Part I: How to Ask for Beta Feedback (Without Setting Yourself Up to Spiral)

The Beta Reader Survival Series

There’s something wildly vulnerable about asking someone to beta read your book.

It’s not just:

“Would you mind reading this?”

It’s:

“Would you mind stepping into something I’ve lived inside for months — and telling me where it doesn’t work?”

That’s brave.

But here’s the thing no one tells you:

Bad beta feedback often starts with a bad beta request.

If you:

• send it too early

• choose the wrong readers

• don’t guide them

• or don’t prepare yourself

You will spiral unnecessarily.

Let’s prevent that.

Step 1: Make Sure Your Manuscript Is Actually Ready

Before you ask anyone to read it, ask yourself:

• Have I done a full self-edit?

• Have I fixed obvious plot holes?

• Have I removed filler scenes?

• Have I checked continuity?

• Have I clarified confusing worldbuilding?

• Have I read it through as a reader, not a writer?

Beta readers are not there to fix your first draft.

They are there to react to a manuscript you’ve taken as far as you can alone.

If you send it too early, they’ll flag issues that:

• you could have caught yourself

• will overwhelm you

• distract from deeper craft feedback

You want them focusing on emotional impact, pacing, clarity — not spelling errors in Chapter 3.

Step 2: Choose the Right Beta Readers

Not all beta readers are created equal.

Ask yourself:

Do they read your genre?

A thriller reader will react differently to pacing than a fantasy reader.

Do they understand your target audience?

Someone who doesn’t read romantasy may not “get” slow-burn tension.

Have they beta read before?

Inexperienced betas may leave reactions (“huh???”) instead of constructive notes.

Are they emotionally intelligent?

You want honesty, not cruelty.

Do you want different types?

It can be helpful to have:

• 1 big-picture reader (vibes + emotional arc)

• 1 structure-focused reader

• 1 detail-oriented reader

• 1 “average reader” perspective

You do not need 10.

3–5 strong, aligned readers is ideal.

Trust me.

Step 3: Be Extremely Clear About What You Want

The biggest mistake writers make?

Sending the manuscript with:

“Let me know what you think!”

That is chaos.

Your betas need direction.

You are allowed to guide them.

Example Beta Feedback Questions (Use These)

You don’t need to ask all of these — tailor them to your draft stage — but here are options you can pull from.

Big Picture Questions

• Did the story hold your attention from beginning to end?

• At any point did you feel bored? Where?

• Were there moments you wanted to skim?

• Did the ending feel satisfying?

• Did anything feel rushed or dragged out?

• Were there plot points that felt too convenient?

• Did the stakes feel high enough?

• Did anything confuse you?

Opening Chapters

• Did the first chapter hook you?

• Were you clear on what was happening?

• Did you understand the protagonist’s situation?

• Did you feel grounded in the setting?

• Did you want to keep reading?

Character Development

• Did you connect emotionally with the FMC?

• Did her motivations make sense?

• Were her reactions believable?

• Did she have agency, or did the plot feel like it happened to her?

• Were there moments where she frustrated you? Why?

• Did you feel her growth by the end?

• Which character felt the most compelling?

• Which character felt underdeveloped?

Emotional Impact

• Did you feel what I was trying to make you feel in [specific scene]?

• Were there scenes that didn’t emotionally land?

• Were any emotional moments overdone?

• Did any reactions feel muted?

• Did tension build effectively?

Worldbuilding (if fantasy / sci-fi)

• Did you ever feel confused about the rules of the world?

• Were there info-dumps?

• Did anything feel under-explained?

• Were you ever overwhelmed with detail?

• Did the magic/system feel consistent?

Pacing & Structure

• Were there sections that slowed the story down?

• Did transitions between scenes feel smooth?

• Did the midpoint shift feel impactful?

• Did Act Three escalate appropriately?

Dialogue

• Did the dialogue feel natural?

• Did characters sound distinct?

• Were there repetitive phrases?

• Did any conversations feel unrealistic?

Specific Scene Testing

You can ask:

• Does this reveal feel earned?

• Is this twist predictable?

• Does this romantic tension feel believable?

• Did you understand why she made this decision?

The “Brutal But Helpful” Questions

If you’re ready for honesty:

• Where did you almost stop reading?

• What felt unnecessary?

• What would you cut?

• What didn’t work for you?

• If you could change one major thing, what would it be?

Step 4: Set Expectations Clearly

Tell your betas:

• Word count

• Timeline

• Format (Google Docs? PDF?)

• How you’d like comments left

• Whether you prefer inline comments or summary notes

• If you want line edits or big-picture only

Clarity prevents frustration on both sides.

Step 5: Prepare Yourself Emotionally

Before the feedback comes back, understand:

You will feel:

• defensive

• misunderstood

• embarrassed

• proud

• grateful

• exposed

Sometimes all at once.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have asked.

It means you care.

Just remember:

Your first emotional reaction is not your final craft decision.

Beta Reader Checklist Before You Send

✔️ Manuscript fully self-edited

✔️ Major plot holes fixed

✔️ Clear feedback questions prepared

✔️ Betas read your genre

✔️ Expectations communicated

✔️ You understand not all feedback will align

✔️ You are ready to separate ego from craft

If you can tick these?

You’re not just sending a manuscript.

You’re starting a professional revision phase.

In Part II (coming soon), we’ll talk about what happens when the comments land — and how to read beta feedback without spiralling, shutting down, or rewriting your entire book overnight.

Finally, if you want to see my exact Beta Application form, click the link here.