is there because I am certain they will give me honest feedback. I don't need anything sugar-coated right now. I need constructive criticism.

• Hire an editor.  I've already asked Margo Dill to edit my manuscript. Again. Her first go-around critique was disappointing  because I thought it was perfect and ready--right then--for publication. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Her first go-around feedback was spot-on because she pointed out major problems that, deep down in my heart I knew were there. Finally, her first go-around feedback pointed out the strengths of the manuscript and gave me specific suggestions on how to make those major much-need revisions.

• Submit.  Oh. I'm supposed to send out my manuscript after I've revised it? Really? Actually, as I've been working on this story, I've compiled a list of prospective publishers. I made a separate document, and will begin submitting once the manuscript is ready. Otherwise, if I just let the stack of paper gather dust, I'll always wonder, What would have happened if...? Why put all that work into a manuscript, only to let it become a doorstop?

What are you revising these days? And do you have any secret revision strategies you'd care to share? Inquiring minds want to know...

Sioux Roslawski is a freelance writer who usually writes short slice-of-life pieces but has been working on a manuscript for the past two years... and hopes that someday, it'll get published. What does she do in her spare time (when she's not teaching middle school students)? Well, since she's a teacher, she has little spare time but she does manage to squeeze in dog rescue work and reading when she's not grading papers.

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9 comments beta readers, Margo Dill, revising manuscripts, Sue Bradford Edwards

The Trouble with From Our Head to the Paper

by Guudmorning! (flickr.com)

Why do we writers have so much trouble getting the words and story from our heads to the paper? Wait, you're not sure if you have this problem? Well, read this scenario and see if this has ever happened to you!

Esmerelda, a published author of short stories and essays, is working on her first novel, and she takes it to her critique group for the first time. She is very excited to receive their feedback, and they give positive comments about the concept, the opening page, and maybe even the dreamy hero. But there are also a lot of questions. Why did the heroine react in a certain way? What happened after the lights went out? Where did the dog come from?

At first, Esmerelda thinks that something has happened to her critique group. They must have lost their minds or barely read her work. The heroine grew angry because her sister continues to take advantage of her good nature. That is right on page 3 at the top. And when the lights went out? She heard a noise coming from the kitchen, which scared her to go on the balcony and see the hero for the first time. It's right there on page 12. The dog? That cutie came from the Humane Society where she volunteers on Sunday mornings--see page 15.

Her critique group members are smiling at her, and the bravest of the bunch says: "Um, Esme, none of those facts are actually on the page."

Esmerelda snatches her manuscript from the grasp of her critique group member and scans the pages, turning red from embarrassment. "Well, I THOUGHT I put those things in there. I mean, they were in my head."

I bet now you're nodding along with Esmerelda. How does this happen to us? How does this happen EVEN after we've had success with previously published work? I bet if we could interview J. K. Rowling, she would admit that it happens to her, too.

As writers, we see our story world in our heads so clearly and know exactly how our characters would react in a situation. But we have to create that picture for our readers, too. They don't have our story world in their heads. They need to be shown the world and our characters, so they understand the plot and motivation of the characters.

This is hard! We all know what happens if we overdo it in this department. We get complaints that our pacing is slow or that we are talking down to our reader. This is the importance of a good critique group or trusted beta readers. You can be the most careful writer, in my opinion, and STILL suffer from the "I thought it was on the page" syndrome. It's okay. It's natural. It's part of the job, but find some readers--whether you are going to be self-publishing or seeking traditional publication--to make sure that you fix this problem the best you can before your book is on the shelf.

Margo L. Dill, a published author of books for kids and teens, teaches novel writing for WOW! Her next class, Writing a Children's or Young Adult Novel starts April 15. Check out her other classes on our classroom page: http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html 

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3 comments beta readers, critique groups, Margo L. Dill, novel writing tips, writing problems

Friday Speak Out!: Writing is Not Just About Putting Words on Paper

by R.A. Whitehorn 

When I started writing I thought it was all about putting words on paper. I have been to several writer’s conferences and I realize that getting the words on paper is only the first step. I have learned that you must write first, then you must edit… and edit… and edit.

