We have all hit that point. Our book is finished, we are looking for an editor, and then that thought appears in our head.
Is this good enough?
It is a tough question, that has stopped me more than once in whether or not I should publish something. Which is a shame when you think about it, because how many works have not been published because someone wasn’t sure if it was good enough.
As an author myself, a beta reader is a crucial step in my publishing journey. I have used family, friends, and strangers. Unfortunately, most of the time, when I get feedback from them, it is normally “I really liked it,” and not much more. If there is more, it isn’t enough to help me fix what might be wrong in my story.
As someone that has read thousands of books, over multiple genres, I offer professional beta reading services for every genre of book, though I do specialize in Fantasy, Romance, and Sci-Fi.
What do you get for choosing me as your beta reader?
- Your book, written as it currently is, will be rated on my 1-5 scale.
- You will receive my overall thoughts on the book, including thoughts on plot and character development.
- You will receive chapter notes, notes I take as I am going through the book on things that I thought were done well, or need improvement.
- There might not be notes for every specific chapter, but there will be chapter notes.
- If you have a list of questions you want me to answer, or anything specific you want me to look at, that will be completed to the best of my ability.
- Ways to improve your book based on issues that were found during my reading.
- This can include overall plot development, character development, dialogue, settings, and anything specific you want me to look at as well.
- A signed contract and NDA. I understand that your work is incredibly important to you. Without your permission, I will not discuss the book nor anything that happens in it without your previous written permission.
What will this cost you?
There are many people that say you should not pay for a beta reader. This is something I used to believe as well. When I would get feedback, it was never what I truly needed it to be, and because it was free I felt like I couldn’t make demands. This person was using their free time to read my work. I found a professional beta reader that I personally use, and I pay them for their time. This has led to a higher quality in response, better feedback, and if there is something specific I think is wrong, I can direct them to looking at it.
If you believe that one should not have to pay for beta reading, that is fine! But if you want a higher quality of beta reading, where you are guaranteed to get answers to questions, and are guaranteed to get high quality feedback for your work, then professional beta reading is for you.
My rates for beta reading is $0.0011 per word, or approximately $11.00 per 1000 words. If your novel is 100,000 words, it will cost you $110 for a beta read.
This is a one time fee, and for beta reading you will NOT incur any more. However, if I beta read your novel and you make substantial edits, I will need a new contract and a new fee to read the entire thing again.
What will I need from you?
You have read all of this, and are interested in me as your professional beta reader. What’s next?
To make sure we are compatible, I would love for you to send me a sample of your work. Please pick one chapter in your book, (any chapter you like) and submit that to me in the form below. I will read, provide basic feedback, and we will go from there. If you like the feedback I provide and want to continue, I will need:
- An email address to send you a PayPal invoice
- A signed contract
- A signed NDA
- A fully copy of your manuscript in a pdf format
Typically, I require a 2-3 week turnaround to finish your book and provide all feedback.
Please fill out the following form to submit your request for beta reading.
