The Value of Alpha and Beta Readers

How can they help you prior to publishing?

Readers involved in the publishing process

Alpha Readers

Based on the name, these are the first people that you choose to share your manuscript with. They’re trusted individuals that are likely to be friends, family or fellow writers. They’re the people in your life willing to dedicate time to reading your book in all its rough and unedited glory. You respect their honest opinion and know they support your writing journey. Some authors may have an additional, wider network of people they’re able to call upon, but either way, this read through of your novel is usually done voluntarily.

What Specific Function Do They Perform?

When alpha readers look at an early draft, they’re not checking for typos and sentence-level issues, but how the book is experienced from a reader’s point of view. Were there parts that dragged? Was the ending confusing? Were there scenes and characters they absolutely loved? They may sense if something feels off or is not quite right and will let you know (hopefully, with tact).

The author then decides how much of the received feedback they want to take on board. Ideally, they’ll seek the opinion of 2-5 alpha readers. This allows for different perspectives without becoming overwhelming. Writers can detect if the same issues are being reported back and address them accordingly.

Some authors wait until they’ve completed a full draft, while others may enlist the help of an alpha reader during the writing process. If during, alpha readers can encourage the author to finish their novel and help with any stumbling blocks encountered along the way. In a professional capacity, book coaches can aid in this.

What About Beta Readers? What Role Do They Play?

Think of them as a test audience, like when filmmakers preview a movie to gauge reactions prior to its release. Sometimes whole endings are re-shot if there’s a consensus that the original ending didn’t satisfy.

In terms of literature, beta readers come in when a book is closer to publication. They’ll read the completed novel after it’s been through editing and any major structural changes have been made. They’re looking at the finished product from a customer’s perspective and what might come up in a review. Did subplots suddenly drop away and never get resolved? Were there parts that weren’t believable? Did the romance fall flat and not add anything to the story in the end?

Their job is to provide their opinion as well, but they don’t replace what’s involved in a developmental edit, the first stage of editing a book undergoes.

ARC Readers - Where Do They Fit in the Publishing Process?

“ARC” stands for “Advance Review Copy”. Authors provide ARC readers with the final, polished version of their book in the weeks leading up to the release date. Unlike beta readers, they aren’t looking for eleventh hour issues. Their role is to provide an honest review in exchange for free and early access to a new book before its launch. ARC readers are unknown to the author and are therefore likely to provide objective ratings and reviews.

Important Considerations

If using family and friends as alpha or beta readers, their feedback is going to be biased. They care about you and some (not all) may hold back constructive criticism to avoid hurting your feelings. This is something to be mindful of and won’t help you if your goal is to improve a manuscript.

Aim to find readers that enjoy the genre of your book and would be your target audience.

Ensure that any readers volunteering their time and input are happy to do so and will be reliable and committed.

Create a list of questions for your readers to answer. These may be general, such as “What parts did you enjoy / not enjoy?”. Or they may relate to specific problem areas that you’re concerned about. For example, “Does Daniel’s character become too unlikable when he lies to his children?”.

Finding suitable candidates for alpha and beta reading can sometimes be a tall order for authors. Places to find them are within writing groups, Facebook groups, on Goodreads or exploring the option of paid beta reading services. Just make sure that you’re comfortable with who you’re giving your manuscript to and have done your research.

In summary, the publishing process for an author may look as follows. Please note that this is an example only.