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. 

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.

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 magical creatures who spend hours reading your novel and offering invaluable feedback (usually for free) so you can create a marketable masterpiece. But how do you use their feedback? What if you disagree with it? And what happens if you get contradictory advice? Here's everything you need to know to make the most of beta reader feedback.