Beta Readers.... How important are they?

J A Myers
Sep 11, 2017
2 min read

I am in a few writing facebook groups, and if there was a FAQ page then How important are Beta Readers? would be at the top. For every genre of writing, not even just fiction writing, but say writing, report writing, everything needs an extra pair of eyes on it.

But let's just stick with novel writing, I'll go through a couple of reasons why having a Beta reader can help.

1- Having a wide range of readers can give you information about the book. They aren't there for editing, Beta's are after the editing, when the final draft is ready and what the writer thinks is perfect. They read the book and pick up on the little details about the characters, the entertainment value, and the plot. They are there to help the writer understand the book from a different angle, rather than seeing it from a writing point of view. They aren't connected to the book like the writer is and can see things the writer can't.

2- Having a range of Beta readers allows the writer to understand who the book can be aimed at. For example, a Young Adult book can be aimed at the younger generation on perhaps 14-18, or just about that age. This means the language will be a little simpler, a 'coming of age' plot line and usually a love interest in there as well. But having an age range of Beta's they can tell the writer who would prefer the book, usually, a book can be aimed at everyone, no matter what their age is. The writer can tailor the front cover to the audience the book is aimed at, or change some of the language in it.

3- They give the writer reassurance. Giving the book to a friend, they always will be bias towards the writer because they might not want to hurt their feelings or upset, which is totally understandable. This is why it's better to look further a field for Beta readers who are connected to you, who read a similar genre. They will tell the writer everything they need to know, the writer will have certain questions in mind they need answering before they are comfortable to publish it. For example, the main one I ask myself is 'Is the plot interesting?' Or 'Are my characters fully rounded?' but the main one I ask is 'Are there any plot holes I have missed?' Beta readers will have answers to these questions.

If you were wondering whether to ask for Beta readers, get involved in some writing Facebook groups and get a feel for the people on there. If you are concerned about plagiarism, they find a few different people and send little snippets to them, a few chapters each.

Once again, if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, just drop a message on my J A Myers Facebook page, or send me an email from my Contact Page here.

I hope this has helped!