@CarlaJDouglas
Sending
a finished manuscript out to beta readers has become a routine step in
the self-publishing process.
Beta readers can provide crucial feedback
about whether your book is ready to go public, and authors know this.
It’s
one thing to get readers to agree to give your manuscript an
assessment; it’s another thing entirely to make the most of the precious
time a beta reader spends with your material.
So, you’ve found one or more avid readers to take on the task of giving your book a first read. What next?
Read on: below I discuss how to get information you can act on from your beta readers.
How to Ask for Feedback
You’re asking your beta readers for feedback. But what does that mean? Be specific. At the very least, include a checklist so that your readers are paying attention to the kinds of things that concern you most.
Fiction
For fiction manuscripts, focus on the aspects of your book that you are least confident about.
For example, if you’ve struggled with dialogue in your novel, include a question or two about it, such as, Is it always clear who is speaking during passages of dialogue? or Does dialogue successfully advance the plot and/or help to develop character?
Encourage
beta readers to write their observations and comments either in the
checklist file or annotate your file.
Nonfiction
For
nonfiction manuscripts, your focus will be somewhat different. People
read nonfiction for information and understanding—guide your beta
readers with questions about the clarity of your content and how it’s presented. You might also ask about how the book as a whole is organized.
In nonfiction, the tone of
your writing is more important than you might think. The wrong tone can
put a reader off early in a book—don’t be afraid to ask your beta
readers about this. If you have a subject-matter expert who’s agreed to
read for you, then customizing a checklist/feedback form specifically
for that person is a good idea.
So, what would such a checklist look like? Below is the checklist that was sent to beta readers for Idea to Ebook: How to Write a Quality Book Fast.
For
both fiction and nonfiction, let your beta readers know that they
needn’t pay too much attention to things like typos and formatting.
You’ll cover these items later when your book is copyedited.
Your beta readers are doing you a huge favour. Giving them a checklist to guide their feedback will help them help you.
Image by goXunuReviews
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