Beta reading as a teenager? #1

Hi, all!
After starting StoryBridge, I have been getting a lot of questions on what beta reading even is. So buckle up, because this is going to be a long ride.

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What is Beta Reading?

Before we dive into the do's and don'ts of beta reading, it is best to start with the simple act of grasping the concept.

Beta reading is the act of others reading your works—specifically potential books—before it is published. However, a beta reader isn't just a friend saying they like the work. The whole point of a beta reader is to get into the nitty-gritty subjects—deeper than just "what did you like and what didn't you like?" Beta readers actively try to spot mistakes and come up with ways for the author to resolve them without overstepping their reading boundaries.

Beta readers usually look at the following:

Plot

Beta readers don't just accept the plot for what it is. They make respectful suggestions on the order of events and the places in the story that don't flow as seamlessly as the rest. Remember: a story is like a puzzle; all the pieces need to fit together perfectly to form the pretty picture. A beta reader just helps identify the one puzzle piece that needs to be turned slightly to the right in order to achieve that.

Pacing

When you are an author, you can become slightly attached to your own work, which makes editing harder. Writers often read over their work so often that they find it difficult to evaluate certain parts of their writing—pacing especially.

Beta readers read the book for the first time, therefore they can mention issues in the pace of the story. Pacing is one of the most important roles of a beta reader since it can make or break the story. If a scene happens too slowly, it can lose your audience; if it happens too quickly, you confuse them. A beta reader's job is mostly just to read, not to be a complete editor!

Worldbuilding / Setting

If you have read any of my past posts, you’ll remember that I mentioned The White Room. This is a phenomenon where the writer has put the reader into an unfamiliar setting and allowed the scene to unfold without any further descriptions. This is common, especially in high school-level writing. My beta reader often highlighted that I had a lack of descriptions or that the descriptions had a jarring effect.

Some writers have it the other way around—they have too much description! Either way, your beta reader acts as your first reader and catches these mistakes like a real reader would.

Beta readers also experience the writer's world for the first time. How immersive it is, how believable it is (or how believable a world with dragons living next door can be).

Dialogue

Another foundation that many writers can struggle with (my beta reader is pointing a finger at me) is dialogue. It needs to carry enough information without feeling useless, but not so much that it carries the whole story. It also needs to flow like a real conversation would.

Example:

"Morning, Tim," I said, opening the front door. "Wet day today, ain't it?"

"Wet day, indeed," he said, brushing his feet on the welcome mat before stepping inside. "Nice place you got here. Now let's get to your room. The project won't happen on its own!"

With those two lines, I’ve already answered many of a reader’s questions.
Where? Most likely the speaker's house.
When? Morning.
Why? They need to complete a project.
You’ve also added information about the weather—all that simply through what the characters say.

Beta readers help evaluate the believability of the dialogue. They can take note of the dialogue tags you use often, the accent each character has, and also the personality of the character. Even the emotions!

Tell me in the comment whether you are reading this as a beta reader or a writer? Also hit the follow button while you are at it to stay updated for next week where I will be posting the next 4.

Happy writing!