Finding Beta Readers.

Tecdavid

Tecdavid

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Having taken a bit of time to distance myself from everything, I got to work on fully polishing my WiP's current draft. Now I'm at that point where I think I'm done, and I'd like to find some beta readers. It'll be my first time asking anyone to read my whole story (or, at least, a good chunk of it), and I'm just not so sure which is the best way to manage it.
So, for those of you who've sought some before, how did you go about it? Have you swapped works with fellow Chrons-goers?
 
Yes, I arranged my betas on the Chrons. I think I only have one who didn't come from here. Sadly, I don't have the time at the moment, or I'd offer.

Taking on the crit of a full book is a huge task. At least one of my first betas only offered after they'd seen a few of my crits on here and decided they were happy to read on. So, it might be more realistic to ask for a swop of opening chapters and then take it from there? There's nothing more demoralising than being told that someone doesn't want to read on, whether it's because they underestimated the time commitment, or their styles and yours don't match.
 
Probably helps to post the first chapter in the Writing Group. That way, people can get an idea of how polished you are. Also, have you had a freelance editor go over any part of it?
 
Well, it's Young Adult fantasy, following a world-within-a-world theme.

The story follows Jhona, a schoolboy who lives in the resort town of Guildblume. While trying to enjoy the summer holidays with his friends, a recurring spell of headaches and hallucinations overcome him -- hallucinations that seem to manifest as strange stories, being played out inside his mind. As the days go by, and the headaches grow worse, strange figures begin prowling Guildblume's streets, garbed in curiously unseasonal cloaks, and appearing highly unused to a city so festive and modern. Things only grow worrying, however, once those figures are joined by creatures, dark and beastly. Creatures whom, Jhona realises, belong to the world within his visions, and certainly didn’t treat that world kindly.


I put some excerpts on the Critiques board before, but this'll be the first time I've asked anyone to read a larger portion of it.
 
springs said:
Taking on the crit of a full book is a huge task. At least one of my first betas only offered after they'd seen a few of my crits on here and decided they were happy to read on.
Click to expand...

Precisely this. Of the few things I have beta read on here, I've not really known the person at the time, so I wenjt a sneaky look at any samples of writing they already had on the site. If it's nuts and bolts of writing that is the issue, I want to know right away because they'll get more use out of continued crits than a full beta read.

Also, I want to know genre, length and intended audience. All that info is pretty much in here now - although maybe a link to your latest crit piece will help just so people can see style and level of general prose :)

At the moment I'm too full in with work and writing, but if you're still looking in the new year, I may have time. Christmas and retail are a bad combination if you want free time!
 
If you post something up for critique, i.e., the first chapter or 1500 words or a sample, I'll take a look. I'm sure as Brian says, it would probably be worth getting a freelance editor to take a look at it before asking for betas.

Is this your first novel?
 
I'll give an editor a look-into, then. Thanks. :) And I suppose it wouldn't hurt to put a fresh excerpt up for glances, too.

Yes, BookerBrin, it's my first full-length novel.

And thanks, Dozmonic. Yeah, it's a fine time of year I've picked to start asking. :D
 
I said:
Definitely. :)
Click to expand...

I hate to disagree, but I'd receommend betas first, then an editor. You get more bang for your bucks if it's already honed, and your betas will be peers which means you can grow together. An editor, absolutely, is a great step, but I was glad my worst horrors had been beta-killed first before the professional eye that gave a final level of completion.
 
Because Springs has fifty shades of red ink.
 
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