What the Hex is a Beta Reader? (And Why You Need One!)

Imagine: You’ve just finished your manuscript, a delicious tale in the shadows of 1700’s Scotland, about a maiden, mother and crone—bound by fate and forbidden magic—who must unite as an unlikely coven to protect a changeling child from those who crave her extraordinary powers, in a struggle that could alter the course of their world. You’ve poured your soul (and possibly sacrificed a few quills) into this book. Now what?

Do you go straight to the printing press, convinced the public will be spellbound? Hex, no! You need a beta reader—someone who is a magical blend of casual reader meets professional editor.

Beta Readers: The Literary Coven You Never Knew You Needed

Think of beta readers as a trusted circle of friends ready to tell you the good, the bad and the ugly about your manuscript before it’s released to the masses.

They are not editors (though they might point out some glaring typos). Instead, they offer reader reactions about how your story makes them feel. Does your battle scene at the end want to make them stand up and cheer? Is your villain deliciously wicked or a just a weakling in wizard robes? Is your story confusing, illogical—or worst of all—boring? A beta reader tells you the cold, hard truth so you can fix the parts of your story that aren’t working before it reaches the harsh realm of public opinion.

Where Do You Find These Mystical Readers?

Unlike familiars, you can’t just conjure beta readers out of thin air. But you can:

‍Join writing groups and online communities. I’m part of a writing group called The History Quill that focuses on historical fiction writers. (FYI – I’m not getting paid by them, I just like their services.) They have a beta reading service where you pay a fee based on your story’s word count. Readers who are interested in your story topic apply to be a beta reader for the project. The History Quill vets the applicants and sets you up with readers who fill out a form requesting specific feedback. I used this service for my first novel, To Rescue a Witch, and have currently hired them to find beta readers for my prequel To Condemn a Witch. You can see sample feedback from my first beta read here: Novel Update 3

‍Summon them from your bookish circles. Some people tell you to never ask friends or family to be beta readers because they will be too nice. To which I say, you’ve clearly never met my family. If you ever want to practice humility, give your manuscript to your teenage daughter and ask her to tell you what she thinks, lol. But, when you’re a new writer you might not feel comfortable joining Facebook groups and sharing your work with random unknown people. Personally, I ask 3-5 of my friends who are avid readers and like historical fantasy to do a beta read, as well as my daughter (to give me youthful insights) and my husband. Why him? As a person who never reads fiction he offers great perspective on plot points that are confusing to Joe Public. For example, in To Rescue a Witch I originally wrote a scene that involved a shark eating a baby whale that was rich in symbolism. He scratched his head and said, “Isn’t a whale a lot bigger than a shark?” Uh…yeah, lol. My advice is to ask friends and family who you trust to tell you their honest feedback. It can save you future grief.

‍Offer a trade. Are you friends with other writers? If you beta read for someone else, they might return the favor. A little literary alchemy never hurts.

Sample Beta Reader Questions to Ask:

OK, you found some beta readers ready to offer feedback. Make it as easy as possible for them by giving a quick list of the burning questions you want answered. Here are a few to get you started:

What was your overall impression of the story?
Were there any moments that made you want to stand and cheer?
Did the story grab you in the first 10 pages? If not, why not?
Were there any sections that were boring?
Did anything confuse you?
Did you like the main characters? Why or why not?
Did you find the ending satisfying?

Since my stories are part of a series and incorporate both historical fiction and fantasy fiction elements, I ask a few additional questions as well, such as:

Which characters would you like to read more about in future books?
Were the rules of magic easy to understand?
Did the setting and era feel authentic?

You can (and should) include a few genre-specific questions. If you’re writing a romance, you probably want to know if the sex scenes sizzle. If you’re writing a murder mystery it would be worthwhile to ask if and when they figured out the killer’s true identity. Overall, stick to about 20 questions or less to be respectful of their time.

The Magic of Honest Feedback

Yes, receiving feedback can be as nerve-wracking as standing trial in 1739. But remember: beta readers want to help your book thrive. If they tell you a scene drags, it’s because they want to see it soar. If they say a plot twist felt predictable, it’s because they know your story can be stronger.

So, fellow writer, don’t fear the beta reader. Embrace them. Because when your book finally flies into the world, you’ll want to know it has the power to enchant, captivate, and leave readers spellbound.

Have you used beta readers before? Tell me your experience in the comments!

Here’s my novel: