Beta Reading

The world really makes it hard to find beta readers.

I edited my book 11 times. That means I re-read the whole thing eleven times over the course of six months, and it's still not good. As all authors, editors, and publishers will say, HAVE SOMEONE READ YOUR WORK. Fact of the matter is, you just can't see all your mistakes. It's not possible.

A second pair of eyes has to present or else you risk skipping over big errors. Sometimes screaming errors. As an indie, one should take every single step they can to make the best product possible. Some don't take their work seriously and post whatever they think will make them a quick buck, and that is an egregious mistake.

Turning your bad manuscript into a good manuscript, and a good manuscript into a great manuscript. Why would one ever skip the opportunity? Some people would rather pay for ads than editors, and that's sad, because editors are worth so much more. Even a friend can help.

I myself am searching for groups who beta read. Some can be found on Goodreads, Livejounal, and fictionpress. Forums are a great help too, and some are even willing to swap stories.