What A Beta Reader Does
A beta reader is a volunteer early reader of a book or collection that offers critical advice on how to improve the manuscript before it sent out to editing. Beta readers are crucial for authors to understand how to improve their book, and it is minimal work. Beta reading systems work differently depending on the author or organization, but at The Young Writers Initiative, we run our system by read-question formats. Depending on your group, you will be assigned a certain number of chapters a week. After those chapters, you will answer a set of questions about the chapter which will be sent to the author.
Some TYWI Specialities
- Volunteer Beta Readers will submit a form detailing what genres they prefer, what they want to read, and other preferences.
- Beta Readers will go through a two week long boot camp process to prepare them for proper standards where we give you a piece of work and teach you critiquing techniques, and how to catch developmental issues.
- Beta Readers will get rewards for their volunteer work, such as volunteer points that will go to future events, programs, and merchandise.
- You work as a group and will have occasional discussion sessions about the authors book.
- We won't assign you more than one assignment at a time so that you are not overwhelmed.
- We will offer you volunteer hours.
Some Simple Rules
Volunteers must be age 13 minimum.
Beta Readers will go through our two week-long Boot Camp Program in which you will learn how to judge fairly through an app called Slack. Therefore, judges MUST be willing to download Slack. If you decide to terminate your responsibilities with TYWI, please give a two week notice.
Please do not sign up if you will not have at least 30 minutes a week to put towards your responsibilities.
If you do not pass the initial boot camps, you will either be put into further training or hold with TYWI.
Please be respectful and helpful. If you are not willing to be constructive, this is not the job for you.
Beta Readers will go through our two week-long Boot Camp Program in which you will learn how to judge fairly through an app called Slack. Therefore, judges MUST be willing to download Slack. If you decide to terminate your responsibilities with TYWI, please give a two week notice.
Please do not sign up if you will not have at least 30 minutes a week to put towards your responsibilities.
If you do not pass the initial boot camps, you will either be put into further training or hold with TYWI.
Please be respectful and helpful. If you are not willing to be constructive, this is not the job for you.
How to apply
Click on the button below to be re-directed to a form.
In that form, you will be asked to submit some information (your name, email, etc.), critique 1 short excerpt of a piece, and answer a few questions about why you want to be a beta reader. Please be careful about spelling and grammatical errors. This should be done in one sitting.
In that form, you will be asked to submit some information (your name, email, etc.), critique 1 short excerpt of a piece, and answer a few questions about why you want to be a beta reader. Please be careful about spelling and grammatical errors. This should be done in one sitting.
Pre-Reading Leadership Team:
Jaidah-Leigh Wyatt (External Director)
Harsha Venkataraman (Internal Director)
Laibah Khan (Internal Staff)
Miriam Fdez (External Staff)
If you have additional questions about requesting beta readers, please consult the following:
Inquiries and questions about Beta Reading applications or boot camp: email our Pre-Reading Internal Team, Harsha Venkataraman (harsha@tywi.org) or Laibah Khan (laibah@tywi.org)
Inquiries or questions about Beta reading (certified volunteers): email our Pre-reading External Team, Jaidah-Leigh Wyatt (jaidah@tywi.org) or Miriam Fernandez (miriam@tywi.org)
General Inquiries: Email any of the Pre-Reading Directors mentioned above.
Client Inquiries: Email our Pre-reading External Team, Jaidah-Leigh Wyatt (jaidah@tywi.org)
Jaidah-Leigh Wyatt (External Director)
Harsha Venkataraman (Internal Director)
Laibah Khan (Internal Staff)
Miriam Fdez (External Staff)
If you have additional questions about requesting beta readers, please consult the following:
Inquiries and questions about Beta Reading applications or boot camp: email our Pre-Reading Internal Team, Harsha Venkataraman (harsha@tywi.org) or Laibah Khan (laibah@tywi.org)
Inquiries or questions about Beta reading (certified volunteers): email our Pre-reading External Team, Jaidah-Leigh Wyatt (jaidah@tywi.org) or Miriam Fernandez (miriam@tywi.org)
General Inquiries: Email any of the Pre-Reading Directors mentioned above.
Client Inquiries: Email our Pre-reading External Team, Jaidah-Leigh Wyatt (jaidah@tywi.org)
