Musael
Try it

Guide

How to find beta readers and what to ask them

To find beta readers, look for people who read your genre and trade manuscripts with fellow writers, then ask three to five of them to read a draft you have already revised. Give them a short list of questions so their feedback is easy to compare.

Published Updated 1,864 words9 min read

TL;DR

Beta readers are non-professional readers who give a reader's reaction to a nearly finished book. Find them in genre-minded writing communities, critique sites, groups and your own readers, send a clean draft with a deadline, and ask a short, structured list of questions.

To find beta readers, look for people who read your genre, trade manuscripts with fellow writers, and ask three to five of them to read a draft you have already revised as far as you can alone. Then send questions with the draft, so each answer is easy to compare with the others. Reedsy defines a beta reader as someone who reads a completed or near-completed manuscript to give the writer feedback before publication. They are not editors or professional critics, and that is the point: they show you how an ordinary reader experiences the book.

What a beta reader does, and does not do

Lisa Cooper Ellison, writing in Jane Friedman's Ask the Editor column, describes three kinds. Target-audience readers enjoy your genre and say what they liked, what is not working and whether they would buy the book. Sensitivity readers and subject-matter experts are skilled readers who are always paid, hired when you need checking on representation or on facts such as a surgical procedure. Writing friends often come from critique groups, classes or online communities and swap work at no cost.

The roles are easy to mix up. N J Simmonds, writing for Jericho Writers, separates beta readers from alpha readers, who join at the start and help shape the story, and says a sensitivity reader is paid and covers themes or characters you lack experience of. Reedsy adds that beta readers differ from critique partners, who read as writers and pay close attention to craft. A beta reader is not a developmental editor either: reaction is what they offer, and a paid editor can add solutions.

When the draft is ready

Send the book when you have done what you can alone and can still change things. Simmonds describes that moment as a few drafts before the final one, when you can still move things about and hone characters and plot points. Ellison's red flags for a writer deciding whether to read for someone are a new writer who has taken no classes and a first draft, so offer your readers a manuscript that is past that stage. Do your own passes first, with the method in how to revise a novel, run a spell check and send a clean file.

Where to find them

WhereHow it worksWhat to watch for
Writing communities and swap boardsTrade manuscripts with writers who also need readersCheck the group is still active and rules allow requests
Critique sitesReedsy lists several boards and groups; Scribophile and Critique Circle run peer critiqueCheck how each site's critique works before you post
Genre readersReaders who love your genre spot tired tropes and missing beatsJoin before you ask
Friends and familySimmonds says people are often honoured to be askedBrief them so the feedback is candid
Your own mailing listReedsy suggests offering a free final copy and an acknowledgementNeeds an audience first
Paid servicesSensitivity readers are always paid; some services supply readersCost, and fit with your genre

Scroll horizontally to see all columns. Arrow keys work when the table is focused.

Several sources push the same idea: flip the question. Kris Spisak, writing on Jane Friedman's site, says to ask where you can find writers in your genre who are looking for a beta reader, because helping each other is good and practising an editor's eye makes you a better writer. Kristen Kieffer, also on that site, recommends sourcing readers from the writing community so you can offer to read their book in return.

Sources differ on how to reach people. Kieffer suggests building relationships first: pick the social platform where your readers gather, follow at least 30 potential beta readers, interact for a few weeks, then contact people individually by email. She reasons that if only a quarter agree, you will still have a fine group. Simmonds suggests joining an author community and writing groups, and looking for writers of your genre at your stage. Ellison notes that the best readers are often people who have never read your work before. Pick whichever approach suits your temperament, and avoid sending a manuscript to someone who has not agreed to read it.

Here is a short ask for an invented writer. Odalys has finished a 92,000-word historical novel about a salt trader's daughter:

Hi Sunniva. I have seen that you read a lot of historical fiction, and I have a finished draft of a novel about a salt trader's daughter in 1790s Lisbon. It is 92,000 words. Would you read it between 1 and 31 March and answer eight short questions? I would be glad to read your manuscript in return. Say no freely.

It names the genre, length, timeline and the exchange, and it makes refusing easy.

How many to ask, and how to send the draft

Simmonds suggests asking at least three to five readers at the same time, a mix of friends, family and other writers. Kieffer says to expect that not everyone you approach will accept. Ask a few more than you need.

For format, Kieffer says a digital PDF or EPUB is the most common option, and to ask each reader which they prefer. Ellison says target-audience readers typically work with print copies or PDFs, while writing friends and sensitivity readers need to leave in-text comments in Word, Pages or Google Docs. State a deadline, the format and how you want answers.

Before you send, agree on expectations. Ellison suggests a first-chapter trial period, so a reader can bow out if the book does not suit them. Simmonds says you can offer an agreement or NDA, while noting that a simple agreement may carry little legal weight but shows trust and makes expectations clear. Do not hold anyone to a promise they cannot keep. Thank every reader, whether or not the notes helped.

What to ask

Beta readers are not trained to know what to focus on, so give them structure. Andrew Noakes, writing on Jane Friedman's site, runs a beta-reader service and begins with broad questions before narrowing, and puts any question about a worry at the end so you can see whether the reader raised it unprompted. Jericho's guide and Stuart Horwitz's questionnaire point the same way.

GroupSample questions
OverallWhat was your overall impression? What did you like most? What did you like least?
OpeningDid the first chapters make you want to continue?
PaceWhere did you lose interest, skim or feel you could not stop?
ClarityWas anything confusing, hard to believe or inconsistent?
CharactersWhom did you care about most and least? Could you tell people apart?
EndingWas it satisfying? Did it match what the book promised?
Your worryOne question about the scene, character or thread you are unsure about

Scroll horizontally to see all columns. Arrow keys work when the table is focused.

Add questions for the genre. Noakes suggests worldbuilding for fantasy and the authenticity of the setting for historical fiction, and for romance the level of spice. Jericho's guide adds continuity if you are writing a series. Keep the list short enough to answer. Noakes suggests a few sentences per question.

Reading the answers

Look for patterns, not single opinions. Noakes says that if one reader dislikes a main character while the rest find them engaging, that reader is an outlier. If several readers raise the same problem, pay attention. Simmonds sent a novel to five readers, found most said the same about the same parts, and treated those as right, and when opinions contradicted she asked herself what was subjective. Kieffer proposes a rule of thumb: change something if you wholeheartedly agree, or if more than half your readers flagged it.

Sort the notes into the categories from your revision plan, and treat reader comments as symptoms. A reader who says a chapter is slow tells you where, and you decide why. Do not fix all of it at once, and do not argue with a reader.

Common mistakes

  • Sending a rough first draft. Readers who find basic errors stop noticing the story.
  • Asking only people who love you. Include at least one reader who reads your genre and does not know you.
  • No questions. "What did you think?" gets an answer, but rarely the one you need.
  • Changing everything. One reader is an opinion, and three are a pattern.
  • Mixing up roles. A beta reader is not a developmental editor.

Frequently asked questions

How many beta readers do I need?

Simmonds suggests three to five at once. With fewer than three it is hard to see a pattern, and with many more the notes can become a pile.

Do beta readers get paid?

Usually not. Ellison says most are unpaid, while sensitivity readers and subject-matter experts are always paid. Writing friends often swap manuscripts.

When should I use beta readers?

After you have revised alone and while you can still change the book. Simmonds describes it as a few drafts before the final one.

What is the difference between a beta reader and an editor?

A beta reader gives a reader's reaction, and a paid editor can also suggest how to fix what is wrong. Reedsy's guide says beta readers are not editors or professional critics.

Should I use an NDA?

It is optional. Simmonds says a simple agreement may not carry much legal weight but shows you are clear about expectations.

Where Musael fits

In Musael the share dialog creates a reading link for the chapters you choose, with a note, that stays open for 1, 7, 30 or 90 days. The reader needs no account, and you can see when the link was opened and the furthest chapter reached, then renew or close it. A reading link is a copy of the text as it was when you sent it, so you send the current text again after a revision. Readers' reactions come back to the project instead of an email thread. Beta-reader links and the step-by-step help page are on every plan, and Versions lets you snapshot the book before you send it. Word, EPUB and PDF export are there for readers who prefer a file.

Sources