Beta Readers vs. Critique Partners: The #1 Secret to Getting the Right Feedback on Your Book | Ep. 37

What’s the difference between a beta reader and a critique partner, and why does it matter to your success as an author? 

In this episode of The Author's Edge, Allison dives deep into how these two types of feedback providers can completely transform your writing—and how to find the right people for your team. Whether you're struggling to polish your manuscript or wondering who to trust with early drafts, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you move forward.

You’ll also learn about free resources like Allison's Compassionate Critique Sessions, where you can connect with other writers, get valuable feedback, and start building your author community. Don't miss out—press play now!

What You’ll Learn:

• The key differences between beta readers and critique partners—and why you need both.
• How to find the right beta readers who are fans of your genre and eager to help.
• Where to locate critique partners who understand your writing challenges and provide actionable feedback.
• Free and paid resources to streamline your search for high-quality feedback.
• Why critique sessions and beta readers should happen in a specific order for best results.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Spun Yarn: https://www.thespunyarn.com
• Kirkus Reviews Beta Reading Service: https://www.kirkusreviews.com
• Allison’s Compassionate Critique Sessions: https://lanelit.com/cc
• Connect with Allison: Email her directly at allison@lanelit.com

Timestamps: 

• [00:01:00] The critical difference between a beta reader and a critique partner.
• [00:03:00] Why your spouse, bestie, or neighbor should never be your critique partner.
• [00:05:00] The top beta reading services Allison recommends for authors.
• [00:06:00] Free monthly critique sessions that can help you find your next critique partner.

Tune in now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPLgGFMaO-w

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Transcript

Allison: 1:34

A critique partner is someone who understands the world of writing. Beta reader is someone who's not a writer. They are reading books based on their interest and just providing feedback. So, how do I find a beta reader? Hello! Hello! Welcome back to the Author's Edge. I am here to help you on your way to being the author that you know you're meant to be. Whether this is your seventh book or your first book or somewhere in between or beyond, you are in the right place because I am here to make your journey on the author path more fun, and more exciting, and more efficient, and more productive because there are only so many minutes in the day and we want to spend a third of those sleeping. As you know, because you probably read a book about it. Now, this is a quickie episode of the Author's Edge. This is what we do every Thursday, I answer your questions. Send a question to me. I'm here for you. This is my real email. This is not an alias or anything. It's Allison with two L's at allison@lanelit.com. It comes directly into my inbox and I see it immediately. Now, here's the question. How do I find a beta reader? Before I answer the question, I need to back up because I need to explain the difference between a beta reader and a critique partner. Okay. So, a critique partner is someone who understands the world of writing. They probably are not your reader. They're not your intended audience, but they understand what you're going through. They understand the type of feedback that you're asking for. Neither a critique partner nor a beta reader, they're probably not your neighbor. Okay. They're not your spouse. They're not your sister. I swear very, very doubtfully. A critique partner is someone who you could ask for feedback on dialogue, or storytelling, or pace, and they're going to have some sense of what you're talking about. They are also a writer and they don't charge you and you don't charge them because it is a partner. That's why we call it a critique partner. They might not need something right now, but in a month they might say to you, can you read this chapter and tell me where you stopped reading? Or tell me, does this character feel fully developed to you? What do I need to answer for you to make this more developed? So, a critique partner is another writer. Simply put. And they want to provide to you the same input that you would provide to them. The critique partner is definitely not your spouse, not your neighbor, not your sister, not your friend. Well, actually, they might have become your friend but they're not your bestie from elementary school, truly. They are another writer, and they totally get it. Now, a beta reader is someone who is a fan of the genre that you're writing in. Or they're for nonfiction, they are the audience of the type of book that you're writing. They might not be genre, but it maybe they like to read about going on adventures in state parks and they read some memoir and some self help and some science behind why nature is good for us. And so, they read that. So, essentially, it's like a test subject. Now, Beta reader is someone who's not a writer. They are reading books based on their interest and just providing feedback. There are plenty of beta reading services out there that will have people who are fans of the type of book that you're writing. Read a certain amount or sometimes all of it and give you specific feedback. There are some really good ones. The Spun Yarn is a good one. The website is thespunyarn. Also, Kirkus Reviews has a beta reading service and they like for you to provide whether it's the whole manuscript or a few chapters, they like for you to provide three to four months for them to have the beta reader read your book, and then give you feedback. These are not people you know. And it's better that way because if you forget to name a character, they're not going to fill it in the blank because they already know you. Like you mentioned my husband several times, but you never say that your husband has a name. That's the sort of thing that they will catch for you. And it's super helpful. These two things actually happen in order. You're going to get critiques for your writing before you give your chapters to a beta reader. If you're thinking, well, where can I find a critique partner? I hold monthly compassionate critique sessions that are free and free is good when the thing is good. You can sign up for these. We do them on Zoom. I split people into trios and you read for 10 minutes, or you read a page, or ask a question and people give you feedback and the thing is they are also writers. So, you're getting feedback from people who are in your shoes. And then, someone else will read a page, or ask a question, or ask for input about something. It could be their website, or their pitch to media, or what podcast they should be, on or their query letter, title for their book. I mean, these are powerful and interesting and really important conversations to have because sometimes you're ready to be outside of your focus group of one where you've been writing and kind of get somebody else's input without having to shell out a dime. So, you're invited. It's every second Tuesday of the month, you can sign up at lanelit.com/cc. We hold them at 1 p. m. Eastern on the second Tuesday of every month. So, make sure you get on the list because they're really powerful. And many, many critique partners then pair off and realize, Oh, I really was interested in what you were writing let's trade information and connect, you know, outside of these monthly events. So, you're welcome to do that. And I sure hope you do. Okay. This is exciting. I cannot wait to see you at the next Compassionate Critique event. So many powerful connections and collaborations have happened because of these, and I've been holding them for a few years now and they're everybody's favorite. So, I will see you there. Oh, and you can invite anyone you want. I mean, they have to be a writer, obviously. But yeah, share a like. It's lanelit.com/cc. Okay, I'll see you there.