Beta readers

I take it this means people you let read your manuscript to get some feedback on.
How do you find even one? Trial and error?

 

Is there a local critique group you can join? That would be ideal. If that doesn't work, try a friend or family member, but make sure it's someone who would give you honest and detailed feedback.

 

What do you write? I'd beta for you if we have similar interests

 

It's very hard to find a good beta. The best way is through live or online critique groups, where you find someone who writes your same genre and you can beta for each other. It's a lot of trial and error.

 

Family member: started well, she helped with a plot-hole. But when my tough woman police sergeant responds to the boasting of a colleague with a " Why would XYZ want to f*ck you!" she thought that should be replaced with "too much information" and became judgmental about the morals of my main character.
I tried to explain dialogue has to have a purpose. Didn't explain about voice. She lives away, haven't heard back.

 

I don't quite know my genre, closest would be a psychological thriller. The point is how a successful woman can lose everything she values: husband, career, reputation because of her own stupidity when she was much younger and leave the reader with the feeling that she'll triumph through all that adversity.
Not everyone's cup of tea....

 

I am housebound caring for my husband, so I am restricted in a lot of ways. I like the idea of an online critique group. Any suggestions? Otherwise I may ask Mr. Google.

 

Anyone uses Scribophile?

 

Another option is to post an excerpt to the workshop here, and if some members give you particularly good feedback, you can ask them to beta-read the rest of your ms.

 

I ditto KaTrian - post an excerpt in the workshop. It's hard to commit to beta-reading when one doesn't even know what your writing is like. And you want to find someone who already enjoys your writing and "gets" what you're trying to do (which is why it's so hard to find a good beta).

 

I think that is a great idea. Thank you. By now I have written some scenes for my novel that are no longer relevant because I changed the plot. I could use them.
Hetty