Beta readers

A beta reader reads a full manuscript and gives holistic, structural feedback. It is a longer commitment than passage-level peer feedback, so it works a little differently: requests are public, readers offer, and the writer chooses. Inkbreaker handles the matchmaking; the reading happens in inline comments or off-platform. It lives at /beta-readers.

Everything here is free, on every plan. What keeps it working is trade, not price. See The balance rule for the whole thing in one page. Two conditions apply before you can post a request:

1. You have to be listed as a beta reader yourself. Open the I’m available to beta read tab, pick your genres, and switch your availability on.
2. Your delivered reads have to cover the reads you have received. Your first request is free. After that, each read someone gives you has to be paid back with a read you give before you can ask again. Any kind of feedback counts, not just beta: peer feedback, a chapter critique, and a sensitivity read all pay the same.

Asking for beta readers

From /beta-readers, choose Post a request and fill in the manuscript’s type, word count, a synopsis, what kind of feedback you are after, any content warnings, the timeline in weeks, and how many readers you want. Your request appears in the directory for readers to browse.

When a reader offers, you see their profile and decide whether to accept. Accepting commits them to the timeline. Once you have enough committed readers, the request fills and comes off the open list. An unfilled request stays open for 60 days, with a reminder 7 days before it closes.

Changed your mind, or the manuscript is not ready? Open the request and choose Cancel this request. It comes off the board and any readers who had committed are told, so nobody keeps reading for a book you have withdrawn. If a committed reader steps back, the slot reopens on its own and you get a notification.

Offering to beta read

On the I’m available to beta read tab, set up your profile: the genres you read, your preferred manuscript length, a short bio, and how many manuscripts you will take at once. You then appear in the readers directory.

You are only shown requests that fit: your genres, and manuscripts within the length you said you take. Set your genres before switching availability on, or nothing will reach you.

To offer on a request, open it, read the synopsis and what the writer wants, and confirm you understand the timeline commitment before you send your offer. The writer reviews offers and accepts the readers they want.

You can withdraw an offer any time before it is accepted, and you can step back after too. Life happens, and a read you are not going to finish helps nobody. Open the request and choose Step back from this read. The writer is told, and their slot goes back on the board so someone else can pick it up. If a committed read runs past its agreed timeline, both you and the writer get a single reminder, so a stalled read never just sits in silence.

Track everything you have posted or offered to read under My beta reads.

As you complete reads, your beta track record builds up as a reader credential you can show on your profile, on a public page, and as a downloadable certificate. It is proof you can hand a client before they hire you for paid beta work.