Episode 74: [Summer Short] Finding Beta Readers

Elizabeth introduces our Memoir Master Plan cohort 

We're talking about finding beta readers and what we've learned from reaching out into the world of writers. It's curious to us there are editors offering beta reading and writers are paying to have people beta read. In our experience, beta reading involves finding your target audience of readers and they'll read without needing to be paid. What are your thoughts?

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Transcript

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Hey listener. Welcome back to an special summer episode of the Inspired Writer Collective podcast. I am one of your hosts, Stephanie, and I'm, as you can see, I'm here with Elizabeth. We are in the same place live together today. This is super exciting. And we're excited to talk to you today about beta readers. Uh, Elizabeth is in a place with her manuscript where she's approaching the point of looking for beta readers. And so we're gonna talk about how we're thinking about that process for ourselves and some things that we've encountered as we've reached out into the world of writers. Out there. So Elizabeth, tell me where you are in the beta reader research process. Yeah, so I am at the point where I'm wrapping up some of the edits and I have been anticipating needing beta readers sometime this summer. Although currently my editing is going a little bit slower, so it may be early fall. So I had previously sent out an email to this email list looking for beta readers. But my goal with beta readers, I just don't know if I'm not aligned with the rest of the writing community or I'm stuck in some like antiquated definition of beta readers. But when, when I like put comments out on threads or in other writing communities, I'm getting lots of feedback about editors who are offering beta reading as one of their paid services that at a less expensive price point than their editing. Or just people who are professional beta readers and, and that they put their profile up on Fiverr or some of the other platforms, but they do beta reading for pay and it seems like they're willing to accept like a wide variety of manuscripts. And that just blows my mind because that's not what I'm looking for in a beta reader. I was under the impression that we as writers. Have the option of using beta readers as a step in the pre-publication process in order to get a read on what our au, how our audience is going to receive the book. These do not, and maybe even should not be other writers. Um, editors, anyone who's looking with such a like fine tooth comb or with, you know, ideas about plot structure or whatever, it's pure readability understanding, you know, comprehension continuity, whether everything's being explained well, potentially this was where you would be, where you would have a sensitivity reader if you were talking about some difficult topics. Or, um, if you needed like a subject matter expert, like I've done some reading for forensic science, um, at, at that stage in sort of a beta reader stage. But it just seems confusing to me because I was under the impression and still very much feel like for my beta reading. I really want those people to fall into my target audience, not just the general, like broader readership, but. The woman that I'm writing the book for, like I, I want my beta readers to be women. I want my beta readers to be mothers because that's a big part of my memoir. I want my beta readers to either be married or have been married to have that understanding of. What marriage is like and when you come across stumbling blocks, because that's a big part of my story and I need to know if what I'm sharing is relatable to my ideal reader, my ideal audience, who I'm gonna be marketing to. And if it's not, I want, I care way more about their opinion. Of those things than say, a beta reader that I would pay to read my book that is outside of that, that very fine small group. Like not to say that my memoir's not for them and there's not something of value in there for them, but that's not what I'm testing at a beta reader stage. Exactly. I mean, I want people who love memoir, who enjoy reading that genre who. You know, in another world, in another, you know, dimension would stumble across my book, you know, in a Barnes and Noble or wherever and like see it, read the back cover and say, oh, that's a story I'm interested in. I want their opinions. So it really is confusing me. W with the whole like monetizing of beta reading because A, I don't think that used to be a thing at all. I think you just used to find volunteers who are willing to beta read. Mm-hmm. It's kind of like the whole advanced reader or ARC readers where they don't do that for pay ex. Yeah. No, they don't. I mean, and the difference is what, like they don't do it for pay because you want their review to be. Untainted and not like you're paying for a good review.'cause that goes out more publicly than a beta reader's feedback. But I don't see why that's not the same thing, where it's like the benefit of being a beta reader is not a financial one. It's