How to Find Beta Readers

You can spend forever revising and polishing your story, but the one thing you can’t do is imagine what it would be like to read it for the first time.

That’s where beta readers come in. They can give you a reader’s perspective on your book, including what they loved and what might need a little more work.

Here’s a guide on how to find beta readers, including tips on when to look, who to ask, and ways you can set your readers up for success.

When to Find Beta Readers

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of finding beta readers, it’s helpful to think about when you should invite them into your book writing process. This differs from writer to writer, but here are some things to consider.

If you’re excited about your first draft, it’s often tempting to share it right away. However, a beta reader isn’t what you need at this stage. Sharing with friends or finding an alpha reader (someone who reads very early drafts) would be better.

A beta reader’s usual role is to offer a reader’s perspective on the “big picture,” like the plot and characters. If you’re still working those things out for yourself, the feedback might not be as useful as it could be and could even pull you away from your vision for the story.

It’s not really fair to the beta reader either. If you’re asking them to comment on elements that you know are a bit half-baked or that you’re likely to end up changing in the second draft, it’s not a productive use of their time.

Instead, wait until you have a clean draft that you think is reasonably solid from a plot and character perspective. You’ll have a clearer view of what the story should be, which helps when deciding whether to act on feedback.

It doesn’t need to be perfect, though. There can still be things you’re not sure about—that’s one of the major benefits of asking for someone else’s opinion, after all. It just needs to be as good as you can get it right now.

It’s also important to think about whether you need a beta read or a critique at this stage. There’s some overlap, but they serve different purposes.

A novel critique looks at the technical aspects of the story in depth, like structural issues and characterization. A beta read is usually more focused on the reading experience and covers how enjoyable it was and whether things landed emotionally, among other things.

You likely want to look for beta readers when you still have the time and willingness to make changes. You don’t want to discover issues right before sending queries to literary agents or self-publishing.

Remember, you can always have multiple rounds of beta reading. If you want to check you’ve addressed the issues highlighted in your initial round, just arrange another.

Where to Find Beta Readers

So, you’ve got a draft that is ready to be beta read. Where do you look for suitable readers?

People You Know

If you have friends who love reading the kind of book you’re working on, they might well be happy to look over your draft.

Not all book lovers will make good beta readers, though. You need someone who likes discussing books in depth. Do they often share their opinions on what they’re reading? Have you swapped notes about something you both read?

If you’re a member of any reading-focused communities, like book groups, that could be a great source of people who like to really engage with what they read.

Asking people you know can be a double-edged sword, though. They may not be comfortable being honest or might subconsciously view the book more favorably because it’s yours.

It’s also a massive ask to offer feedback on an entire book. Make sure they know what they’re getting into first, and try to think of some way of acknowledging their contribution.

Fellow Writers

Other writers can make brilliant free beta readers. If you already have a circle of writer friends or belong to a writing group, then you could start putting the word out.

Writers understand the inner workings of books and may articulate why something doesn’t work for them more effectively than nonwriters. They’re also more likely to see the value in constructive feedback.

You can also offer to read their work, so the process is more reciprocal than it can be with nonwriters. As a bonus, this can help you develop your craft.

Remember, though, other writers are likely to have firmer opinions about how to “fix” things and might be influenced by what they would do. Be careful not to let their feedback nudge you away from your vision for the story.

Online Communities

There are a huge number of online communities you can turn to.

These range from specialist critique platforms, like Scribophile, Critique Circle, and CritiqueMatch, to groups on social media sites, like Goodreads, Reddit, Facebook, and Discord. To start off, try searching for the genre or trope you’re writing about.

It might take some trial and error to find a group that feels like a good fit. It’s worth spending time getting to know how things work and identifying promising people rather than jumping in with a general request.

Heading online massively increases the pool of prospects. That’s handy if you’re struggling to find people who enjoy your genre or type of story.

Of course, turning to someone online comes with downsides. You don’t really have a way of knowing how reliable they are, for one thing. That’s why it’s a good idea to take your time and establish a rapport first.

Paid Beta Readers

You can also find paid-for beta reading services online.

If you’re paying for a beta read, the person doing it is hopefully going to have valuable experience and be motivated to provide quality feedback. You can also expect them to stick to the agreed deadline, which isn’t always a given with free beta readers.

