Beta Readers: Important or not?

Beta readers, are they important or not?

Man. They are useful. Working on a story I am honestly excited about. I punched it out on my keyboard with vigor. Edited, line edited, edited again. Send that puppy to a trusted reader and their enthusiasm did not equal my own.

With some clarity from a reader without reference to what I was attempting, I am now editing the story again. But I am so grateful to have someone read my work and offer critical feedback. As an artist, constructive criticism is more precious than diamond in Minecraft.

Through feedback we can understand how our art is being perceived and interpreted. We create because we think and feel a need to make an idea happen. We understand what we are trying to say most times. The issue is will others identify with the message and are we successful of communicating the imagined as we hoped.

Beta readers give us that filter we don’t have ourselves. It gives us insight on that success or failure to meet our vision, and often times how far we are from achieving just that. Beta Readers, I thank you, I bow to you.

If you are a writer, you see a cry from another author asking for a beta reader, do it. You are helping another artist achieve and that is super valuable. And as a writer with a beta reader, don’t get defensive, listen and take the criticism, it is so crucial to your development. Also, its rude to ask for someones time, which is irreplaceable, then not respect the opinions you asked for.

Beta Readers, thank you. Gratitude and humble appreciation to anyone who has read my work before being out in the public eye.