Writing for your readers
It’s likely you’ve heard of alpha readers, beta readers, and ARC readers. If those terms are confusing - if, as the joke says, they’re all Greek to you - you’re not alone. Keep reading to learn what each of those terms means and how they’re useful to authors.
It’s all Greek to me…
Did you know that as an author, you have access to three special reader groups separate from your reader customers? These additional groups are composed of alpha, beta, and advanced reader copy (ARC) readers. Like I said on my editing post, the duties of editors sometimes overlap; the same is true of alpha, beta, and ARC readers.
Let’s break them down.
Alpha reader
An alpha reader is the first person other than the author to read the manuscript, often receiving the very first draft in all its unedited roughness. The alpha reader has the power to control their impulses to make corrections on the page. Instead, they focus on what the author has said, considering the story as a whole. As noted at Indies Unlimited,
The purpose of the alpha reader is to see if the overall structure of your book works. Are there glaring issues or plot holes large enough to float an ocean liner through? The idea is to have a trusted reader who might spot issues you miss or have a blind spot about.
Alpha readers can be a source of encouragement for authors too. Having someone you trust, someone who knows your genre well, read the book and tell you they see the diamond in the rough can go a long way toward fighting off imposter phenomenon.
ARC reader
The ARC reader, then, has the responsibility of reading an author’s book after it’s finished and formatted and ready to be released. The reader receives the book in advance of the release so they can be prepared to post reviews as soon as it goes live. In this way, ARC readers help to promote the book and are crucial to its success. ARC readers are uncompensated, partly for ethical reasons and partly because they receive a free copy of the book.
Beta reader
That leaves beta readers somewhere in the middle. While most authors don’t use alpha readers, they’re more likely to use beta readers.
As the name suggests (beta being the second letter in the Greek alphabet, after alpha), beta reading is typically the second step in the traditional editing process.
*Note: Every step of the process is optional and should be tailored to the needs of each author.*
Beta reading can take place at any time in the editing process. Some authors do a self-edit on their manuscript, then send it to betas, while others wait until they’re ready for formatting – after all the editorial changes have been made – to send their book along.
What happens when the beta reader has your manuscript depends on you. Too many authors pass along their nascent books and expect their betas to provide fabulous feedback. The authors’ feedback on this process typically includes the following:
I never heard back from them/they ghosted me.
They said they liked it. How does that help me?
I don’t think they actually read the book.
Story time.
Have you ever worked on a project, either at school or at work, where you weren’t given the parameters of the assignment? You weren’t supplied with a brief, a rubric, details – nothing. So you completed the project to the best of your ability, but then were frustrated when your efforts weren’t appreciated. This is similar to what happens with beta reading.
Working with a beta reader is like working with any other publishing professional, even if you aren’t compensating your reader. (Why aren’t you compensating your reader?) You might not have a signed contract, but you do have a social contract: You’ll supply the book, and the reader will provide feedback.
If you don’t offer guidelines on the feedback you want, you’ll likely not get the results you want.
When I beta read for clients, I ask whether they have specific issues I should keep in mind. Having something to look for helps me read critically and provide my clients with beneficial feedback. But if they don’t have suggestions for areas of focus, I use a list of questions I’ve collected from an author and an editor.
Questions to solicit answers
Kristen Hamilton suggests, “What was the most exciting part of the book? Least exciting/boring? Who is your favorite character and why? Least favorite? Do any character’s actions not make sense?”
Kay Freeman offers the following list but warns that using all of these questions could overwhelm your beta reader.
Did the story hold your interest from the beginning? And did it start at the right place?
Do you know who's telling the story and where it's taking place?
Could you relate to the main characters? If not, why not?
Were there too many other characters or not enough?
Was dialogue interesting and natural?
Is there anything you read that seemed problematic or insensitive?
Were the scenes exciting, and was there enough description and exposition or too much?
At what points did you put the manuscript down, or did any chapter read long?
Were there parts that were confusing, frustrating, troubling, or annoying? Any plot holes? Anything that seemed contrived or contradictory.
Which scene do you remember best?
Was there enough conflict, tension, and romance?
Were the sex scenes believable?
Did you skim? And if so, were you bored or in a rush to find out what happened next?
What kept you reading?
Was the HEA satisfying?
Is there another author or book this one reminds you of?
Did the book teach you anything?
Would you read another one in this series?
Would you pay standard retail price ($12 to $15) for this book if it was by an author you didn’t know? (Question courtesy of Jo Conklin)
Anything else you would like to offer?
Kay notes that beta readers are looking for entertainment mistakes, not editing mistakes. Sure, beta readers might point out some glaring errors, or they might do a basic copy edit if they’re trying to build a business, but authors shouldn’t expect that service. Developmental and copy editing are the purview of well-trained professionals.
A cautionary tale
I have served as all three types of readers (and I’m available to do so again). Almost all have been positive experiences. The one that wasn't is an example of how not to work with your readers.
In a Facebook group, I agreed to read the first chapter of a work in progress to give the writer an idea of whether they were going in the right direction. The chapter was great, I sent back my thoughts, and our interaction was concluded. Or so I thought.
Several months later, additional chapters showed up in my inbox without warning. And then alternate chapters arrived. By that point, I had forgotten what the original chapter was about.
Moral of the story: Before sending off your book baby, make sure you have an agreement with your reader as to what they will receive (how many words, in what format, title and subject of the book, etc.) and what feedback you want from them. Include delivery dates for yourself and your reader. Even if you're not paying your reader, an agreement like this shows you respect them and their labor, ensures both of you are clear on the process and expectations, and wards off problems caused by miscommunication.
Summary
For your TL;DR pleasure, alpha readers review the rough manuscript to give the author a go-ahead and encouragement, beta readers provide feedback on specific issues, and ARC readers are the first people to read the finished book and post reviews when it’s published. If you’re a romance author in need of alpha or beta reading, let’s schedule your FREE 30-minute consultation now!