When I joined the NaNoWriMo challenge for November I read advice that said to write without editing. I wrote for eleven days and finished my book. The editing phase has been different. I started by proofreading it. Then I sent it to my Mother to check for spelling and grammar errors. If you want someone to tell you how wonderful your book is, send it to your mother. She will make you think you can write well enough to write a book headed for the New York Times Best Seller List. Then you have to be realistic enough to send it to a beta reader that will bring you down to earth. My next reader is my cousin who has a PHD and teaches physics at a college level. He has colored my pages in red. He exposes my plot holes and helps me to see where things don’t make sense in the real world. This is where developing a tough skin is necessary. If I don’t learn from him then I am wasting my time asking for his help. Every time he sends a chapter back I close my eyes, take a deep breath and remind myself that his intent is to help me. Then I open the email and go to work fixing my problems with the chapter. Next it goes to my daughter who tells me to put more feeling into it. She helps me to remember to express on paper what I feel in my heart. Emotion is hard for me and I need the extra nudge she give me. When everyone is finished I will submit the book to my writing group for more edits.

Putting it on paper was the easy part. Letting everyone tear it apart has been a bit stressful. When I went to a writers conference this past fall I took an editing session. My brother offered to let the instructor use one of his poems for an editing exercise. I will never forget what the instructor said.

“You don’t really want me to tear the wings off of your little darling - do you?”

With that comment, I understood that editing was painful but necessary. I heard a conference instructor talk about putting in the work that is necessary to be a writer. His advice was simple: Learn the craft.

* * *

R.A. Whitehorn has written out of necessity for most of her adult life. She wrote three Bible Studies when she could not find the material she wanted to teach. Now she writes to keep her sanity. She wrote her first novel during 2014 NaNoWriMo. She has been married 40 years to a man who has been sweet enough to refrain from choking her to death as she went through menopause. When she is not writing she likes to crochet, knit and sing in the church choir.

Visit her website at rawhitehorn.com

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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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3 comments beta readers, craft of writing, editing, editorial feedback, Friday Speak Out, R.A. Whitehorn

Friday Speak Out: Things Come When They Come...For a Reason

by Sioux Roslawski

I just finished South of Broad this morning. It's the first novel by Conroy that I've read (and yes, I can already hear you muttering under your breath. No, I've never read Prince of Tides or The Great Santini but I have seen the movies. No, I can't explain why it took so long for me to read one of his novels. No, I can't tell you why this book called to me from a thrift store shelf, compelling me to buy it.)

I can't tell you why I picked this Conroy book to begin with, nor can I tell you why I started it at this point in my life, when I have several other books on my “must read” list. I really can't explain it, but I'm so glad I took the plunge, made the small investment, and read it now ...because I needed this particular book now.

Let me fill you in on some recent writing tidbits about me. I finished a NaNoWriMo (it actually took two years' worth of NaNo to do it) and thought it was so ready for some beta readers as soon as I finished typing the last word, that I printed off all 158 pages of tightly-typed text and handed it to them. (When you read “so ready,” read it with a voice dripping with crazy delusion and childlike denial.) Four of the first five readers threw it back in my face, saying essentially “There are some worthwhile scraps, so scrap most of it and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.” The fifth is still doubled-over and retching in the corner ...

As soon as the feedback began tumbling out of their mouths, I saw my WIP through more objective, realistic eyes. In my heart, I knew it needed a major overhaul. However, I was directionless when it came to the major thread of the story—the thick hunk of yarn that would make this yarn worthy of reading.

But then it came ...and Pat Conroy waited until almost the very last page to give it to me, like a gift. A “conversation” that Leo was having with Eugene Haverford included a question—just four words long—that hit me like a lightning bolt. Immediately, I knew how my manuscript would be woven together. I knew I was going to include the same question at the end of my story, thanks to Conroy.

