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How much Beta readers should charge for its work?
- Thread starter JacobWorld
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I've never charged or ever been charged for beta reading in 30 years. It's done out of either friendship, respect or whatever mutually satisfying agreement has been made between author and reader.
I'd be very leery of anyone who charged money for it, honestly.
I'd be very leery of anyone who charged money for it, honestly.
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Beta readers don't charge for their work.
Freelance editors, book doctors, and writing coaches charge for their work, but should in return do a lot more line-editing than beta readers are expected to provide.
Freelance editors, book doctors, and writing coaches charge for their work, but should in return do a lot more line-editing than beta readers are expected to provide.
What they said. I wouldn't trust a beta who wanted money any more than I'd trust an agent who wanted paying.
Echo...
A BETA DOES NOT CHARGE.
you are using the wrong terminology. There are manuscript editing services. They can charge. Betas...not so much.
A BETA DOES NOT CHARGE.
you are using the wrong terminology. There are manuscript editing services. They can charge. Betas...not so much.
Sarpedon
Banned
Oh, my beta reader is an it. Its often hard to read its comments because of all the sucker marks on the paper.
A friend of mine has read and critiqued several of my manuscripts, so I sent him a Barnes and Noble gift card. But I wouldn't pay someone to do the same thing.
So Jacob, do you have an MS you'd like looked at? I charge a reasonable fee of $9.99 per word...
Sarpedon
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Then my writing would nicely suit its appetites. Or his appetites. Or hers. (I can never tell with cephalopods.)
Dale
Careful, you don't want to insult your future beta readers. Cephalopods aren't fish.
There're all sorts of things they'd want. Luxury tanks, toys, food. More food. You could just cut out the middle mollusc and pay them with gifts directly.
I have five betas. Two males and three females. I feed them mosquito larvae (wrigglers). In summer I keep them in big urns out on the porch, with water hyacinths.
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I don't charge as a beta, nor do my betas charge me. I've never heard of that, actually.
An independent editor/"book doctor" might charge a fee, but that's very different from a beta.
An independent editor/"book doctor" might charge a fee, but that's very different from a beta.
If I Beta a book which gets published and the author thanks a bunch of people at the front, I might expect a mention.
For a quicky eyeball and you get a 'I like it/or not' a smile and a thanks. For an in-depth disemboweling of the WIP monster--I'd definately mention the person in the acknowledgements because they are making you a better writer. I'd also offer to give one of their literary children a long thoughtful look see.
In the past I have had as many as six to eight beta readers reading the same ms. Those who send the ms back with remarks had their names included in the acknowledgments. One reader never responded. In addition, I send each a signed copy. One of which I learned was sold as a used book on the Amazon catalog! LOL
C
C
Jacob World said:
I wish!
Nah, seriously I'd be thrilled at a mention, and certainly by a signed copy...
*thinks*
Hey, citymouse, need anything betaed?~Kathy
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