Self-Editing: Using Beta Readers and Critique Partners

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: Self-editing doesn’t mean you have to do it all by yourself.

Self-editing encompasses all editing that comes before paying a professional. Note the word “all”; yes, you should do more than one round of self-editing.

I suggest at least five rounds of self-editing (I have six for fiction authors, as I suggest you use both a critique partner and beta readers).

If you want to use an alpha reader as well, that comes before you begin these editing passes, as an alpha reader reads your first draft and gives their opinion.

This blog focuses on the feedback pass (es).

As for the order of the feedback pass, I have put it after all your own revision passes, but it could come in the middle after your big-picture revision and before the writing and tweaking pass.

The exact order of the feedback pass doesn’t matter except that it can’t be first; otherwise, that is feedback from alpha readers, which is fine too, but then doesn’t count as the feedback pass.

You need a feedback pass after revising as much as you can on your own.

If you’re going to use a critique partner, implement their feedback before working with beta readers, which is why you will note I have pass 5 as critique writer feedback and pass 6 as beta reader. Of course, it could be pass 3 with critique writer and pass 4 with beta reader (or beta readers could even be pass 5 even though critique writer was pass 3). The point is you should implement the feedback from your critique writer first.

To do the feedback passes, you need to find beta readers and critique partners and perhaps give them direction. You can tell your beta readers and critique partners what you’re looking for if you want. Give them a list of specific questions to answer or the type of feedback you’re looking for.

Example: What parts bored you? What concept was confusing? Etc.

For fiction, it is best to gather feedback from both beta readers and critique partners before hiring a professional editor, as each provides a different type of feedback. For nonfiction, you can just use beta readers, though, of course, you can also use a critique partner, but those are more commonly found with fiction.

Beta Readers: Give you feedback as a reader, not as a writer (they can be a writer, but they are giving you feedback as a reader)

Critique Partner: Gives you more in-depth feedback as a writer in exchange for your serving as a critique partner for them.

You want the perspective of both readers and writers. Your beta readers won’t give you as in-depth feedback, but it will still be useful.

A beta reader for fiction might say they were bored in a certain section, they didn’t feel immersed in the story, or a character seemed inconsistent or not well created (they can be unlikeable and still be well created).

A beta reader for nonfiction might say they had a hard time following a certain concept, they didn’t get XYZ, the content seemed repetitive, etc.

Whereas a critique partner will be able to give you more in-depth feedback with a critical eye.

Despite not being as in-depth, the reader-reaction feedback of a beta reader is very useful, as after all, your audience is made up of readers.

Since your beta readers don’t need to be writers, you can ask your friends and family, though you don’t have to. If you have writer friends and family members, you can ask them too. It’s fine if they are a writer; in fact, you want some of your beta readers to be writers, but they will be giving you feedback as a reader.

However, the mistake many make is stopping here and only getting friends and family members. You do not want all your beta readers to be friends and family members. They might not be as critical of your work as a stranger.

That means you will have to spend some time looking for them.

I imagine you have at least one social media network. Post on your social accounts that you have written a book about X and you’re looking for beta readers. See if any of them would like to read your book.

If you have a newsletter, you can also ask your subscribers if they would like to beta read.

How about coworkers or your coworkers’ family members?

Use your network to spread the word that you’re looking for beta readers. Have your friends, family, coworkers, newsletter subscribers, and social media followers post about it on their socials or ask their network as well.

You can find sites specifically for connecting writers to beta readers.

You can find more if you search for them. These are just the ones I am aware of.

Several professional editors offer beta reading services. As you go searching for an editor (and you should search for one long before you’re ready to hand over the much-revised draft), you can see if any of them offer beta reading services.

Freelance sites like Fiverr and Upwork also have people who you can pay to beta read.

While your betas will give you feedback as a reader, it is good to have some writers serve as beta readers. So find some writers to be beta readers.

See the “How to Find Critique Partners” section for more information on finding betas in writing groups and communities.

As mentioned, a critique partner (or partners) is someone you swap with. They critique your work in exchange for you critiquing theirs, so for that reason, you need to find writers with a current draft ready for critique.

You may want to join a critique group; in which case, you will have several critique partners. The whole group helps each other out.

You can find critique groups by googling your city and the term “writing critique group.”

If you’re fine with a less personable, bigger group, you can look into online critique groups.

Again, this isn’t an all-inclusive list

You can find sites specifically for connecting writers to critique partners.

Absolute Write Water Cooler’s Writing Buddies Board

Connect with a Critique Partner on Nathan Bransford’s Forums

• Facebook has tons of groups for writers. If you are a member of such a group, pay attention to people discussing their WIP and ask them if they would like to critique swap with you.
• Join a local writing society to network with other writers. For example, in Utah, we have the LUW (League of Utah Writers).
• Then communities often have writing conferences, workshops, literary festivals, book fairs, author readings, etc. When you attend these events, network, network, network. Get other writers’ contact information and build a relationship with them before making the ask (don’t let the first time you talk to them be the ask).

The number one rule for implementing feedback is don’t take it personally. Unless they are a jerk, the feedback is meant to help you create a better book.

Professional writers and editors need feedback too. The truth is you are too close to your work and you can’t ever see it from the perspective of a first-time reader. So don’t be critical of yourself if you receive more constructive criticism than you expected. No one can produce their best-quality work without feedback.

When implementing beta readers’ feedback, wait until you have received feedback from all your readers before you begin implementing any feedback.

Yes, people will be done at different times, but don’t be tempted to implement it until you gather it all.

First, gather all the feedback in one place. You can put them into a Word document, an Excel spreadsheet, or any other notes app.

Once it is gathered, group like-comments together. Maybe you have a column for feedback on specific scenes or specific chapters, a column for feedback on a specific character or a specific concept, a column for overall impressions, etc.

Grouping this feedback makes it easier to then spot common themes.

If multiple people said something similar about a character, a scene, a chapter, a concept, for example, then this is a sign that something isn’t working, and you will want to take that more seriously.

With all the feedback now grouped by category (characterization, plot, organization, content, writing style, etc.), you can decide which feedback doesn’t resonate with you and remove it from the list. If a common theme feedback doesn’t resonate with you, pause a bit longer and decide if it is just ego or favoritism talking. You may love a specific part, but if multiple people have an issue with it, take note.

In the end, you decide which feedback you want to implement and which you don’t. My only advice is to give real consideration to each piece of feedback without your ego involved. Ask if it really would be an improvement.

You aren’t going to please everyone, though, so you certainly do not need to take every single opinion to heart.

Delete what doesn’t resonate and work for you and keep the rest.

With the remaining feedback, prioritize the big-picture feedback over the smaller detailed feedback. If you have a plot hole or your concept in chapter three is not well explained and readers are confused, then you want to address this before you address feedback like this character’s eye color changed or the ideas didn’t seem to flow and lacked transitions.

You may find it useful to not only prioritize what you will tackle first but to go in order of the manuscript. So put the big-picture feedback that will need to be revised in the first chapter before the big-picture feedback that requires revision in the sixth chapter.

Now that you have a clear plan, start revising. Be prepared for the revision process to take longer than you would expect. Sometimes revising takes longer than the actual writing.

As many greats have said, rewriting is where it is at.

To quote two

“Good writing is essentially rewriting” (Roald Dahl).

“The only kind of writing is rewriting” (Ernest Hemingway).

Self-editing does not mean you have to go it alone. Because rewriting is so crucial to good writing, you will want to consider feedback from others.

Find good beta readers and/or critique partners, then group their feedback and create a revision plan.

Happy revising!