Essentially, a beta reader is an (hopefully) objective third party who will read your novel or story and provide (hopefully) constructive feedback. A beta reader is not an editor, and often they’re not writers either, though there’s a good chance a lot of your beta readers are going to be authors as well. 

No clue how to find beta readers? Don't sweat it. As it turns out, potential beta readers are everywhere. Here's how to track them down.

Beta readers are an integral part of perfecting your book. So should you pay these helpful readers? Usually not, but in this article, we'll cover why, when you should, and what you normally do to thank them.