Hello my fellow readers, writers, and creatures of procrastination.
Today, I'm going to be telling you about alpha, beta, and proof reading. I'll go over them one at a time, and in this order:
Alpha
Beta
Proof reader
I have been an alpha and beta many times (and am currently an alpha reader at the time of writing this) as well as an unprofessional editor for a friend that was in a pinch, and then a proof reader. With about... oh I don't know, three to four-is years of these kinds of reading added to my list of experiences, I've come to learn quite a bit about these processes.
Introduction on this topic at large
Writers need readers to help them along their journey of writing and publishing. There's many different kinds of readers for the many different phases of a project, and some writers don't put all of these types of readers to use. But almost all of them tend to - and really should - have at least some of these readers on their team.
These types of readers are...
Alpha readers - 1st draft reader
Beta readers - +2 draft reader
Proof readers - final/close to final draft reader
The goal of this post is to help you be the best early-reader you can be so that you both get a good experience out of your volunteer reading, and so that the writer whose work you are reading gets the most out of you as a reader.
We will discuss things such as reading a genre and/or work you dislike, go over different kinds of feedback and how to keep criticism constructive, how to keep up with the project your reading, and finding your strength as a reader in each department.
One more note before we get into this:
The most important thing to note about being any of these readers is that the writer will usually provide you with information as to what kind of feedback and help they need from you.
So keep that in mind at all times when being an early-stages reader.
Alpha Reading
An alpha reader is a reader which reads the first draft of the work which needs reading. Usually the first draft of a project has no more than one alpha reader, given the nature of an alpha is to be selected based on the writer's comfort level and trust, and then mostly used to help the author get to the next draft.
Like all the different kinds of readers, there's some sub-categories for alpha reading. These are...
Motivation, accountability, and brainstorming
The very very first reader an author will take on is often going to be an alpha for motivation to write and to brainstorm the story.
For my project Roslyn, what I was looking for in an alpha of this sort; someone who would read one chapter a day so that I would write at least one chapter a day and thus be motivated, and then that person would get to know the story through reading it so they could help me brainstorm and work through dry spells.
I have been this sort of alpha reader twice now, and I've found that the key thing to remember - as both a writer who has had alphas and as an alpha myself - is that feedback on prose, realism, formatting, grammar, even the plot, is not what is needed.
Your writer needs motivation and accountability to write the story, period; picking apart different aspects of it will come at a later time, with a later draft, and perhaps even a later alpha reader devoted to that.
This does not mean that you shouldn't tell your writer when you like something - that can actually be a huge help during this stage of writing (when is it not, really?). But it does mean that this isn't the time or place for criticism, constructive or otherwise.
Here's my dos and don'ts when I read as a motivational+brainstorming alpha:
Don't...
- Comment on negative prose, grammar, punctuation, formatting, etc.
- Comment on plot holes and loose threads
- Comment on negative character arcs
- Comment on negative scenes
- Comment on positive prose
- Comment on the aspects you like about the story and characters
- Comment on positive scenes
- Seek out things you like in the writing to comment on
- Stay on the writer's schedule for reading (this is a huge part of motivation and accountability)
- Be ready to brainstorm with the writer
Deconstructing the draft
These kinds of alphas usually come after the first draft is completed, instead of during its process of being written. Often times the writer will want this alpha reader to be the same one which read for them while they were writing (the motivational+brainstorming alpha), but this won't always be the case.
The job of this reader is to tear apart the plot, rip it into bits in peaces alongside the writer. Sniff out every problem, help your writer find all the things that need working on. It is to find the strengths and weaknesses of the story so that it can be rebuilt in a later draft.
While this kind of alpha does involve much more bluntness and at times tough love, there is a right and a wrong way to do it.
Don't...
- Be demeaning or critical on the faulted parts
- Shy away from being honest
- Use this as an opportunity to hate on/make fun of the story, characters, plot, prose, etc., whether the writer does or not
- Pull apart prose, grammar, format, etc.
Do...
- Keep an eye out for problematic areas
- Help the writer reconstruct the problematic areas
- Answer the writer's questions/give your opinion truthfully, fairly, and constructively
- Remember to find strengths as well as *weaknesses
- Comment on prose and scenes that you like as you read
- Remember that this is a very vulnerable stage for the writer, and respect that
Specific-Goal betas
Sometimes writers will have a very specific goal with a draft and/or a reader. For instance, they may just want you to look for problems with character arcs, or maybe they want you to focus on the world building. Perhaps they want to make sure their magic system is strong and understandable, so they want you to focus on that and pick it apart like a deconstructive alpha.
