Beta Reading

If you have exhausted your friends and family members with your requests for any kind of feedback about your books, it may be time to find a writing community or writers’ group who can help with beta reading. There are specific groups for beta readers that provide helpful feedback with plot holes and worldbuilding. Some places to access beta readers include:

• Upwork
• Goodreads Beta Reader Group
• Indie authors groups
• Social media and Facebook groups
• Critique Circle

You don't typically pay beta readers for their services if you’re relying on family or friends. For beta readers you find online, you’ll find that their rates usually start around $40. Beta reader rates can vary based on the genre, and some beta readers charge for their specific services because they provide more than just reading. For example, additional assistance on your first draft can include grammatical copy editing or fixing typos with proofreading.

A professional beta reader who can offer editing suggestions and specialize in a specific genre of writing can cost around $40 or more for their services.

A beta reader cannot legally steal your work once you write it and send it over for beta reading. However, it’s always a good idea to have a beta reader sign a contract before you send them your work. A contract can help to protect your writing and your ideas, and this is particularly important if you’re planning on publishing your work.

Make sure your beta readers come with recommendations from Facebook groups, critique groups, literary agents, or past clients. Upwork allows past clients to rate and leave comments about beta readers they’ve worked with. Glowing recommendations will put you at ease, knowing that fellow writers have successfully used these particular beta readers.

A typical beta read consists of feedback to the writer on pacing, plot, or inconsistencies. However, if you want to get paid as a beta reader, these services often need to go beyond the scope of simply reading and providing feedback. For example, sensitivity readers or professional editors include feedback such as character development tweaks or valuable input on the writing process.

You can become a beta reader or alpha reader on Upwork. As an alpha reader, you’ll be reading rough, initial drafts of manuscripts. Alpha readers often make significant editing suggestions and help writers to spot errors.

If you become a beta reader, you’ll read a more polished version of the manuscript that’s already been through an initial edit. As a beta reader, your job will be to identify plot holes, point out any inconsistencies, and provide more general feedback about the book. To get started as a beta reader, simply create an Upwork profile and describe your services.

You can find a paid beta reader through Upwork. When you hire a beta reader through this platform, you can view their past client reviews to see if they are the right fit for your project.

The amount of time you should give your beta reader depends on the book's type and length. A good rule of thumb is to apply one hour for every 10,000 words. Therefore a 30,000-word manuscript will take approximately three hours to read.