And best of all, I knew I now had the nudge to get some serious momentum going.

Things often happen the way they do and with the timing they do for a reason. I could have read this book about life and about healing six months earlier or a six months later, and it might not have seared me like it did ...now.

Read widely. Read voraciously. Be open to what you can absorb like a sponge. You never know where inspiration—or a nudge—will come from.

* * *

Sioux Roslawski has recently become a fan of Pat Conroy and plans to read more of his work. (She's loved Jodi Picoult and Sandra Dallas and Alan Paton for a long time.) By day she is a third grade teacher. In the early morning and late at night, she's a freelance writer. Her stories have appeared in around ten (okay, nine) Chicken Soup for the Soul collections and several Not Your Mother's Book books. You can find more of her writing at http://siouxspage.blogspot.com.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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17 comments beta readers, book editing, Friday Speak Out, Inspiration, NaNoWriMo, Pat Conroy, reading, Sioux Roslawski, writer inspiration

First Readers Help You Know More Than You Thought You Knew About What You Wanted to Say

by Sheila Bender

 

Finding out the impact of your drafts on readers can help you be brilliant on the page when you revise. Here's how to get the most help from early readers:

Have them answer these questions after reading what you've written:

• What words and phrases remain memorable after you’ve heard my essay?
• What feelings do you experience from hearing or reading my essay that you think are intended?
• What feelings do you have that interfere with the ones the essay is going for? Where in the draft does that happen?
• Where are you curious to know more?

All responders, those who know the situation and those who don’t, will usually want to see more than you’ve given them. The ones who were there and know the situation you are writing about may have memories that will be useful to you; they may also wish for you to include things they remember only because they were left out of your account. Responders who don’t know the situation may be so interested in you or what you have on the page so far, that they think they want to know much more than the essay ultimately will require. There is magic in having these responses, though. In adding in information that will satisfy some of their curiosities, you usually redirect the readers’ attention and in final versions, they no longer think they need to know more.

If you listen to responses to these four questions, you will have a great head start every time you start a revision. You will find it easier to shape your essay for finding and communicating insight.

When you rewrite, if what you wanted to say was misinterpreted or not picked up, you’ll find a way to be sure the experience is in there. Sometimes, readers are smarter than you are—they see what the writing says and what it says is amazing and you can run with it.

For instance, a student of mine thought she was writing a piece putting herself down for being a clutterer and promising herself (and the world) she would do better. When I read the piece, cluttering sounded delicious as she described it—maybe not PC but wonderfully rich. My response was that I enjoyed the clutter and the connections she could make by looking at the things around her. Originally, the author had a statement in her work about doing as the anti-clutter movement says should be done. After my response as well as the whole groups’, she came across an article in the NY Times that said, “Studies are piling up that show that messy desks are the vivid signatures of people with creative, limber minds (who reap higher salaries than those with neat “office landscapes”) and that messy closet owners are probably better parents and nicer and cooler than their tidier counterparts. She could use a quote from the article s an epigraph for the essay her own words steered her toward.

To bring an essay to successful completion: write and show your writing to trusted readers and if you listen with an open ear, their responses will help you find your deepest truths.

***

Sheila Bender's class, Creating Poems and Personal Essays from Journal and Journal Style Writings, starts Friday, May 3, 2013. Enrollment is limited to 10 students and early registration is recommended. For details, visit our classroom page.

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2 comments beta readers, critiques, essay tips, essay writing, first draft, rewriting, rough draft, Sheila Bender, WOW instructor

Q: When is it time to drop your manuscript and move on?

One thing that makes publishing an e-zine issue worthwhile is the feedback we get from readers. We often receive compliments, thank yous, and success stories related to the markets or advice in an issue. On occasion, we receive a question related to the topic of the e-zine issue that we did not cover.

After reading WOW’s latest e-zine issue on Revision & Self-Editing, Janet C. wrote in with a question that we felt deserved more exploration. Her question is below, along with some great answers from some of WOW's experts with varying viewpoints. We’d love it if you shared your opinion at the end of this post as well.

