A beta reader is an individual or a group that reads a particular book that is unreleased and provides feedback (the reader’s point of view). Beta readers do not necessarily need to be professional (nor do they need to have writing experience), as the feedback can come from an average reader.
The author will use the feedback from the beta reader to evaluate if the message that they want to deliver to the reader is received. Furthermore, the author will also determine if the writing material is consistent and has good pacing and plot.
Who Can Be A Beta Reader?
A beta reader can be anyone; it could be either the author’s friends or family members. It doesn’t need to be professional as they provide feedback from the readers’ point of view. The author can also look for beta readers through their author’s website, online, or in the author’s community.
However, it is highly recommended that the author choose a beta reader that would give honest (brutally honest—much better!) feedback on the output of the book, and the niche of the book is aligned with what they read. It is crucially important that the beta reader points out what they liked and disliked.
Number of Beta Reader
The number of beta readers depends entirely on the author or the work needed to be done in a manuscript. Ideally, the author should have more than one beta reader to get a diverse range of feedback. The author will get a universal range of feedback from the beta readers.
Beta Readers Compensation
The author can have a professional beta reader; compensation may vary depending on the book’s genre, word count, etc. However, other authors prefer the unpaid arrangement because of budget restrictions. The authors may offer a free copy of the book in exchange for feedback. They may go beyond that by providing an acknowledgment for them.
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