First, if you don’t know what a beta reader is, check out my previous post on beta readers. But why do you need a beta reader?
A beta reader provides feedback on your finished manuscript before you publish. This is super important because a lot of times you’re too close to your work to see its flaws. You need a neutral third-party to read through your manuscript for things like plot holes, wonky dialogue, or inconsistent characters to help you see your book in a new light.
But I’ve Edited and Proofread! My Book is Perfect!
Maybe your sentences are grammatically correct. You’ve caught all the typos. All your facts have been well-researched and triple checked for accuracy. The tenses are consistent. So, why would you need a beta reader?
When a reader picks your book off the shelf at a book store or previews it before purchase (such as with eBooks), chances are they’re only going to skim a few sentences or a few pages before deciding whether to buy or not. We call the first page the “hook” of the story, since it’s intent is to grab the reader and make them not want to put the book down.
A technically-perfect hook isn’t necessarily an intriguing one.
Your potential buyer is bored, puts your book down, and walks away. It doesn’t matter how great the rest of your book is if you lose them on the first page.
If you’re absolutely certain your hook is great, I’ll take your word for it, but I really do recommend having an unbiased person take a look at it.
Why else might you need a beta reader?
Again, a beta reader assumes the role of your intended audience for your book. If the beta reader notices something off, chances are your future readers will too. Maybe you think certain scenes are boring because you’ve read them so many times. Which makes sense! You know everything that’s going to happen because you wrote it.
But what if you show your work to a trusted friend or your critique group, and they think that scene is boring too?
You’ve got a problem! If these initial readers are bored, the people who buy your book will be bored, too.
It’s easier to fix problems before your book is published and reviews are posted for the world to see, so you need a beta reader to help you catch any issues. Negative feedback may hurt your pride or your feelings, but better that than publishing a bad book.
This is especially important if you self-publish. There will be less eyes on your book before publication making sure it’s the best book it can be. In some cases, the only eyes on it might be, well, yours. And you might think you have the emotional distance to be critical of this manuscript you’ve spent months slaving over and crying over, but it doesn’t hurt to get a second opinion.
So get a beta reader. I’ll walk you through how to find a beta reader in another post.