As a writer, how do you make the decision you’re beating a dead horse rather than being persistent by revising and resending your manuscript to yet another agent or publisher? It’s your baby. You love it. Your beta readers continue to love it (for whatever good that does you!). But at some point, you have to come to terms with the concept that it might not be good enough writing to publish. I know, I know; there are a lot of bad manuscripts out there that sell. But I’m talking about people like me who won’t settle for less than awesome. Where is that line and how does a writer know how to find it, drop your manuscript, and move on?

~ Janet C.

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Allena Tapia writes:

A few things:

1. She should consider taking the manuscript to a writer’s conference and pay the extra money for a one-on-one. At said meeting, she should insist on honest, bare-bones feedback.
2. Stephen King. Stephen King. Stephen King. Anytime I hear this question, all I can think of is the forty-odd times he’d been rejected (thirty for Carrie alone!).
3. In the absence of time and money for #1, above, she may want to find a (new) writer’s group. Perhaps her current compadres are now too close to the manuscript, too.
4. Has there been any feedback from agents? Anything at all—“Good, but not for us,” etc? Those few phrases should definitely weigh in, too.

[Allena's upcoming class: How to Become a Paid Book Reviewer]

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Devon Ellington writes:

One of my classes, “The Graveyard of Abandoned Projects,” actually deals with something similar to this—how do you know when it’s not working and when to put it away?

First of all, make sure you’re dealing with a finished draft because unfinished projects drain creative energy. So, even if you’re having second thoughts, finish the latest revision. If this is a piece you’ve been working on for a long time, you’re probably sick of it.

Put it away for about two months.

Very important: During those two months, work on something new. Or several somethings new, if you work in both long and short formats. If all you do is sit around without writing, you’ll just spin. Keep writing. Every day. Even (especially) on the days you don’t feel like it. Apply what you learned from the process of writing the book to the new piece.

Re-read it, with fresh eyes, as though someone else wrote it. How does it feel when you read it? Is it something you’d buy in a bookstore? Or does something feel off? Have you learned anything in the interim—working on another project—that helps get this one in perspective? What can you apply?

Look at any notes you received from places you submitted, or from your trusted readers. Do they all like the same things? Dislike the same things?

Research the market. Is there anything out there that is similar? How is it doing? How does your piece stand apart from it? Is it before its time? Have similar books in the arena peaked? Does yours stand out enough to re-invigorate interest?

I agree with everything Allena said, especially about getting some one-on-one feedback at a conference or from an agent/editor/mentor meeting. Some editors will let you submit just the first three chapters for intensive line editing/critique, and, if you’re self-motivated, you can take those comments and apply them to the overall book.

Do you still love the piece? That is the litmus test. If you can’t see your way to living with it any longer, continuing to revise, and then live with it through the production process and the marketing once the book goes out—put it aside. Keep working on things. Maybe in a few years, you’ll come back to it and get re-energized. Maybe it was your training wheels book. Maybe you needed to write this to explore characters and/or themes that you want to take in a different direction in another book, but you wouldn’t have been able to do so without this one.

Remember, nothing is ever wasted. Everything is a foundation to something else. Finish the draft, even if you then decide to shelve it indefinitely. If you leave a partially finished draft around, it will hurt you when you try to move on to other projects.

The knowledge of when to keep working and when to put something away is, ultimately, in your gut. Your heart will take you on a complicated route, as will your head. What is your gut response when you handle the manuscript? Learn how to separate head, heart, and gut responses—and go with your gut.

[More from Devon in Issue 55: The Layered Edit]

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Cathy C. Hall writes:

As I’m currently dealing with a similar situation, I’ve given this “beating a dead horse” subject quite a bit of thought lately—ahem.

