Different Types of Betas

Beta readers can fullfil a number of functions. One of the most important things is to realize what kind of beta the author is looking for.

Alpha or cheerreader. A person who’s there to encourage the author, with whom the author can spitball ideas and bring up plot points that just don’t seem to want to work, talks out writer’s block with and is in general something of a cheerleader for the story. Do not underestimate their importance.

Spellcheck beta. This is your most basic type of beta: Someone who looks for typos, spelling mistakes, grammar, and maybe for difficult to understand phrasing.

Editor-type beta. Someone who tells the author what works, and what still needs work. This tackles a variety of topics, from character consistency over story structure to plot plausibility. Pacing, characterisation, where the story flow is interrupted, where it gets boring, where you were about to cry - all of those and more fall within this category.

Sensitivity beta. So the author has included a deaf, trans, Korean character, but has no life experiences from any of those categories. In this case, they get a sensitivity reader or two from within the communities they represented in their story, to sort out and flag issues with the various *isms and *phobia. This way, they avoid misrepresenting those communities and there’s less of a chance of perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Of course, different individuals from the same community might have differing opinions. In general, this practice is (should be) more common in published fiction rather than fanfiction.

Expert or research assistant. The story is set in a bakery in the 16th century in Monaco. Now, the author does their own research, of course, but certain cultural, historical aspects are hard to ferret out. Asking someone who knows about the stuff you need in depth, or someone who has done this kind of research before helps cut down on the time spend on research and probably leaves the story more accurate. Might overlap with a sensitivity reader if the area of expertise is that community.

Of course, a sensitivity reader can also be a spellcheck beta, or a topic expert can give you advice on pacing. Here’s where the communication between author and beta is important, so both sides know what’s expected and needed.

(Beta-Reading Advice 101)

Beta Advice: Getting Better

You’ve tried your hand at beta-reading, and you know what to expect now. You want to get better. Here’s a couple tips that might help!

Re-familiarize yourself with grammar rules. School might’ve been a while, and some things are hard to grasp. There’s plenty of advice out there regarding how to use punctuation in dialogue, when to use commas, who vs whom, who’s vs whose, etc.

Writing advice. Applying writing advice to the story covers almost all of an editor-type beta’s duties. Pacing? Word choice? Character? Dialogue? These are all questions an author struggles with while writing, and a beta is there to provide a second perspective. Consume all writing advice that you can find, but remember that as with most advice, some things might work for some people but not for others. You can make suggestions, but it’s up to the author to decide whether to use them or not.
(Also, Thesaurus.com is your friend when looking for synonyms. Don’t use the same word three times in a row, find alternatives.)

Practice. It might not make perfect, but it definitely hones your skills. The more stories you beta-read, the better a grasp you get on the assorted areas. Working with various authors might be helpful, too, to get diverse kind of experiences. Like I’ve said before, every author has different expectations and needs help with other areas.

Analytical reading. I know I’ve said it before, but I cannot stress it enough. This is basically beta reading without writing the critique down. Analyse the fuck out of every story you come across, figure out why things work and why they don’t.
IMPORTANT. Analysis gives you a lot of fodder for comments. Positive things you can easily shower the author with, but unless they’ve specifically asked for constructive criticism in the A/N, do not offer unsolicited advice. If they do ask for feedback, make sure to use the Positive-Negative-Positive cushioning method when bringing up something that didn’t work - you’re not there to rip them or their story apart, after all.

(Beta Advice 101)