Want a Better Beta Read?
Seeking beta readers for a new nonfiction book.
Disrupting my series on Fiction vs. Nonfiction for a Beta Reader announcement.
Last fall, I ran a survey about ideas for a lead magnet. I’ve finally finished my first draft of what has turned into a 30,000-word short read about finding your Inner Storyteller tentatively titled Start With Story.
Last year, I did my first ever beta reader requests through my newsletter and learned a TON about how to do/not do in a beta reader campaign.
Some incredible contacts over at LinkedIn have already agreed to be beta readers, but I’d still love to find a few more eyes to get it in front of as I wrap up some initial revisions.
It’s given me the chance to rethink how beta reads can be done and how to make the process better and more rewarding for you, the people who give up your precious time to give me precious feedback.
So here’s what is going to be different…
First, since this is a nonfiction book (and a short one at that), I’m going to break it up into sections for the beta read based on word count. That way, it’s less taxing on your time to read and submit feedback.
Here’s the section breakdown, with each being around 6,000 words total:
Intro, Chapter 1 & 2
Chapter 3 & 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7 & Conclusion
“But what about context?” you might ask. “If I read a later chapter, won’t I be confused?”
Not too much, actually. While each chapter builds off of the one before it, they can largely be read as standalone pieces. Mentions to previous chapters are pretty minimal and you shouldn’t be terribly lost. But also, everyone who agrees to be a beta reader will receive an outline so you have an idea of what topics are covered in other chapters/sections.
(Look, if you’ve got the time/energy/patience to read the entire thing, no problem. Happy to invite you to the entire draft.)
Second, I’m planning to invite people to read on Google Docs. You don’t need a Google account for this, but if you hate Google Docs, you’ll still be able to download your section as a PDF.
Third, I’ll send you a pre-prepared form with questions to make it easier/faster to report your feedback.
Fourth, the timeline will be far more specific. I’m looking for feedback to be submitted by the end of April. So if this is a bad month for you, no worries. Peace and love.
If you’re interested, you can respond here or email me directly: jonathan@wordrobemedia.com with the subject: Start With Story Beta Read.
Thanks in advance!
Until next time, keep moving forward!