WHAT IS A BETA READER?
The term comes from the software industry, where a "beta" version of a program is released to a group of testers, who work the bugs out. For our definition, the writer is the "alpha" reader, doing a thorough critique before releasing it to the beta readers, your fellow writers who will give you the feedback you need to hone your work to publication quality.
It's a lot faster than chapter-by-chapter critique, and is reserved for novels that are complete. You get your very own Meetup to talk about nothing but your book. How exciting is that?
HOW DO I QUALIFY FOR A BETA READ?
To qualify for a beta read, one of the following criteria must be true.
OKAY, I'VE MET ALL THE CRITERIA, WHAT DO I DO NOW?
Step 1 The novel must be completed and should have undergone at least one editorial and proofreading pass.
Step 2: You contact a BSFW organizer that you know and who knows you. The list of organizers is on the Meetup page. Request that they sponsor your beta read. If they say yes, submit your manuscript to them. If they believe the manuscript is ready for a beta, then we move on to the next step.
Step 3: You and your sponsor organizer will find a place for your meetup. It could be virtual if you want. You specify the day and time. Give people a fair amount of time to read your work. Submit your first chapter to your sponsor and they will make it available for prospective beta readers. That chapter will be available for any member to read before they commit to reading the full manuscript.
Give them the information they need to understand your work so they can decide if they're the right critics for your manuscript. (this is information that will go onto the Meetup calendar event):
Title
Word count
Genre
Sub-genre if any
Brief description - the equivalent of the back cover blurb, 500 words or less.
Specify any questions you have for your critics as they read, and what type of feedback you’re after: pacing, characterization, plot, when they became engaged or what scenes failed to hold their attention, etc. You can also tell them what feedback you are not looking for as well. Be as specific as you can.
Step 4: Let people know that you have a Beta Read scheduled by entering it onto the BETA Form on the BSFW Members Page. The form is on the side panel. Just scroll down the side of the page.
As people RSVP to your meeting, you provide them with your complete manuscript. The ideal number of beta readers is up to you, but should be similar to the number needed for any good critique. We suggest between three and ten. If you’re not getting the numbers you need, talk to your sponsor organizer about how to get the word out, or reach out to individual members of the group whose feedback you value.
It might also be wise to send out reminders once or twice during the critique period, since it is so protracted, to remind them of the upcoming meeting. Your sponsor organizer can help you do this.
Then critics read your manuscript and you meet for your critique!
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT BETA READ:
The term comes from the software industry, where a "beta" version of a program is released to a group of testers, who work the bugs out. For our definition, the writer is the "alpha" reader, doing a thorough critique before releasing it to the beta readers, your fellow writers who will give you the feedback you need to hone your work to publication quality.
It's a lot faster than chapter-by-chapter critique, and is reserved for novels that are complete. You get your very own Meetup to talk about nothing but your book. How exciting is that?
HOW DO I QUALIFY FOR A BETA READ?
To qualify for a beta read, one of the following criteria must be true.
- The first three chapters have been critiqued by a BSFW novel critique group. That takes about three months on average (around 23,000 words total).
- You have attended and submitted to at least 3 short story critique sessions. That usually takes about three months.
- You have verifiably participated in the beta read for another BSFW member and completed the BSFW Beta Read Self-Reporting Sheet on the BSFW members page. You can find other beta reads to sign up for on the Meetup Calendar or by checking the Beta Schedule on the members page.
OKAY, I'VE MET ALL THE CRITERIA, WHAT DO I DO NOW?
Step 1 The novel must be completed and should have undergone at least one editorial and proofreading pass.
Step 2: You contact a BSFW organizer that you know and who knows you. The list of organizers is on the Meetup page. Request that they sponsor your beta read. If they say yes, submit your manuscript to them. If they believe the manuscript is ready for a beta, then we move on to the next step.
Step 3: You and your sponsor organizer will find a place for your meetup. It could be virtual if you want. You specify the day and time. Give people a fair amount of time to read your work. Submit your first chapter to your sponsor and they will make it available for prospective beta readers. That chapter will be available for any member to read before they commit to reading the full manuscript.
Give them the information they need to understand your work so they can decide if they're the right critics for your manuscript. (this is information that will go onto the Meetup calendar event):
Title
Word count
Genre
Sub-genre if any
Brief description - the equivalent of the back cover blurb, 500 words or less.
Specify any questions you have for your critics as they read, and what type of feedback you’re after: pacing, characterization, plot, when they became engaged or what scenes failed to hold their attention, etc. You can also tell them what feedback you are not looking for as well. Be as specific as you can.
Step 4: Let people know that you have a Beta Read scheduled by entering it onto the BETA Form on the BSFW Members Page. The form is on the side panel. Just scroll down the side of the page.
As people RSVP to your meeting, you provide them with your complete manuscript. The ideal number of beta readers is up to you, but should be similar to the number needed for any good critique. We suggest between three and ten. If you’re not getting the numbers you need, talk to your sponsor organizer about how to get the word out, or reach out to individual members of the group whose feedback you value.
It might also be wise to send out reminders once or twice during the critique period, since it is so protracted, to remind them of the upcoming meeting. Your sponsor organizer can help you do this.
Then critics read your manuscript and you meet for your critique!
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT BETA READ:
- The organizer does not necessarily have to participate in the beta critique, but they do need to attend the critique meeting they will set up just for you.
- Organizers also have access to the communications tools through Meetup that you will need to make your critique session happen.
- No organizer is mandated to sponsor your manuscript. Organizers may respond to a request for sponsorship by referring you to one of the novel groups for further development, or by suggesting you approach a different organizer for a second opinion. If a sponsor says no for any reason, it is bad etiquette to badger them for a yes. Please remember that harrassment of any kind is grounds for removal from BSFW.
- For questions about this process you can ask an organizer in person or send an email to the BSFW Meetup email with "BETA READ QUESTION" in the subject line.
- At any point, and outside of the formal beta read process, members may also approach each other individually for manuscript reviews as well. We encourage members to view each other as resources and partners in this way, especially if the formal beta read process does not seem like it would fit your needs. As with the formal process, no members are obligated to read any other member’s manuscript, so please be respectful of your community’s responses to any such requests.
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