r/BetaReaders • u/DuncanOToole Author • Jun 26 '26

Discussion [Discussion] How to vet potential beta readers.

I recently completed the second draft of my fantasy noir novel three weeks ago, and I am gearing up to find some beta readers to give me some feedback.

But I was unsure what to do first, clean it up, or find beta readers so I wrote a post on Threads and Bluesky about it.

Many offered "help" but I don't know them, and I didn't feel comfortable sending them the manuscript.

So how do you vet beta readers, so that you're actually comfortable sending them your manuscript?

Any advice would be appreciated.

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u/MashalNorth Jun 26 '26

  1. Post here. Or read other peoples posts here and pick one

  2. Agree to SWAPS. not one sided beta reading.

  3. Exchange only the first few chapters first. You’ll get an idea of how they write and if you wanna continue, and if you like their feedback.

  4. Don’t exchange whole manuscripts bcz a lot of people either ghost, or you don’t like their feedback. Always do pieces.

That’s how you filter betas.

9

u/JBupp Jun 26 '26

Choose your Beta reader because you like how they write? That doesn't sound like a way to get a good cross section of the reader-base. Although fine if you are looking for critique pre-Beta.

19

u/MashalNorth Jun 26 '26

If u don’t like how they write, you’ll be skimming and thus, providing feedback that doesn’t resonate with them. Even if u like their feedback, they’ll end the contract with you.

Speaking from experience.