Critique Readers

What is the difference between beta and alpha readers? What is an ARC reader? What are writing critique groups? Each reader is important to your work's development and can give crucial feedback. In this article, I describe when you should send your draft and what type of reader you should send it to.

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Hello Inkers!

Having readers read your ink can feel vulnerable, exciting, nerve-racking, suspenseful, and maybe even all of the above. I know that sharing your writing sometimes can be a daunting task, but a new perspective on your work can lead to helpful insight and sometimes tremendous growth.

However, when you're looking to get a second opinion or some help with your writing, it's important to know there are different types of readers who will expect different things of your draft.

ALPHA READERS

Alpha readers are readers which give feedback on rough drafts, sometimes even incomplete drafts. They look at your work with a writer's critical eye, meaning that they're analyzing the work for its strengths or weakness, or they can analyze a certain aspect of the piece that you are looking for help with. Generally, an alpha reader is looking closer at a draft and its parts rather than the overall work as a whole.

Alpha readers are a lot like a writing buddy; they are there to help your writing improve and to encourage you as a writer. Because of this, it's helpful to have a writer/reader friend be your alpha reader or someone you are comfortable with messaging every now and then. However, although I do not see it as often as with beta reading, you can also hire an alpha reader or recruit someone online.

Because alpha readers often give more detailed feedback, I don't recommend having more than two per work.

BETA READERS

Just as beta is the ranking after alpha, beta readers read after an alpha reader. Beta readers read a polished manuscript and provide feedback through the lens of a reader. This means they are focused on the piece as a whole, how it makes them feel, and if they believe the story overall is ready for publication. You can ask your beta readers to keep a specific aspect in mind if you'd like, but generally their feedback will pertain to the piece overall. It's good to ask them what they liked, and if there were any parts they didn't like. Pay attention to whether they are speaking emotionally ("this part made me feel so bad for x character"—which is a compliment on the emotion of your piece!) or whether it is an issue with the writing ("I didn't feel like this scene was true to his character," "this chapter felt like it dragged on," etc).

You will will want a group of beta readers for your work, but you don't want a group so large you are overwhelmed. A good number to go with is 5, but you should aim for at least 4 and no more than 8.

CRITIQUE GROUPS

Writing/critique workshops are 1-2 hour meetings of writers where they take turns sharing their draft to the group and the group provides feedback to the writer. Usually the group has a variety of writers experience from published to new writers. Writing group workshops are a great way to get feedback on your work, and can also be a good starting place when looking for alpha/beta readers. You can find writing groups through social media, writers organizations (both online and local), or by looking for local groups.

However, generally speaking a writer only gets a portion of an hour or two to share their work in a workshop, so feedback is limited. Of course, you can ask if anyone in the group would be willing to read your whole piece. It's also important to remember, in order to not become overwhelmed, that you do not need to consider absolutely everyone's critique. Overall, pay attention to the comments that are shared by the group.

ARC READERS

If you follow readers/reviewers online, you've likely seen a book called an "advanced reader's copy" or an ARC. ARC readers are readers who receive a finished work before publication in exchange for the likelihood of a review. (Due to rules around reviewing, someone cannot be "bribed" to review and thus cannot receive a book directly "in exchange for" a review.)

You will only ever send a finished piece to an ARC reader, and generally a couple weeks to a month before publication.

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Readers Timeline

• write

• optional: alpha reader before draft is finished

• draft finished & self-edited

• alpha reader(s)

• critique groups

• beta readers

• ARC readers

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Remember Inker that you don't have to integrate everyone's feedback. It all depends on how often you hear it, the experience level of the reader, and how it fits in with the vision of your story. (Eventually, I will write a post specifically on navigating feedback, and I will link it here!)

Thank you for reading, and happy reader hunting (catch & release)!