There's really limitless possibilities in this regards, and this is also true for betas. So when you've been asked to alpha read for a writer with very specific goals, remember...
Don't...
- Stray from the writer's request. They are trying to accomplish something specific, and feedback/critics on other things may be more of a hinderance than help
- Let the writer know when you enjoy different aspects of the story and its style
- Fulfill the writer's requests to the best of your ability
General Advice for Alpha Reading
Alpha reading can be a difficult phase for both the reader and the writer. On the writer's end, they're trusting you with a very early stage of something they're putting a lot of time and work into. It's something that they, usually, have daydreamed about and worked for and filled entire notebooks with. It's precious to them, but it's also in the worst shape the story will ever be in.
Most writers know their flaws to some degree, or at the very least know that a first draft - regardless of if they have edited it or not - is going to have a lot of issues.
Because of both these things, you should be very honored if a writer has trusted you enough to ask that you help them through this stage of their project.
And also because of this, alpha reading have be a very difficult thing. If this writer trusts you enough to make you their alpha, chances are they respect you and consider you a friend. Or perhaps you're a family member. In either case, that puts you in a very awkward position for pointing out the issues in the work (when the writer has requested it) and even for reading it at all if you end up not liking the story.
So how do you read a story you don't like? How do you push through mountains of unpolished words and an uncompleted and hole-ridden plot when you don't even like the story? How do you admit that to someone who has put themselves in a vulnerable position?
I have been in that position more times than I'd like. Over the many WIP I've read for, I've adopted a sort of philosophy or guide for every one that I alpha for. That's the following.
Remember it is a first draft.
Or even a second draft, in some cases. Either way, it's early on, and the story isn't going to be perfect. That may very well be the reason you don't like it, and you might come back and read it when the book is published and find that you actually like the finished product.
In most cases, your job as an alpha has nothing to do with whether you like the story or not. An alpha reader is chosen more based off of the person than off of their reading preferences. So to answer the question how do you admit that you don't like the story, just don't. If the writer asks, you should of course be honest and say something along the lines of "it's not my kind of story, but it is also in the early stages." Most writers will nod and find that to be a fair answer.
But whether you like it or not, you should go through with alpha reading and be as useful as possible. For though it can be difficult, you've made a commitment that you need to follow through with by agreeing to alpha read.
However, I do find it easier if you...
Search for things to like about it.
Something I've learned is that I can pull myself through reading just about any project or book by picking out things I like about it, even if I don't like it as a whole.
When I alpha read a story that I don't like, I make sure to look for moments I like, or for lines I like, for world building, characters, cultural things, aesthetics, etc., that the writer has done well. Because there will be something that the writer has done that is uniquely their own, or that is done really well, or something of the sort, and if you can focus on those good things and the strengths in the story, it will be so much easier to read through.
It will also be far, far more beneficial to the writer if you balance your critiques with honest though searched for compliments. This isn't just being nice, this is actually going to help them so long as you don't over-do it and praise the whole work out of sheer discomfort. It will help them because they will not just know what they did wrong, or that you dislike, but they'll see what parts they're getting right, and they'll be able to hone in on those things and expand upon them in later drafts.
But again, remember that I said to balance your critiques and compliments; too much of either is not healthy for a writer - especially at this stage. And I don't mean to say that for every critic you must force a compliment, just that you keep it proportionate, honest, and put a little extra work into both things.
Don't critique stylistic preferences.
What I mean by this is that you need to understand the differences between a structural issue (be it in the sentence structure, the plot, the arcs, whatever) verses a preference issue. If you don't like the story, it probably is a matter of preference and personal taste; you saying that you dislike the writer's writing style, the world's politics, the aesthetic, etc., is not going to help in this area. Those things are for reviews of published books so that other readers can determine if they want to read the book or not based on their personal preferences.
If the writer ever asks, of course be honest with them. But remember that it is good to preface your response by admitting it is a matter of stylistic preference, and not of the integrity of the plot and things of that nature.
Beta Reading
A beta reader is a person, usually one of many, that is reading anything beyond the first draft (so the second, third, fourth, etc.). They lean more on the "test reader" side of things than alpha readers do, and are depending on the stage of beta reading they are often writers themselves.
Like all the different kinds of readers, there's some sub-categories for beta reading. These are...
