How successful have you been at finding a beta?

My advice is that if you have someone in mind who you'd like to give your work a look, go ahead and ask. Myself, I just got very lucky. I was too insecure to ask anyone, but that's a fault I hope you do not suffer from.

Yes, both worked out very well.

What helps immensely is when a person seeking betas summarizes what their book is about, and then posts a first page with their beta request. Then I can decide if their story and style would be fun to work with or not. Without that summary, and first page, I probably won't inquire further, and go on to another beta request.

Oh, and post count. I put a lot of time and thought in my beta work. If the person hasn't made a few posts here, and shown that they are a regular, reliable contributing member of this community, I'm not gonna bit.

With my first book, I asked for Betas here on AW, and received a couple--who were wonderful.

My next book is kind of niche about healing from abuse, from a Christian POV. I decided it might be better to appeal to my blog readers, I know they are interested in the topic and my style of writing. So I asked on FB, and was very pleased when I got offers very quickly. (Phew! If my blog readers showed no interest in my book, that would be a very bad sign! ) That too has been a great experience.

I also swapped books with a fellow AWer, and that was great.

So, yes, all my Beta experiences have been positive.

ViridianChick said:

I'm honestly curious at how well it goes for those who post here looking. Did you find a beta? Multiple betas? No betas? Did the people you found work out?

Did you have better luck asking specific people, or is it best just to put out a general call and hope someone takes interest?

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I haven't posted in this forum looking for betas, but I did post on the Willing Betas thread offering to beta, and I got a few requests from there. I had two bad experiences and one amazeballs one (we're still each other's betas now, and she helps me brainstorm on my WIP when I'm stuck), but the good experience came from someone I'd noticed on other threads and have interacted with beforehand. After that, I kind of lost faith in betaing for complete strangers and have turned most requests from unfamiliar names away.

I had the most luck asking people I've interacted with numerous times. I think I found most of my betas on QLH. I know their critique style, they know mine, so we know what to expect from one another. After shooting PMs back and forth a few times, it was quite natural to then offer them a beta read or ask for one.

I had a couple of PM's on my request and I'm really new to the site and I've pm'd a couple of people. Can't say if they've worked out yet though.

I have tried ohhh maybe 10 on another site and politely declined 7, out of the 3 remaining, 1 worked out and is amazing!

I have put out "open calls" twice, I think.

The first was immediately after I joined, before I knew anyone and anyone knew me, when I didn't know anything about self-editing, when I had no idea how much I didn't know. I got responses, but quickly lost contact, and not much came of that particular "open call." Rightfully so, I think. My MS sucked butt.

The second time was maybe last year sometime (I can't remember), after I'd been around, people had seen me, I'd interacted, worked my butt sore to improve, been present wherever I felt I could be, critted, beta'd, had pieces in SYW, etc. I got several responses from people who knew me, who I knew also, who I'd interacted with, who gave me thorough and fantastic critiques. People who I might have asked to beta directly if I wasn't such a wuss.

A lot of it is about trust and familiarity. I have offered to beta for people on blind (or near-blind) whims, because I do have these lovely flashes of whimsy, but it's rare. A bit like blind dating, I guess.

I've never asked people specifically. I'm too much of a chicken for that sort of bravery. I have posted on this board here. I get mediocre responses (not the people, but the number of people). I'll be posting again soon, but I'm going to change up my strategy this time.

I've searched through these threads as a beta reader and gotten in touch with 2 people who I'd like to beta for. One had a manuscript that wasn't ready for the beta stage so I sent it back. The other said they were excited to send me something and then dropped off the face of the earth.

When I needed a beta I didn't ask in this section of the forum. I hang out in the Coffee Shop thread a lot, so I posted there because those people know me really well. I basically apologized for being so off topic, but said I was looking for a beta reader. Got a response right away from someone I already knew. He did great on my piece. I was so happy with the job. If you have a spot you like to hang out on these forums, ask there. If you're brave enough to approach people directly, do that as well.