Beta Reader Question Set
Get useful feedback instead of vague praise.
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Create a question set for beta readers. Manuscript type and length: [TYPE_LENGTH]. What I'm unsure about: [UNCERTAINTIES]. Reader types: [READER_TYPES]. Write a questionnaire of 15 to 20 questions grouped as first impressions, characters, plot, pacing, world, and ending. Use questions that ask what readers did (where they stopped reading, what they skimmed, where they were confused) and not only what they liked. Include a section tailored to my uncertainties. Add a short message to send to readers explaining the task and timeline, and a spreadsheet layout to collate answers. Provide a method to weigh feedback: look for patterns across three readers before changing anything. Add guidance for choosing readers, including a mix of experience levels, and a plan for how long to give them. Provide a template for thanking readers and sharing what changed, and an approach to handling conflicting feedback from two readers. Include a short note on keeping the manuscript secure, such as sharing with trusted people.
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First impressions 1. At what page did you first want to stop reading, if ever? 2. Which character did you care about most by chapter 3? Plot 5. Was there a moment you did not understand what was happening? Pacing 9. Which chapter did you skim? Tailored to my worry (the ending) 14. What did you expect to happen? Did the ending match it? Message to readers: "Thank you. Please read at your normal pace and mark where you got bored or confused, not only what you liked. Return by 14 March." Collation: spreadsheet with one row per question and one column per reader; act only on patterns from three readers.
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