Beta Reading is the first look at a manuscript by someone other than the author. It’s best when the reader is (1) a person who reads for pleasure and can gently express what they think about a story or novel and (2) a person who enjoys the genre of that particular story.
I am fortunate to have excellent friends willing to do this for me. Their suggestions are thoughtful and spot-on.
This first reading by an unbiased eye is meant to give the author a view of their story’s overall strengths and weaknesses. This phase should be done before you submit the manuscript to an editor.
In my work, the suggestions offered by the beta reader (first reader) guide and speed up the revision process. My editor can focus on doing her job without being distracted by significant issues that should have been caught early on.
If you agree to read a raw manuscript for another author, remember that it has NOT been edited. Beta Reading is not editing, and the reader should not make comments that are editorial in nature. Those kinds of nit-picky comments are not helpful at this early stage because the larger issues must be addressed before the fine-tuning can begin.
This phase of the process should be done before you submit the manuscript to an editor, ensuring those areas of concern will be straightened out first.
This manuscript is the child of the author’s soul. Be sure to make positive comments along the way, and never be chastising or accusatory. Always phrase your suggestions in a non-threatening manner.
What significant issues must be addressed in the first stage of the revision process? If you are asked to beta read for a fellow author, ask yourself these questions about the overall manuscript:
How does it open? Did the opening hook you? As you read, is there an arc to each scene that keeps you turning the page? Make notes of any places that are confusing.
Setting: Does the setting feel real? Did the author create a sense of time, mood, and atmosphere? Is world-building an essential part of the story?
Characters: Is the point of view character (protagonist) clear? Did you understand what they were feeling? Were they likable? Did you identify with and care about them? Were there various character types, or did they all seem the same? Were their emotions and motivations clear and relatable?
Dialogue: Did the dialogue and internal narratives advance the plot? Did they illuminate the tension, conflict, and suspense? Were the conversations and thoughts distinct to each character, or did they all sound alike?
Pacing: How did the momentum feel? Where did the plot bog down and get boring? Do the characters face a struggle worth writing about, and if so, did the pacing keep you engaged?
Does the ending surprise and satisfy you? What do you think might happen next?
What about grammar and mechanics? At this point, you can comment on whether or not the author has a basic understanding of grammar and industry practices that suit their genre.
Be gentle! Phrase your suggestions with kindness. If the author’s work shows they don’t understand industry grammar and basic punctuation standards, suggest they get a style guide such as the Chicago Guide to Grammar, Usage, and Punctuation. Or, if you feel up to it, offer to help them learn a few basics.
I know how difficult sharing your just-completed first draft with anyone is. For that reason, being the first reader of another author’s work is a privilege I don’t take lightly.
So, we now know that beta reading is not editing. We now know the first reader makes general suggestions to help the author achieve their goals when revising.
Editing is a process unto itself and is the final stage of making revisions. The editor goes over the manuscript line-by-line, pointing out areas that need attention: awkward phrasings, grammatical errors, missing quotation marks—many things that make the manuscript unreadable. Sometimes, major structural issues will need to be addressed. Straightening out all the kinks may take more than one trip through a manuscript.
There are different kinds of editing, as the various branches of literature have requirements that are unique to them:
In academic writing, editing involves looking at each sentence carefully and ensuring it’s well-designed and serves its purpose. In scholastic editing, every grammatical error must be resolved, making words and sentences more straightforward, precise, and effective. Weak phrasings are strengthened, nonessential information is weeded out, and important points are clarified.
In novel writing, editing is a stage in which a writer and editor work together to improve a draft by ensuring usages are consistent. The editor does not try to change an author’s voice but does point out errors. If an author’s style breaks convention, the editor ensures it is flouted consistently from page one to the end of the manuscript. At the same time, strict attention is paid to the overall story arc.
An editor is not the author. They can only suggest remedies, but ultimately all changes must be approved and implemented by the author.
Be careful when you ask a person to read your manuscript. Some people cannot see the flowers among the weeds and will be blunt and dismissive in their criticism. That is not what you want at that early point. You want an idea of whether you are on the right track with your plot and characters and if your basic storyline resonates with the reader.
Do yourself a favor. Try to find a reader who understands what you are asking of them. You want someone who enjoys beta reading.
When you have made the revisions your first reader suggested and feel your book is ready, hire a local, well-recommended editor. You need someone you can work with, a person who wants to help you make your manuscript ready for publication.
You might wonder why you need an editor when you’ve already spent months fine-tuning it. The fact is, no matter how many times we go over our work, our eyes will skip over some things. We are too familiar with our work and see it as it should be, not as it is.
A reader won’t be familiar with it and will notice what we have overlooked.
In my own work, a passage sometimes seems flawed. But I can’t identify what is wrong with it, and my eye wants to skip it. But another person will see the flaw, and they will show me what is wrong there.
That tendency to see our writing ‘as it should be and not how it is’ is why we need other eyes on our work. Our eyes might trick us, but another reader will see it clearly.
Next week, we’ll talk about the final draft and the process I use to make my manuscript ready for my editor.
Life in the Realm of Fantasy 