Beta readers are people you send your manuscript to for feedback before you publish.
Unless you’re already a well-known author, it rarely works. Most never finish. The ones who do are polite instead of useful.
A beta group works better. You teach your material live to real people before the book is published, you find out what actually helps them, and you build your launch team in the process.
Why beta readers usually disappoint
“Here’s my book. Read it and let me know what you think.”
Meh.
Your friends are busy. Strangers have no reason to care. And the people who do read it will tell you it’s wonderful, because they love you.
That’s not feedback. That’s kindness. You need something more useful than kindness.
What a beta group is
A beta group is a short, free teaching series built around the outcome your book promises.
Pick a duration — daily sessions for 21 days and 90 days are two of my favorites; or meet once a week for four, six or eight weeks. Give your group a name that describes the result, not the book. Invite people. Meet on Zoom so you can see faces and interact.
Then teach your outline. Ask questions. Watch what lands and what falls flat. Notice where people get stuck.
Rule #1: Don’t mention the book
Do not tell them you’re writing a book.
Don’t let the Beta Group become about you or your book. It’s about them. It’s about helping them solve a problem or achieve a goal. Period.
Here’s the ninja move: don’t mention the book until the last session. Then say something like, “The response has been so incredible, it’s sad that this is coming to an end. But the great news is, I’m taking what we’ve learned together and turning it into a book to reach more people.”
Watch what happens to their faces.
Why it works so well
Your motives are pure. There’s nothing for sale. Your book isn’t even in print. You’re not secretly hoping they’ll buy it.
You find out the truth while you can still use it. Does your solution actually work? Does your system need refining? You learn that now, before you go to press, not later in a one-star review.
You stay open. Because the book isn’t finished, you’re not attached to it. You’ll revise and polish based on what you heard from the group.
You build your launch team organically. By the time your book comes out, you have an army of grateful people who believe in you and your message—people who are excited to buy it and share it.
Seed time, then harvest
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower … will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10).
Your beta group is seed time. The more seeds you plant, and the better the soil, the greater your harvest will be.
The most common mistake authors make is confusing the two seasons. Don’t ask your beta group to critique your manuscript. Serve them. The harvest comes later, at your launch. More on that in Book Launch Strategy.
Quick answers
When should I start a beta group? As soon as you’ve settled your topic, reader and outline — long before the book is finished.
Wondering what kind of writer you are…and why your book isn’t finished yet?
Take my writer’s quiz to find the answer and discover the unique things that are keeping you stuck…and one simple strategy you can use today to move forward.