What’s makes a good beta reader?

[dirk2024]

So I found this thread on Reddit and it had a few interesting answers.

A beta reader should be good at explaining why they feel a certain way. The more they can explain, the more you'll be able to see if they are commenting on something that's wrong with the story itself or something that's just not to their taste. That way, even if they're leaning into their own preferences a bit, it's easier to identify them and put the appropriate weight behind their comments.

Beta readers should be as objective as possible. So no yes manning you. Likewise, not being an asshole to the point where they say your work sucks and won't ever succeed because a character is 190cm instead of 193cm

I also really love readers who do in-line comments so I can see what they're thinking as they go! It helps me see if the story unfolds for a reader the way I intended!

I am curious though, what do Literotica authors want from their beta-readers?

 

[iwatchus]

I have limited experience with beta readers thus far, but I agree with the in-line comments (google docs is great here).

I am fine hearing that something doesn't work without being told why. Especially something that isn't clear. It's often easy to fix this, maybe with as little as a few words.

 

[AwkwardMD]

Spicy take: most authors want to be flattered. They want to hear that that thing they were trying to do? It worked! Everyone is gonna love it!

The authors on the AH are, I think, on the whole, better about this than the average. I think we're better about seeking and accepting more complicated feedback that gives us the opportunity to grow. Everyone, even me, though, has days where the best intentioned criticism feels like a dagger.

EDIT: to be clear, it's not because we're better, it's because drifting here and sticking around necessarily opens us up to a wider variety of opinions and experiences. If you didn't need or want this, you'd have bounced off. (yes, you)

 

[Kelliezgirl]

A good beta reader should be able to separate what they think from what they know and be able to explain both.

Saying, "this doesn't work" has value but what you really need is WHY doesn't it work. The more insight they can give you on that, the more informed your decisions on how to fix it can be.

 

[joy_of_cooking]

For me it's the second opinion on whether things work. Do they understand what I was trying to do? Did I do it? What else could I have done?

Agree with the online comments. I would love to get a stream of consciousness narration of my reader's experience of my story.

Sometimes I've asked people to read for some specific expertise they have.

 

[Cagivagurl]

I have been fortunate.
I have had the assistance of some absolutely amazing people. The best editors available from Lit... Incredibly gifted and easy to work with.
They have assisted using different methods...
They have offered me everything I needed.

The first thing I ask for is complete honesty... Maintaining my right to accept or reject.

Criticism as needed.
Advice on ways to improve the story.
Highlight poor grammatical choices.
Plot holes.
Broken time lines.
Breakdown in plot (characters changing voice)

The best advice I could offer somebody about to use a Beta reader / proof-reader / Editor.

Listen to the advice they give you. Separate your ego.... Listen, by all means reject if you disagree, however, remove your ego from that process.

Having people offering their assistance is such a huge gift... Be grateful.

Cagivagurl

 

[HordHolm]

Firstly, I want someone to save me from embarrassment, to spot the obvious fuck up that I've missed.

Then, as others have already noted, I want someone to tell me if it works, or more importantly, if it doesn't, and why. I think it helps in my case that I am paid for corrections. If someone tells me that something I've written doesn't make sense, well, I've done that with plenty of other people and I can look at it rather dispassionately.

Lastly, I am happy for someone to suggest different directions in which something could go - this forces me to justify what I have, and what I want to achieve. Or... I can take a good suggestion and run with it.

 

[nice90sguy]

No story will be "universally erotic", and I don't expect a beta reader to give me feedback on the eroticism in my story -- even though that's the main purpose of it. What a good beta reader (like AwkwardMD and TxRad (RIP)) does, is to
1) understand what the attempted story/mood/characterisation is -- what I intended to say,
2) comment on where I can improve the writiing to get that story/mood/characterisation across better.

Basically they can help improve the execution of the story.

 

[StillStunned]

I'd like them to point out typos in my title, at the very least.

 

[Erozetta]

There's just one major request for me:

Don't be afraid to rip my story apart and tell me to start over, but I need to know why so I don't repeat the mistake. This is why fans seldom make good beta readers. (Seldom, not never.)

Basically, I don't care about grammar fixes or style suggestions, I want to know if the story works. If you see an egregious mistake (naval instead of navel for example) absolutely point that out, but a missing hyphen or comma? Unless it changes the meaning of the sentence, I don't care so much and will likely fix it on my own when I do my grammar edit.

I want a beta reader to read and tell me the things that other readers are likely to complain about so I can see if it was a mistake or intentional.

 

[iwatchus]

Spicy take: most authors want to be flattered. They want to hear that that thing they were trying to do? It worked! Everyone is gonna love it!

The authors on the AH are, I think, on the whole, better about this than the average. I think we're better about seeking and accepting more complicated feedback that gives us the opportunity to grow. Everyone, even me, though, has days where the best intentioned criticism feels like a dagger.

I often have to walk away from the feedback for a few hours. Then I can respond to it appropriately.

 

[EmilyMiller]

When I ask someone to read a complete draft, I’m not looking for proof-reading (though if any typos have slipped though it’s nice to have them caught). I’m not looking for feedback on whether some imagery was apt, or a choice of adjectives optimal.

What I want is for them to highlight anything that is unclear, inconsistent, or hard to comprehend. At the overall level, is the story engaging, does the plot hang together, could I have expanded on some areas, or made others more concise.

So, something like: “I wasn’t clear why X reacted that way to Y happening.” Or, “I think you need to better establish Z’s character before they do W.” Or, “I was left shaking my head at what P said when Q did R, it made no sense.”

 

[redgarters]

I like inline comments and google docs edits. I like brutal honesty. Tell me if it's no good and why. I like getting different viewpoints on characters and events that have been living in my head for long, they always help make the story better. I love getting things pointed out that I just hadn't thought about, and it happens often.

A good beta reader spots what doesnt work and tellls me why it doesn't. Suggests how to change it so it does. Doesn't hold back from criticism, provides context for their suggestions.

I'm lucky enough to have beta readers that are very different but all good writers in their own right. And, not least importantly, willing to give their valuable time to help me wrestle my muse. Thank you guys