The Benefits of Beta Readers (And How They Saved My Story)
As fiction authors, we often spend months — more like years — living inside our own heads as we attempt the impossible: to get our story ideas down on digital paper and out into the world. During this process, we end up becoming experts on the worlds we create, our characters, their motivations — heck, even their favourite food. We spend so much time creating to the point where we might even be able to recite scenes by heart and hear our characters speak to us.
But here’s a hard truth: after a while, we become too close to our own work to see it clearly.
That’s where beta readers come in.
What Are Beta Readers?
Beta readers are beautiful souls, absolute gifts from the reading goddesses. They’re often reading enthusiasts who volunteer to read your manuscript before it’s published and give feedback from a reader’s perspective. For all intents and purposes, they are a test audience. They are more often than not not professional editors (though some might have editorial experience), but they can offer valuable insights on pacing, character development, plot clarity, and emotional resonance.
Why Use Beta Readers?
After multiple drafts, our brains start to fill in gaps automatically. We know what’s supposed to be on the page, so we often miss what’s actually there. Beta readers have the emotional separation we just don’t have as the author of a manuscript as they bring fresh eyes to spot those hidden flaws. Beta readers can really catch those continuity errors, plot holes, or confusing scenes that slip through the cracks.
Your story may seem to flow really well and make perfect sense to you, but what about to someone completely unfamiliar with the world you've built? Beta readers offer honest feedback on what lands, what confuses them, and what keeps them turning the pages. Their perspective is invaluable and what’s more, it’s a whole lot more subjective than you’ll ever manage to be.
I was given the advice to gather at a minimum 2-3 beta readers by my editor before handing over my manuscript of The Secrets of Sirona. She kindly pointed out that having a few different beta readers can be incredibly helpful in offering diversity of feedback. If you’re thinking of approaching beta readers, I have a few suggestions for you: approach approach someone who might be a genre enthusiast who can compare your book to others in the field. Another idea is to ask someone who might be new to your genre and point out what’s confusing or needs more context. The variety helps you see your story from different angles.
Arguably one of the most important roles a beta reader will help you with is undergoing an emotional resonance check and a sensitivity check. Did that heart-breaking moment really land? Was the slow-burn romance convincing? Did readers side with the main protagonist or did they find them annoying? Beta readers really can help you gauge whether the emotional beats are working as intended. If you’re writing characters that are of certain cultural backgrounds or perhaps of diverse genders or suffering from specific mental health disorders or other such sensitive material, sense-checking how they are portrayed is always a great idea. We’ve seen far too many authors get dragged through the digital coal online for being insensitive with their portrayal of sensitive subject matters. No need to name names, if you know you know.
What I’m about to say is the most important: though it might be scary showing your work to people before it’s published and in its final form, feedback from a beta reader more often than not does wonders for encouragement and motivation. Getting early positive (and hopefully constructive) feedback can be incredibly motivating. Even critical feedback can be encouraging when it helps you level up your story — and which author doesn’t want that?
How to Use Beta Reader Feedback Effectively
I won’t sit here and tell you that absolutely every suggestion from a beta reader needs to be implemented, because it doesn’t. They are still subjective opinions even if they’re coming from a trusted source. As the author, you know your world, your characters and your story better than anyone so you can definitely follow your gut when it comes to decisions about what and what not to edit. However, I would encourage authors (and to remind myself) that if multiple readers flag the same issues, this feedback is definitely worth paying attention to. Having an open mind is key during this process of preparing your manuscript for publication. It has helped me in the past to put some distance between my ego and my work and instead consider the intent behind the comments. Were they confused? Bored? Intrigued? This information is extremely valuable in allowing you to revise your work more strategically instead of emotionally.
Personal Experiences
I honestly had no idea (still have only a slight idea but not much of an idea) of what I’m doing when it comes to self-publishing. I was ready to hand over my 4-5 times revised copy of my book to my editor before having a harrowing thought that led me to ask said editor the following question, “If there are obvious plot holes in the narrative, will you point them out to me?” I had only hired her for grammar, structural and line edits. She kindly pointed out that she should definitely not be the first outsider to read my manuscript, and this led to me finding beta readers. The feedback I received allowed me to see my characters through different eyes, as well as insight into what I had done well and what I had rushed.
For me, the best part of the beta-reading process was receiving encouragement that yes, my book was good and both Beta readers expressed that they were keen to read the sequel.
I genuinely cringe to think what my book would look like today if I had never asked my editor that question and released what I thought was a complete story. Many many a plot hole was filled in, and I am forever grateful to both my beta readers and editor for their help.
Final Thoughts
Think of beta readers as a writer’s secret weapon. They help you see your book through the eyes of your future audience and give you a clearer path from draft to polished manuscript. Whether you're just starting out or you've published multiple books, incorporating beta feedback can make the difference between a good story and a great one.
It may feel like there’s a rush to publish, there really isn’t. Take the time to get it right and release something you can stand by and be proud of. Your future readers — and your future self — will thank you.
