What You'll Get In A Beta Read

As a writer I’ve experienced many different types of beta reads. Some have read through and left very little feedback other than ‘good book’. Others scrutinise every facet of my stories to draw attention to hundreds of illogical inconsistencies, while giving little positive feedback (I find this one helpful, although a little brutal). The last type of beta reader is more like a proofreader and comments mostly on grammar.

While all of this feedback can be helpful in improving your book, alone, they don’t cover what you need in a beta read.

Here’s some of the questions I ask myself in order to give you feedback:

What are the magic or fantastical elements of the world? Are they logical, rational and do they have limitations?
Is the main character believable, multifaceted and acting consistent with his/her character?
Is your plot always moving forward?
Do you have excessive wordiness?
Are your sentences clear and concise?
Are your fight scenes punchy and direct?
Regardless of being fantasy, is your plot line believable?
Is your book original?
Do you resolve conflict too easily (do you use deus ex machina tactics to resolve conflict?)
Is your style clear and easy to understand?
Is it clear how much time has passed between scenes?
Are your character’s emotions reflective of what’s currently cited in psychological literature?
Do you have too much, or too little symbolism?
Does your plot resolve well?
Am I bored with any section of your novel?
Is there enough conflict in this story?
Does the writing reflect the interests of the intended readership?
(If your book is set in medieval times) Are the language, description and characters of your story reflective of medieval times?

What I will do:

…check for Americanisms if your book is set in medieval England.
…give positive feedback on aspects of the novel I’m impressed with.
…be open to further discussion on any feedback I leave.
…leave bullet points at the end of every chapter highlighting the chapter’s strengths and weaknesses.
…give clear feedback, not just on what doesn’t work, but how I think you might resolve any problems I find.
…offer solutions where I can.
…won’t be overly concerned with your feelings to the point of holding back on my opinions. I’ll deliver my feedback in a nice way, but I will be honest and upfront with you on what I think.
…check for misuse of present/past tense.
…tell you what I’m feeling about characters and events where necessary.

…give all feedback using track changes in Microsoft Word.