Want to read books for free and be good at it? Learn all about being a helpful beta reader and becoming a key part of the editing process for your favourite authors.

SUMMARY

What is a beta reader? A beta reader is someone who reads an author’s work during the editing process to describe in detail how characters, plot, and dialogue are working or not. Usually, a beta reader isn’t paid for their service; however, they don’t need to pay a dime to read the work.There are 6 ways in which you can be a most helpful beta reader to the author of your choosing.Make sure you clearly understand the author’s expectations—the time frame in which they want you to finish, what kind of criticism they’re looking for, and where they want you to comment (in a Google doc, email, text, etc.).When editing, authors are encouraged to read their work out loud to catch any sentence flow that doesn’t work. You can do the same to ensure the work sounds natural.When giving criticism, be sure you’re very specific about what isn’t working for you. Generalities are unhelpful to the author. If you have any suggestions about improving it, graciously provide that insight.Read a genre you love. You’ll be more invested in your service, and you’ll help the author understand if they’ve reached their target audience with the material.When giving feedback, make sure it is detailed on whatever medium you’ve chosen to comment on. Note what page you’ve caught the error. If there are chapter inconsistencies, write down what chapters.Just because the author’s style is one you’re having a hard time getting into it doesn’t mean it’s a flaw. Perhaps, you’re not the right reader for the job.