Overarching story betas
These are generally accepted as the "first stage" or "first tier" of beta reading, as writers tend to go through multiple rounds and drafts with multiple groups of betas.
Their job is kind of similar to the deconstructing alpha; they are to keep an eye out for plot holes, things that confuse them, things that they think should be expanded on, and so on.
Here are my dos and don'ts for being this kind of beta.
Don't...
- Comment on grammar, line editing, formatting, etc.
- Turn a blind eye to issues or things that confuse you
- Assume another beta will point out something you noticed
- Skim read
- Comment on lines, scenes, etc., that you liked
- Reread portions you're confused about to see if you misunderstood something before you point it out as an issue
- (If you share the document with other betas) build off of other betas' feedback, especially when you had a different thought/impression/understanding from the other betas
- Pay close attention when reading
- Give your impressions and reactions to characters, situations, scenes, etc.
Reaction betas
I may be making this term up, but it's because I've been this kind of beta even if it isn't accepted as an official category by the writing community.
This is a bit different from the former category and leans more towards ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) reading, but it's earlier on in the writing process.
I've been on beta teams a couple of times now where the writer specifically wanted me to read their beta draft like I would any other book, but they had other roles for different betas.
So here's how I go about doing this.
Don't...
- *Read as a critic
- Overthink your reactions
- Force your reactions
- Comment frequently
- Keep your reactions raw and honest
- Try to read it as naturally as you can
Don't...
- Stray from the writer's request. They are trying to accomplish something specific, and feedback/critics on other things may be more of a hinderance than help
- Let the writer know when you enjoy different aspects of the story and its style
- Fulfill the writer's requests to the best of your ability
General Advice for Beta Reading
This section is my general philosophy for beta reading. It's a much less personal process than alpha reading, but you will find some of the same notes from the "general advice for alpha reading" section.
Honesty is now even more important
Beta reading can still be sensitive work depending on the writer, but at this point the story is more fleshed out and the writer has ironed out more wrinkles in the plot. Depending on the stage of beta reading (plenty of authors go through two to three rounds of beta readers) it may be better or worse, but generally speaking this is the time when critiques are more useful.
I'd say it is more important as a beta to be honest than it is as an alpha (though of course honesty is always good), because if an issue gets past you it may make it into the final version of the story because the writer's eyes are adjusted to the project and they can't spot it (which is why they have betas to begin with).
So remember, while you shouldn't rip the story apart, always point out what you think could pose as a problem.
Stick to the writer's list of preferred feedback
The biggest thing that I'd like to stress for general beta reading, is remember to fulfill the writer's requests as much as possible. Almost every time I have beta read, the writer has provided me with a list of things they want me to do in regards to reading their work. The list is usually to do with their specific present goal for this project.
If the writer you are beta reading for (or even alpha reading for) doesn't provide you with a list, it's always a good idea to ask if there's anything they want you to do specifically.
I have had instances where the writer says no, and in that case I try to balance a bit of everything. I also, if I am in a shared document with other betas, will pay closer attention to the feedback they are and are not giving.
This bit is combined with the next part:
Balance out the feedback from the other betas
For instance, if I see that most of the readers are mostly giving emotional reactions to scenes and the story, then I'll focus more on the structure of the story, on the plot, etc. Or if I see that most of them are taken the critical route, I will focus more on finding the really good aspects of the story and try to cheer the writer on (still telling them when I find problems that aren't mentioned, and still building off of other betas' feedback).
Because really, encouragement and critiques are equally important to a writer and need to be balanced out well.
On that note,
Keep your critiques balanced
I've said this already, but here I'm going to talk about how I go about doing this.
When you point out a problem, it's good to preface it with a sign of intrigue, enjoyment, or a complement (always mean the complement you say, even if you have to look for it). Here's a made up scenario.
Say I'm reading a story about a gnome knight, and then the point of view switches halfway through the story to some new character who is a sprite doing sprite things that I really don't care about and believe distracts from the story. I would say something along the lines of...
"Because of how long we went before a POV switch, I adjusted and grown attached to the gnome's perspective and experiences. So this new perspective feels disruptive, though I may enjoy it otherwise. Maybe you could introduce this character earlier on?"
The underlined parts are specifically what I'm talking about in this case, but I always try to format my suggestions and critiques this way. I like to explain why I think what I think, help diagnose the problem, and then I'll usually say what I think might help phrased in a way that still invites the writer to come up with something else.
