Beta Readers, Another Perspective

I recently read a blog about Beta Readers from writer G. D. Leon. He agreed and differed from Jenna Moreci on points about Beta Readers.

The blog is at https://blog.reedsy.com/working-with-beta-readers?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=gd.leon.success.story

Mr. Leon divided his readers into Alpha Readers and Beta Readers. Granted he only had two Alpha readers. To him an Alpha reader is the first person to read the story. The first people to read my stories are those in the writing group I belong to. Which contains my biggest fan. You want to catch flack, disappoint your biggest fan.

I have found two early Beta Readers and I’m going to promote them to Alpha Readers. There may be no money involved but a name can mean something. How many Alpha Readers do you know?

Mr. Leon talked about using Beta Readers to lessen the work an editor would have to do. I would never send a half finished manuscript to an editor. I go over and over any manuscript I send to anyone. That does not mean there are not mistakes, silly mistakes, stupid mistakes in the manuscripts that I give to others. But I try to give my best work out. As much as I pay an editor and as much as I ‘m thinking about paying my next editor, I’m sending her a good manuscript, the best manuscript I can make, but I’m not doing it to make it easy for her.

He uses a three step process, send to Alpha readers then fix problems, send to Beta Readers then fix problems, then a trusted writer for a finial beta read followed with more fixing.

He uses Beta Readers for different reviews, edits and marketing. Give them tasks for different things they may be good at. He stresses talking to Beta Reader before they start and he gives them a hard deadline.

He did stress that if Beta Reader finds something, he checks his ego at door.

He uses Facebook to find Beta Readers. He looks for new writers on Facebook to be Beta Readers.

He mentioned using Fiverr for a paid review that cost him $50.00. I think that is high. I’m working with an editor for having a comprehensive edit done. It could cost me $1500.00. I don’t have the money to pay for Beta Readers.

I would have like Mr. Leon to list some of the questions he asks his Beta Readers. Also the questions he asks potential readers to find out if they are the editor types, the contents types, or the marketing types. those would have been useful questions to have.

Stay strong, write on.                  Professor Hyram Voltage