the fact that you get an early look at the book. Yeah. So it's just so confusing. I, I understand one fragment of it of. If a se particularly self-publishing authors, like if you're not gonna do a later edit by an editor, then doing a paid beta reader who has, is like an editor is, could be a way to meet both of those needs from a financial standpoint. But like, that's not what I'm. Yeah. Looking for, and it's been so frustrating'cause I put something up on threads or comment on someone else's thing about, oh, I'm editing and then I'm gonna be doing, having beta readers. And then I get flooded with, oh, I'm happy to be a beta reader for you. I'm like, I'm not paying beta readers. Yeah. And you wanna be sure that they, that they are someone who's part of your. Audience, as you said. I'm gonna pause for a second'cause that blanket behind you is slipping and I'm like waiting for it to fall. Like I'll problem solved. I'll Yeah, I'll edit that. I'll edit that part out. That's okay. Um, but no, I mean, so many, so many things that you talked about. One is I'm very much with you on. Why would you pick someone who's also presenting themselves as an editor? Mm-hmm. To be your beta reader? Because to me, I just don't know that someone who is an editor, especially a line editor mm-hmm. Could take that hat off, right. And really read your manuscript without that lens. I just don't know that because as readers, and especially if you're someone who is very nitpicky about. Reading in that way. I just don't know that that could be removed from the process. And I'm very much in the position like you of, I don't, I wouldn't wanna pay for my beta readers because in my experience,'cause I've done some beta reading, I've never been paid for it. I've always done it to be kind to a, you know, up and coming author mm-hmm. To offer them, you know. Yeah. I'll, you know, I'll read it. Um, and especially if they're at the stage where it's more of advanced reader copy, like I'll read it and I'll write a review. Uh,'cause there are some people out there who are doing the independent publishing, who are asking for readers and then they're making changes and then they're publishing it. Um, and I think they're using that beta reading in the form of the advanced reader copy. Mm-hmm. Um, and I just, I just think it's so interesting that. That there's that whole market out there. Mm-hmm. That, that's very surprising to me. And it's curious that, and maybe it's because of people who are publishing independently are, like you said, they're finding people who are both beta reader and editors, so they can sort of, you know, take care of both things. Mm-hmm. At one time. I just feel like the, the lenses are so different for a beta reader versus an editor, the beta reader, you're reading almost like a developmental editor now. That would probably make more sense where you're reading to make sure the story. Actually from beginning to end makes sense. You're not looking for all the little, you know, marks along the way that maybe trip up a reader. But even so, I still think that there should be separate roles that a beta reader is like, this is someone, like you said, who's gonna go into your local bookstore, or Barnes Noble or wherever and say, Hey, oh, this looks interesting. And I'm a reader. Like a reader is a reader. Mm-hmm. Like people who are readers are not thinking of themselves as. Editors. They just wanna read a good book. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, I don't know what the answer is here. I would love to hear from you guys. If you want to comment on this video on YouTube or, um, send us an email. Um, our email is hello@inspiredwritercollective.com. Give us some insight. What's going on? Is this a shift? Is this just, um, a misconception that I have about what the. Benefit or purpose of beta readers are, or if you are interested in being an unpaid beta reader to read my memoir. If you fit that specific target audience that I'm looking for, I would also love to hear from you.'cause Yeah, it's like I don't. I don't wanna pay my beta readers, but I very much understand that that is a time commitment. Mm-hmm. Especially to read all the way through someone's manuscript. You know, it can take, you know, two, three weeks. Usually there's, um, some questions that the author wants you to answer and respond to. Um, and I'm gonna be asking that of my beta readers, but then I also have some little surprises planned for them. You know, like some thank yous and some ways of showing my appreciation after they complete that. Like,'cause I, I recognize that like. That is a big time commitment. Mm-hmm. And also, that's why I want them to actually like the genre because you don't wanna read something that you can't relate to that isn't relevant to you. Like that's why I want it to be part of my tar target audience. Yes. Because I want you to enjoy your experience as a beta reader. Exactly. Alright, listener. Well, as Elizabeth said, reach out to us. Leave us a comment. You can text us if you're on your podcasting app. We do get those texts and we'd love to hear from you. And until next time, happy writing.