And on that note,
Know when to and when not to give an answer
Something a writer I've beta/alpha read for several times in the past said about my reading style is that she appreciates I don't offer answers all the time. Now that wasn't always intentional - sometimes I just don't know - but since that conversation I have begun putting it into intentional practice.
So even if I do have an idea, one that I think to be "the" solution, I won't always tell the writer. Sometimes I'll prompt them with a question regarding the problem and not give my own advice or thoughts on it.
I imagine I'm able to do this because most people I've read for are people I know fairly well and have read for repeatedly, so I've picked up on when it is appropriate to do that and when it isn't. I'm also a writer myself and have some vague idea of how a writer's brain works, as well as how stories work, so I can better understand which kind of reaction/feedback will be most useful.
Of course, when I first began reading for writers I didn't know this. I didn't even know the writers all that well. And when that is the case now during my early-reading, I really focus on the list and I'm generally more forward with everything.
Search for things you like about the project, even if you don't like the story
Especially when you don't like the story. Again, this has helped me through many a project and even published books. There will always be something you can pick out - the prose, the characters, the plot line, the style, the world building, the magic system, the culture, something. Find that something and hold on to it.
And if you do like the story, this is still a good thing to practice. Again, you don't want to over-praise or give a fake compliment, but a little extra work at enjoying the piece can go a long way.
Don't critique stylistic preferences
This is the exact same advice as the section under "general alpha reading advice":
What I mean by this is that you need to understand the differences between a structural issue (be it in the sentence structure, the plot, the arcs, whatever) verses a preference issue. If you don't like the story, it probably is a matter of preference and personal taste; you saying that you dislike the writer's writing style, the world's politics, the aesthetic, etc., is not going to help in this area. Those things are for reviews of published books so that other readers can determine if they want to read the book or not based on their personal preferences.
If the writer ever asks, of course be honest with them. But remember that it is good to preface your response by admitting it is a matter of stylistic preference, and not of the integrity of the plot and things of that nature.
Proof Reading
Proof reading is the most stand-offish kind of reading talked about in this post. It is drastically different from alpha and beta reading, because this is most likely one of the final steps before the writer considers the piece complete.
You may be one of several proof readers, or you may be the only proof reader. In either case, you should hunt through the manuscript for errors.
The jobs of a proof reader are as follows.
Spelling and Grammer
This is pretty self explanatory. You're looking for grammar and spelling issues that the writer may have missed, and usually you'll be marking up a document designated for this to save the writer time.
Don't...
- Line edit
- *Change things on a whim
- Correct sentence structure when needed
- Correct spelling and grammatical issues
- *Make sure your corrections are actually correct
- *Determine what is intentionally breaking some rules for the sake of style and what is an actual error
- *Inform the writer when you're unsure of a change
- **When the author writes accents or speech impediments, make sure their accents are consistent to the formula the author presents
Continuity
Continuity is very important, and very easy for writers to forget. I don't know how many times I've forgotten to write that a character has changed position in a room, so they just poof! into a new spot, causing much confusion.
There's also issues with characters' appearances. I know of quite a few books where characters' hair colors change randomly, for example.
Then there's everything that comes with fantasy: World building, magic systems politics, accents, language, and so on.
One big instance of a missed continuity error in a published book is in the mermaid novel Deep Blue. A character, who is a mermaid, "walks" across a room. Those are the kinds of things you are supposed to catch.
One of your major jobs as a proof reader will be finding the lack of consistency in these areas, should they happen, and point them out to the writer. Remember that, for all you know, this is going to be the final version of this story. You don't want to leave any mistakes in there if you can help it, you want your writer to have a polished and errorless manuscript (if such a thing is possible).
This means that honesty is now more important then ever. If you're uncertain of something but thing it may be a problem, it's better to point it out and explain your confusion than it is to leave it unnoticed until the work is published.
That being said, here are my dos and don'ts.
Don't...
- Ignore mistakes, regardless of if there will be future proof readers or not
- Point out issues you have with the story - you aren't an alpha or a beta. Your job is just to clean up the draft, not the plot.
- Pay close attention to everything you're reading; you never know where an error may come up
- Point out the errors with the writing itself
- Tell the writer when you're uncertain of something, and try to articulate why that is
And here's a list of continuity errors to keep an eye out for in a few different genres.