So, I’m thinking that this is a manuscript that has received feedback from agents/publishers? If the feedback’s been positive (a personal response rather than a form response, a request to see more pages, or even a positive critique at a conference) then I think it’s likely that the manuscript has potential. What might be keeping the manuscript from breaking out is concept. It could be fine writing, great voice, wonderful technique—but lacking in original concept. I think Devon mentioned something about a manuscript being different enough. If an agent/publisher is going to make money from your writing, it has to be writing that will sell. Agent Jill Corcoran mentioned this point at a conference I recently attended. That a fantastic concept with great writing and luck will help you sell your book. (Notice, she said fantastic concept and luck—that’s how hard it is!) But you have to star with concept. Do your homework, look at comparative titles, and before you do any more rewriting or revision, determine whether the concept is fantastic enough to warrant more of your time and energy.

Hope that helps! (And P.S. I read Save the Cat—it’s a screenwriting book that Corcoran recommended—so that I could figure out concept once and for all. It was hugely helpful!)

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Kathy Higgs-Coulthard writes:

It is very hard to put away a novel that you have invested so much in. I should know. I have two novels that I have set aside as “trunk novels” to borrow Stephen King’s term. I have three more that I am still revising and another one I just started. I have learned so much from each of these. When I wrote them and revised them tirelessly, I felt they each were The One. Now, with more experience writing, I feel like each was a stone in the path to publication. I had to walk that way to learn what I have learned. I still may publish them someday, but meanwhile, I’ve developed a feel for when I cannot improve a novel without growing more as a writer.

[More from Kathy in Issue 55: Help! I've Frankenmonstered My Manuscript]

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So, there you have it! Four of WOW’s experts chimed in with their opinions. What about yours? How do you make the decision that you're beating a dead horse? When is it time to drop your manuscript and move on?
 

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3 comments beta readers, critique group, finished draft, letters to the editor, manuscript editing, revision

Fishing for Beta Readers

I read the acknowledgements pages of books with as much as interest as the books themselves. I’m hoping to find the secret to beta readers in those few words. Authors thank their agents, their editors, their publishers, their mentors, their families(not necessarily in that order). They also thank their beta readers, the people who first read their manuscript.

I’ve come to believe that those first readers are invaluable as the buffer between the author, who has read the manuscript so many times they no longer know if it’s good or drivel, and the professionals. But who are these mysterious people and where do you find them? Some authors have their families give opinions on their manuscripts. I’m not sure that would work for me. In twenty years my husband has not met a word I’ve written that he didn’t like. He’s pretty sure I slipped it into the wedding vows. “To love, honor, and support by loving everything she ever writes.” My mom, a voracious reader and former English teacher, is certain it’s part of the mom code. In my family, objectivity is not an option.

Recently I had been considering hiring a reader but I don’t really want someone to edit yet. I just want someone to read the manuscript and give me an overall feeling…what they like, what they don’t, what doesn’t fit. Then a beta reader fell into my lap. At my last writer’s group during a discussion about grammar(I know, we’re wild and crazy) a fellow member mentioned how I’d read a piece for her and corrected the grammar and she “owed me one”. She did? Why didn’t anyone tell me? As soon as the meeting was over I cornered her and started laughing about her “owing me one” before zooming in for the kill. Turns out I actually had a manuscript I wanted a few people to read before I sent it out to agents and since she owed me one maybe she’d read a few chapters? What could she say, she’d just told me in front of two dozen witnesses “if you ever need anything…”.

So I’ve snagged my first beta reader and while she peruses the first few chapters I’ve been making a list of a few other people who might be willing to read a few chapters. Some of these people are just acquaintances but that’s what I need, people who don’t feel pressured to like my writing. Most I’ve done a favor for here or there. Turns out that after you snag your first beta reader the rest are easy—you just need the right bait.

Do you have beta readers and where did you find them?

You can read more about Jodi's search for beta readers at Words by Webb. Jodi has plenty of experience with magazine writing but fiction writing is new territory for her as she polishes her historical novel The Cookie Ladies.

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6 comments beta readers, critiques, manuscripts