Providing you have the budget, it could be helpful if you’re short on time, have been burned by lackluster feedback, or don’t have an established writing/reading community.

However, it’s even more important to do your due diligence here, given that anyone can set themselves up as a beta reader online. Check their reviews and don’t be afraid to ask questions about their services.

Virtual Beta Reader

Sharing your story with a beta reader for the first time can be scary. There’s also often a long wait involved—reading a book and providing quality feedback takes time.

To help with this, ProWritingAid created Virtual Beta Reader. This feature gives you a preview of how a reader might react to your draft, including the highs and lows, favorite/least favorite characters, and places where they might consider putting the book down.

It’s not meant to be a substitute for a genuine human beta reader. However, it gives you rapid feedback that you can use to fix more significant issues before you share it, streamlining the process and giving you peace of mind.

How to Find the Right Fit

Once you know where to look, it’s time to think about what you’re looking for in a beta reader.

Here are some potential criteria.

Familiarity With Your Genre

Usually, they should read or write books in your genre. This means they’ll be familiar with the conventions and reader expectations. You’ll also get a better idea of how your book will land with your target audience if most of your beta readers are members of that audience.

Alternative perspectives can be useful, though, so if you have someone in mind who doesn’t typically read your style of book but you think could give you valuable insights, go for it.

A Good Attitude to Constructive Feedback

They need to be prepared to be honest if something didn’t work for them.

If you’re talking to a friend about being your beta reader, it’s worth asking whether they think they’d be comfortable flagging potential problems.

If you’re considering asking someone online, try to get a sense of the type of feedback they give to other people. If their comments are always positive, there’s a chance they might not share constructive insights with you.

Do They Have Time?

While it’s only fair to give your beta readers ample time to provide feedback so they can work around their other commitments, you also don’t want to put your book on hold indefinitely while you wait for them to get to it.

Try to explain what kind of time frame you’re working with when you first approach someone. That way, they’ll be able to judge whether it’s something they can sign onto given everything else they’ve got going on.

Is It Their Thing?

Stories are subjective. Sometimes a book can tick all the boxes on paper but just not land with a particular person—that doesn’t automatically mean there’s something “wrong.”

Ask them to beta read a sample first so you can both work out whether this is a partnership that’s going to work. If it just isn’t to their taste for subjective reasons, then continuing probably won’t be productive for either of you.

Does Their Feedback Work for You?

Asking them to beta read a sample also gives you a chance to see whether their style of feedback is what you need at this stage of your process.

If it’s not really working, you could have a discussion about the type of feedback you’d find more helpful and ask whether they’d be able to commit to that.

How Many Beta Readers Do You Need?

It would be good to recruit several beta readers, if possible.

It’s best to have a range of perspectives to work with so you can see how it lands with different people. You’ll be able to spot wider patterns in the feedback as well. You’re also covered if someone has to back out.

Opinions differ between writers on the right number of beta readers. Experiment to find what’s right for you, and remember; if you struggle to find multiple readers, you could always supplement with tools like Virtual Beta Reader or with paid beta reading services.

How to Set Your Beta Readers Up for Success

Giving some guidance about what you’d find most helpful will make things easier for your chosen readers.

Explain the kind of feedback you’re hoping to get. If they know what your goals are, it will help them tailor their input. Now’s the time to mention the kinds of feedback you don’t want as well (for instance, if you’d rather they didn’t comment on the style or offer fixes).

You could also give them some questions to focus on, such as “Did the opening grip you?”, “Were there any points where you got bored?”, or “Did you have a favorite character?”

Discuss the format for feedback. It’s possible to use platforms like Google Docs, but readers might prefer a format they can use with an e-reader. There are also beta reader websites like BetaReader.io that collate and track feedback.

Clarify the timeline as well. Make sure they know when you need their feedback so they can prioritize and let you know as soon as possible if they’re falling behind.

Conclusion: How to Find Beta Readers

You can find beta readers in lots of places, including your circle of friends, writing groups, and online. Think about what you specifically need so you can tailor your search.

By coming up with some simple criteria for identifying people who are a good fit and providing some clear guidance to your chosen readers, you stand the best chance of creating an enjoyable and productive beta reading experience for everyone.

If you’d like to get your book into the best shape possible before sending it to your beta readers, ProWritingAid can help you dig into what’s working and what might need some more tweaking. Sign up for a free account today to get started.