General
(Applies to all genres, not just those listed)
- Inconsistency in character clothing, hair, and general appearance
- Inconsistency in accents and language
- Inconsistency in character position/location
- Inconsistency in culture
- Inconsistency in character knowledge
- Inconsistency with mental or physical disorders
- Consistency with timeline
- Inconsistency regarding the era the story takes place in (ex. a weapon existing before its time, an event happening at a time that is past or as yet to come, etc.)
- Characters using phrases, words, and terminology which would not yet exist, be accepted, or be understood
- Inconsistency in the magic system
- Inconsistency in world building
- Inconsistency with the politics
- Characters using phrases, words, and terminology which would be unlikely to exist in their world
- Inconsistency with the technological systems and functions
- Inconsistency in world building
Formatting
Unless the writer you're proofreading for is horrible at formatting (such as myself), this shouldn't be overly difficult. You'll just be making sure everything is formatted correctly, with indentations, paragraph breaks, dividers, chapters, font, font size, paragraph alignment, page breaks between chapters, and things of that sort.
There's not really any "dos" and "don'ts" for this section. Just make sure that you are certain of any changes or edits you propose, as always.
Applying to be an Alpha, Beta, or Proof Reader
If you would like to be an alpha, beta, or proof reader for a writer you know or follow, here are some things to consider about the whole thing.
Consider before applying:
Do you like the story concept?
If you don't, don't volunteer/apply to fill any of these positions. Maybe you want to help out the writer because you believe in them, or because you want to show support, and believe you will be able to press forward while still being constructive, supportive, punctual, and encouraging.
That is wonderful. But it isn't worth the chance of you really disliking the story and not following through with the commitment.
Do you have enough time to devote to the project?
Most writers will give you some information on the story when they ask you if you want to read for them, or when they put out a general flier in search of readers. They should include their word count (and if they don't, ask them).
If you're unfamiliar with using a word count to gage this kind of thing, here are some books you may have read and their word counts, to help you get a better idea for it:
Eragon by Christopher Paolini - 158,910 words
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull - 115,587 words
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen - 105,948 words
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - 99,750 words
The Maze Runner by James Dashner - 92,520 words
Most Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan - 90k-125k words
The Ruins of Gorlon by John Flanagan - 86,673 words
The Giver by Lois Lowry - 59,189 words
The Bad Beginning: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket - 29,038 words
Or, if you haven't read any of these books before, type the title and author of the books that took you the least and most time to read into the search bar at this link and compare the word count to the count of the work you are considering alpha/beta/proof reading for.
If the author needs you to read their project by the end of the month, but the count is one that you can't balance with every day life, then you should just tell the writer no.
And even if the writer says that they don't have a exact date in mind, you should set one for yourself so that you make sure you get it to them in a reasonable amount of time. Two to three weeks is a pretty fair amount for a finished work of an average word count.
So if you don't believe you will be able to balance the story with your day-to-day business, it's better to pass this time around than to be a reader who drops off the face of the map (though I'm sure we've all been there at some point).
Are you confident that you can meet the writer's needs?
Like I mentioned before, writers will usually provide you with some information to help you determine if you would like to read their work or not. When they do this, they also may specify what category of reader they're wanting (such as a general beta vs. a specific goal beta) and provide a list of specific needs they have/what your job would entail.
Go down that list and see how many things apply to you, how many things you're confident you can provide, and things of that sort.
If you check off their preferences and are capable of meeting their needs, then this may be a good fit!
(If the writer doesn't provide you with one, you could always ask, but they probably are more concerned with general feedback than they are specific things, so you probably won't need to worry about this bit.)
Where do your strengths as a reader lie?
This ties in with the section above.
Sometimes a writer may ask you what your strengths are, instead of giving you a list of preferences that they have.
When/if that happens, it's important that you have some kind of idea.
Now having multiple early-stage reading experiences under my belt, I've been able to ask the writers and authors that I've read for what their experience with me as a reader was. What strengths I had that helped them and things of that sort.
You can't really determine where your strengths are thoroughly if you have never alpha/beta/proof read multiple times, but you can make an educated guess based off of your own writing and/or reading experiences. You can also help the writer determine if you're a good fit by telling them what kinds of things you like doing and such - or if you have no experience in writing and early-reading whatsoever, they may have you read as a test audience of sorts.
All that is to say, be honest with yourself and your writer. If you know your strengths and weaknesses, then tell them so they can determine if you're a good fit or not.
If you're not sure of what your strengths are yet, let the author know and see what they think about it.
Post Conclusion
I would love to hear your answers, as well as your general thoughts.
Until next time, I remain,
- E.P.
