#beta readers

https://www.writingdiversely.com/sensitivity-reading

https://editorsofcolor.com/database/

https://fireflycreativewriting.com/sensitivity-readers

https://www.inclusiveminds.com

I can't guarantee every site will work for everyone, as the editorial process is different for every author, and I tend to write fanfiction no beta style, but these look like good starting places.

If you want beta readers, you should ask people who you trust to be upfront and honest with you about their critiques. If you can't think of anyone, find a new circle and/or reach out to more people (not random tumblr users. tumblr users are usually not reliable. go to writing communities and really any supportive-but-critical communities for beta readers).

Beyond that, if you can't find a few sensitivity readers you like, either you have bias to assess or you need to ask other authors. Writing isn't a career you can do alone! Get help from other writers, readers, and editors. Don't be afraid to just ask around!

Always remember that asking questions with intention to learn is better than staying silent and remaining ignorant.

OY! LINKS TO SENSITIVITY READERS!!

General:

Were you confused at any point of the story?

What genre would you say this book is?

When did you put the story down?

Is the ending satisfying?

If you had to cut 3 scenes what would they be?

When did you feel like the story really began?

What was the last book you read before this story?

Characters:

Do you get any of the characters names confused?

Which character is your favorite?

If you had to remove a character who would you and why? (you don't have to remove the character, just make sure their role is meaningful)

Which character do you relate to the most?

Which character do you relate to the least?

Do the characters feel real?

Are character relationships believable?

Are the goals clear and influence the plot?

Are the characters distinct (voice, motivations, etc)

Setting:

Which setting was clearest to you?

Which setting was the most memorable?

Am including enough/too much detail?

Plot and conflict:

Are the internal and external conflicts well defined for the main characters?

Are the internal conflicts and the external conflicts organic and believable?

Are there enough stakes?

Beta reader applications are open for Now Shake It, Baby!

Now Shake It, Baby! Is a Black sapphic romance novelette following a T4T lesbian couple in their thirties who find love and adventure together! This might interest you if you like:

🪩 Black Cat x Golden Retriever

🎧 First Times (kisses, dates, and more 😉)

🪩 Low Stakes, Pure Vibes

🎧 A Dash of Spice🌶️🌶️

Applications close on May 26th! Fill out the form [here] if you're interested ✨️

Art by the lovely @feliville !

Maybe it'd be wise to first define what's meant by "beta reader".

Do you mean "somebody who read my material in order to give me advice and critique without being paid for their services"?

Then: yes, sure I have.

Mostly this would have meant @petermorwood. (But he and I routinely did this service for one another, over the decades.) And the experience was always positive—even if/when sometimes painful—because I knew my beta was as intent on the material being right as on me being helped by the advice.

Also, sometimes (when it's been fanfic in question, and Peter didn't feel himself to be right for the job): yes, I have. I had/have at my back a trusted fellow ficcer whose experience was seriously extensive, and who was committed to the quality of the fic. (Waving at them, because I suspect they'll see this in short order. ...And yeah, I know the next update is seriously late.) 😏

1. Your protagonist is reactive instead of proactive for the first 8 chapters 2. The stakes are “I might be sad” instead of “I might lose everything.” 3. The middle sags because you’re scared to make things worse for your characters.

I see these in almost every other manuscript I read.

Which one are you guilty of right now? Be honest. 👀

Beta-reading is undeniably valuable to any author; feedback, constructive criticism, and general suggestions are crucial to improving our writing! However, if you're like me (don't have a beta reader and possibly are too lazy to thoroughly review everything) or are simply a beta reader searching for some guidance, this is going to help you identify what exactly to look for when skimming through a work!

1. Overly Repetitive Wording

Something that tends to remain at the top of my mind are repetitive words and phrases.

Now, don't get me wrong: not all repetition is bad. Repetition can be used to emphasize, foreshadow, and whatnot, but excessive repetition can feel blocky.

If you find words being repeated over and over and can't help but think 'they could probably use a substitute', then they probably need a substitute.

2. Fluid Dialogue

Re-read the dialogue. It can be a brief skim of what they say, but if the conversation feels too fast, it probably is.

And I know what you're thinking: if we're just quickly scanning the text, of course the dialogue is going to feel fast.

But here's the thing. By reading fast, we aren't giving our brains time to create filler scenarios or lines to fill in gaps. If the dialogue ends up feeling chunky, that's likely because some kind of transition is missing.

Dialogue can have fluff, fillers, small, useless talk because that's how we interact with each other in real life. And that's how we transition from topic to topic.

3. Perspective Shifts

Personally, I tend to accidentally change perspectives in the middle of my writing--especially in third person (limited)--if I'm not focused.

I don't consider this inherently a "bad" thing, but what I do check for is that the shift is reasonable and smooth.

If the perspectives go back and forth and back and forth, it might be too confusing. If it's a sudden switch without warning, I would try to fix that too.

4. Smooth Transitions

Similar to my point about dialogue, you want your overall writing to feel smooth. If there's a change in events, whether it be a sudden explosion or a character leaving the hang-out to return home, the transition from this to that should be smooth without an obvious division between the plot points.

If you notice any choppiness, keep that in mind. You can rectify it with some kind of bridging sentence, but if that doesn't work, then just show the time-skip with a physical border, such as dashes to separate the previous paragraph from the next one.

5. Character Screen Time

Keep an eye out for the screen time of important, active characters. Generally speaking, they should be involved, or at least mentioned, throughout the text. If a valuable character just suddenly disappears halfway through a chapter when they're not supposed to, that's a bad sign.

6. General Clunkiness

Treat your beta-read like the first time you're reading the story, whether that is true or not.

If some phrasing, words, or even paragraphs stand out to you not in a good way, keep that in mind. And make sure to have a reason! Because chances are, if you notice something weird "the first time" you're reading this, others might too. They may not care, but if you do, then see what you can do about it!

You can rewrite it, delete it, keep it, whatever you want--it's up to you.

Conclusion

Although I am saying all of this, please remember that you're writing for yourself. It does NOT have to be perfect or beta-read a thousand times to be good. Your readers are likely much less picky with your writing than yourself, so please don't take this post personally.

With that being said, these points are suggestions. Recommendations. Opinionated. NOT FACTS. Feel free to pick and choose, whether that be a couple or none at all! They are also pretty context-reliant, from writing style to the situation at hand, remember that!

Happy writing~