Beta Readers
My friend Peyton told me at the beginning of writing my first novel that I would be shocked how many drafts I’d end up writing.
I’m about to start my eighth full revision with my editor, and yep, I’m shocked. Thankfully I discovered that I loved the editing process, especially once readers got involved. The beta reader process was especially fascinating to me.
A friend recently asked me about that, and I thought it’d be helpful to cobble everything all in one place. Here’s what I’ve learned from my first go at this!
Peyton told me to write the first draft just for me, telling the story to myself. I've also heard advice to get through the “shitty first draft” as fast as possible. Stephen King says to write draft one with the “doors closed”. I’d second all of this.
This article / podcast is really helpful as you think about different drafts!
I then had two “alpha readers”. These were Peyton and my husband, David. They read the first draft while I took a break from the story. (Advice I received here was to take at least a month off from it so that you can get back to it with fresh eyes).
My alpha readers basically told me if I had a story or not. They told me what was good and they then kindly gave me “opportunities” (things that sucked but that they presented in a way that would not destroy me). I also learned how cool it was to have readers!!
The second draft was much more of a developmental edit, focusing on voice, plot, subplot, etc. THEN, I started a third draft which was much quicker. I read through it all again, focusing a little more deeply on sentences and just ensuring that the developmental edits I made didn’t break anything.
I then sent it along to a few beta readers and took another break. I started with a few friends of mine who are big readers of my particular genre (historical fiction).
I sent them a view-only Google Doc link with the following as page one:
Before you start:
Ideally, read through this as if you are reading a regular novel. Try to get into it and not think about me! You can print a copy, read on your Kindle or Apple book reader app (export this as a .EPUB or PDF and google how to do that), or grit your way through reading as a Google Doc, God bless ya.
The official Beta Reader question is always this: Is there anything (a typo, a word or phrase, a situation, a motivation, etc) that brought you out of the story? Don’t go looking for those things, but if they find you, make a note.
At the end of this manuscript, I’ll have a few specific questions for you as well. Don’t read them until you’re done!
See you on the other side.
With both terror and gratitude,
-Callie
I then included a list of specific questions at the very end of the Google Doc. For example: How do we feel about Charlotte? Do we care? How can I get you more emotionally invested?
I gave them a deadline (usually a month from when I handed it over) and asked them to either text, email, or voice memo over their feedback. Peyton sent over an anonymous Google Form when she asked for feedback for her novel, but I really wanted to chat back and forth with the readers.
They can read a Google Doc / PDF on their Kindle! Here’s how that works:
On your Kindle’s library/Home Screen, click the three dots to the right of the shopping cart. Then click Settings > Your Account
Copy the email address listed under Send-to-Kindle email
OR go to Amazon.com/myk and click on your correct Kindle device. You should see your Kindle email there.
Then, email a PDF of the book to that address, and it will pop up in the kindle as if it were a book!
After I received the feedback, I made a list of what I wanted to change and then I did another big rewrite. Some changes were small (“High-fiving was not a thing in 1939,” someone told me). Others were big (“Hispanic families would not have been so integrated. You need to either change their experience or their nationality.” AH!)
I sent this updated edit to a new round of beta readers. Here, I looked for some folks who read other genres (my “fairy smut” reader friend was especially helpful in helping me think through motivations and inner dialogue, actually!). I also asked a local historian to read it, who offered incredibly helpful specific context and edits. And finally, I had a few sensitivity readers offer their take as well, particularly around race relations in the south in 1939 and the accuracy/emotions related to the disease ALS.
Around draft four or so, I started querying agents. I learned a ton in this process too, but that feedback was way harder to take—and also way higher stakes. If you feel like your manuscript is “ready”, just know that you may receive some feedback that will convince you it still needs work. For that reason, query in batches so you can make adjustments before burning through your entire list!
A few other thoughts:
Beta reader feedback can be really emotional. There were times when someone pointed out something that they didn’t like or that needed to change, and I wanted to fight back. (They were usually right about it, which I’d realize once I took a step back.) However, sometimes I’d receive totally opposite feedback. One person wanted it to move faster; one said to slow down. One wanted more perspectives; one wanted less.
There are services where you can pay for beta readers, but I found that just asking the right people in my orbit worked even better. I had a mix of close friends/family and more distant connections read it. Once I felt more confident in my later drafts, I sent the book to some friends on Goodreads who gave brutal reviews (rarely any 5 stars). I learned SO much from their feedback.
Beta reading is very time consuming for the reader. Thank them profusely! (And include them in your acknowledgements in the back of your book :)
What else have you learned in the process? I’d love to hear!