Being a Beta Reader: Is beta reading for you?

Beta reading... not at all like walking a tight rope!

I'm not sure why, but for the past couple of days I've been feeling that I should do a post on beta readers. After seeing two separate posts on it today, I've gotten the hint, so here goes. For those of you who don't know what beta reading is, it's basically reading a manuscript before it's ready to be published. Authors use betas for plot feedback, to get ideas on what works and what doesn't with characters, and much more. A lot of times, beta readers who've read the author's previous work are great at pointing out series inconsistencies that we authors tend to gloss over after reading a 70+ thousand word MS fifty times already (like, But two books ago you said her eyes were orange, not yellow, or whatever).

Betas are our friends. At least, my betas are. When I send stuff to them, I know they're going to point things out that readers will notice. I expect suggestions, knowing I might not use them all (but better to conteplate now rather than later, once the book is out and changes can't be made, right?). I expect my betas to tell me things politely, but they do have the right to disagree with my decisions, as long as they're tactful about it. It's important to remember that all beta readers are different, and that, if you choose to beta read for someone, it's okay for your personality to shine through. Some betas send back two pages of notes. Some have detailed suggestions on every page. Some only point out their favorite and not-so-favorite things. Some don't say much other than "yay" and "I'm so excited for ____" (thanks, guys). The point is, reading it and saying, "It seems decent" isn't going to help anyone, nor is sending twenty negative comments per page. 

Last, betas, a lot of times, end up being your core team of fans. And by fans I don't mean crazy fangirls who squee over you and stalk you online and get confused and think they ARE you (although, I could deal with that); I mean people who are your advocates. Who spread the word about your work, because they get it. Who you can count on in a pinch to read that novella or ask about a character list and if you missed something before sending something off to print. I don't know where I'd be without my beta readers. (You guys know who you are. Coffee hugs.) 

Oh, and authors, if you DO use betas? Please please please make sure to thank them in your acknowledgements!

Now that I've explained what betas do, here are some great articles on beta reading that I've come across, as well as a great recent #k8chat regarding beta readers (lots of tips from readers and authors). I'd like to point out that most of these are written for the writer, not the beta reader, but they're still great and will also potentially give you ideas as to what to request as a beta reader (like knowing what format you'd prefer the document in, for instance). 

Another point real quick: it's important to remember that betas are not editors. It is not their job to point out the technicalities of punctuation (though, if that is your forte, you are more than welcome to mention that to an author before beta-ing... they might appreciate catching that stuff before their MS goes to the editor). I think of betas as the person you go to and say, "Hey, do these shoes go with this outfit?" To which they respond, "Well, last month you wore them with this dress, and it kind of goes but you seem to do better wearing these with pants. Oh and those earrings you had on last week would go great with it! That eyeshadow is not working for me at all, though." (Bad example? Oh well.)

Without further ado, here are some great tips on beta reading: 

* What is a Beta Reader and Where Do I Find One? via Casey McCormick (@Casey_McCormick) ***make sure to read the comments in this post!

* The "Art" of Beta Reading via Kati Brown

* Copy-editing and Beta Readers via Joanna Penn (@thecreativepenn)

* An important tip to keep in mind while BETA READING via Monica B.W. (@Monica_BW)

* Beta Reading Etiquette via Trisha Leaver (@Tleaver)

* Beta Reading Etiquette: How to Give a Critique via Misti Wolanski

* Five Things You Should Know About Working With Beta Readers via Corina Koch MacLeod and Carla Douglas of Beyond Paper Editing

* Beta-Readers and Beta-Reading: #K8chat on Twitter with Kate Tilton (@K8Tilton)

* Beta-Reading Community at Pub Hub (@PubHub_blog)

If you have any experiences, suggestions, or questions, feel free to share them in the comments!

Readerly Interview with Kate Tilton

Over the past few months I've gotten to know Kate as an amazing advocate for authors. Not only that, but she is a book nerd like me (probably more so, actually), and when I saw her suggestion to interview readers in order to see their view on things, I jumped right on that and interviewed her! (See how I worked that?) So please help me welcome Kate to the blog! Here is part one of the interview:

First, thank for letting me interrogate you, Kate! ;D

K8: It’s my pleasure to be here! :)

How long have you been an avid reader? 

K8: When I was younger reading was a part of daily life but it wasn’t until one certain year that reading became invaluable to me. As a child I lived in a village where there were very few other children. When my two dearest friends moved away reading became my life. Books were my friends when I had none.

Most readers have that *one* book (or perhaps that *one* series) they can attribute to pulling them into the love they have for reading today. Do you have one? If so, what is it, how old were you, and what are a few things that you appreciated about it?

K8: For me I was brought into reading because of the circumstances (above) but there are a few book series that really mattered to me. A ten book Spy Kids series, and two Star Wars series (Jedi Apprentice and Boba Fett).

Do you have a favorite author and/or authors? What makes them your favorite?

K8: I do have favorite authors! I actually have two lists of favorite authors (I know, I know, I’m a little obsessive). On one list I have authors such as Maggie Stiefvater and Ally Condie who have wowed me with their writing. On the other list I have authors who have become my dear friends like Beth Revis and Marie Lu. (And yes, authors can be on both lists like Victoria “V.E.” Schwab.)

How about a favorite book cover (or two)? Tell us what made it/them stand out.

K8: One of my favorite book covers is Untraceable by S.R. Johannes. I have a picture of a group of authors holding up their books and Untraceable stands out from the crowd. The cover contains bold colors, professional type, and careful placement that makes it look good no matter how small it is.

What merits a book making its way onto your personal favorites list?

K8: The books that are on my personal favorites list (the books that get authors onto my special list) are the ones where the words are carefully selected. Read Crossed by Ally Condie or Vicious by V.E. Schwab (note by Jessica -- Vicious is an adult book, and not YA) to get a feel for what I mean. I also adored the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater because they moved me to want to create (draw, sing, write). I have never before been so moved by another’s creativity that my own felt alive.

Tell us a little bit about why you started up #k8chat on Twitter. 

K8: #K8chat is a weekly Twitter chat (Thursdays at 9pm Eastern) designed for authors and readers. I am a Twitter addict and I love being able to connect with others via Twitter chats. However I noticed most chats were either entirely made for authors or readers. I felt that Twitter needed a place where both groups could come together to form valuable relationships and have fun. If you are interested in joining #K8chat please check out katetilton.com/k8chat for details!

Thanks so much for being here, Kate! Join us next week for the second half of Kate's interview! 

About Kate:

Kate Tilton has been in love with books for as long as she can remember. Kate believes books saved her life and strives to repay authors for bringing books into the world by serving as a dependable author assistant. A cat-lover and fan of many geeky things, Kate can likely be found curled up with the latest Doctor Who episode, plotting world takeover, or assisting authors and readers in any way she can. Kate is also a self-proclaimed Twitter addict. You will find her hosting #K8chat, her own creation, every Thursday night on Twitter from 9-10pm Eastern.

“My goal for the longest time has been to help authors. Make their life better because they make my life better. You are my rockstars.”

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*** Pssst! I'm throwing a #JLBBirthdayBash for my birthday week and giving away books, book swag, t-shirts, and the good folks at Rafflecopter have thrown in a free month! It ends Saturday! You can check it out, HERE.