One of the best ways to dip your toe into the developmental editing waters is by beta reading. This is basically reading a manuscript and responding to it: where you were confused, where you lost interest, what character you enjoyed the most. How to Beta Read When you’re doing a beta read, you’re not trying…
I’ve talked about how beta reading can be a great way to find out whether you might enjoy developmental editing, and of course the logical follow-up question to that is, Where do you find authors who need beta readers? How to Find Beta Reading Clients My main piece of advice: You have to go where…
Aspiring editors sometimes aren’t sure of the differences between different types of services they could offer. Three of the main big-picture services editors offer are beta reading, manuscript evaluation, and developmental editing. Here’s how they differ. Beta Reading Beta reading is a type of reader feedback on a manuscript. If you’re familiar with writers’ workshops,…
Two ways newer editors get experience with developmental editing/story editing is through beta reading and critique partnering. Beta reading is giving a basic reader reaction to someone’s manuscript. Critique partners are writers who trade their manuscripts and give each other feedback. Here are some basic rules to follow when beta reading and critique partnering: 1….