To Beta Read or Not To Beta Read

All your problems can be solved by getting beta-readers who don't know you and already read the genre. Real-life friends are typically bad beta-readers anyhow.

Aside from that, I see no reason not to have beta-readers. Without them, how are you to judge the effectiveness of your story and writing? The only problems I see are: 1) the reader isn't in tune with the genre or your writing 2) the writer is unwilling to listen to comments and suggestions.

I posted in the beta thread ages ago and I still get messages if I want to beta read so if you find a person in there you think would be a good fit just send them a message and ask if they are still looking. I know it can be difficult with erotica coz not a lot of people want to read it (at least that was my experience, it might be completely different for you).
If you can't find anyone then just post something yourself and let people know that you are willing to beta read erotica (or whatever genre you would like) and that you are looking for someone to read yours aswell. I'm sure you'll find some amazing people in no time

I think beta readers are important to the process. It's impossible to be completely objective about one's own work, so an outside opinion is crucial. Most of my beta readers are friends, though, and I do often wonder if they hold some of their opinions back out of fear of hurting my feelings. Thankfully, I do have a few who are willing to rip my work to shreds when necessary (they also happen to be fellow erotica writers). A lot of authors do that sort of tit-for-tat arrangement, but I think it's also important to seek the opinion of readers who aren't writers. Personally, I have a hard time not thinking about my own methods while reading other people's work, so having that purity of perspective that a non-writing reader can offer is invaluable.

You can go ahead and let your friends read your work if they're adamant about wanting to, but if they aren't enthusiastic then you're better off finding someone outside your inner circle. Enthusiasm and an existing interest in the genre (or lack thereof) can really color a reader's approach to your work. If someone doesn't normally read erotica and then gets squicked out by the sex scenes in your story, their opinion isn't going to be as helpful to you, since they aren't your target audience.

I did a little research a few months back when I thought I might want a few more eyes on my smut. Here's a collection of beta reader groups on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/220416, and another one from World Lit Cafe: http://www.worldliterarycafe.com/forum/125. I can't vouch for anyone in particular at this point in time, but I'm keeping these in my back pocket for my next novel-length project (the one I'll hopefully want to publish). Maybe they'll be of use to you.

I use my hardcore readers as beta readers. They know my work, voice, etc and the ones I regularly use don't blow sunshine up my ass. I find, in my experience and yours may vary, that when I ask other authors to beta I either get sunshine blown up my ass, or they rewrite the book as they would write it.

Either way, it's important to keep in mind that it is a delicate balance between listening to what your betas say(like if 9 out of 10 hate your hero you have a problem) and sticking true to your voice/story.

@Mayburn: if you don't mind me asking... how do you trust your readers? I mean, what if they start spoiling things online, or passing around your book?

Or is that a silly fear to have? Maybe I'm just paranoid.

Can't speak for Ann, but a couple of my readers have done second round beta reading for me, and I am careful but not paranoid. They're sensible people who understand that spoilering or passing stuff around could affect my output long term. I honestly don't know why they do it, because they're spoilering *themselves* on raw manuscript, but I'm grateful that they do.

Viridian Chick:

You would be surprised at how many of your hardcore readers are betas for other authors. First I go by how long I've 'known' them. Second, if they're new to me, I'll find out if they've beta'd before and talk to that author. Third the ones that I go with know they have to fill out a two page beta form when they agree to beta(which cuts down on those that just want it for a free book) and they know that if they beta for me they get a mention in my book.

Those three things help me cull down the herd and I've really had great luck with my betas. I've had a few never get back with me, but they go on the 'do not get free shit' list so when I do contests, or call for future betas, they get a 'Thank you but I'm under time constraints so I have to go with people that can get this done quickly'. If they have the balls to ask to beta again, that is.

Honestly, my betas are really nice women and while they may spoiler about it to their friends, I have no way of knowing, most keep it hush hush and all realize that my unedited piece of crap will go through major revisions when I get their feedback, and then again after I do my edits.

My three top current beta readers are: an AW member who is a damn sight better writer than I am. A fellow fan fic writer I've known for over fifteen years, who is about my level of ability. My first or second fan reader, known for almost as long, who has no interest in writing commercially but is a wicked-good editor whose comments on Track Changes can be longer than the text.
I have a couple other betas from AW who can drop in at a pinch. My final reader is often a blood relative (good enough to make Analog sales and movie options), who is completely pitiless in his critiques. I return the favor for them as needed.

I've been burned by betas/collaborators, though. I scrapped the first version of my universe and my first written novel, because of a soured friendship twenty years ago. I busted my butt beta-reading for an author on another online group, only to realize she has both Golden Word Syndrome and a pathological resistance to authority of any kind. Which apparently includes all editors.

In both cases, warning signs of instability were rampant; I just chose not to see them.

Feedback is necessary if you want to become a better writer. Maybe you're already good enough to get published and your first feedback will be your editor; that's fine. But if you want feedback before that, it's good to get a beta. You can't catch every inconsistency in your own.

A lot of feedback isn't helpful. As a beta reader, I expect a lot of my comments will be ignored; that's fine. It's the writer's job to decide what's helpful. Like people have noted, sometimes writer-betas get sidetracked by trying to make your manuscript into the way they'd write it. Finding betas and sorting through feedback is a long and tiring process.

The betas I've picked up have all been people I've interacted with in the forums. You can post in the beta reader forum asking for help, but that actually didn't work for me. Of the four people who looked over my last WIP, two of them were people I offered to beta read for first. One pal met me in a chat thread, noticed the quotes I keep in my signature line, became interested in the book, and offered to read for me. One person swapped with me after seeing my post in the "Willing Beta Readers" thread.

So really... if you want help, your best bet is to become part of the community. Beta reading for others helps you build your own skills.

I can't imagine using family members. Too weird. I'd use friends, but I'm a soulless people-hater. And most of my friends don't like plot-filled fantasy porn, due to reasons I can only attribute to a lack of taste.

I met my current go-to beta reader online - in fact we bonded over erotica. So yes, I would say the internet is a great source for people who will help you, you just have to find them and make friends.

Hope that doesn't make you feel like you're back in middle school. X)

Having a second set of eyes is definitely crucial. Believe me, you will miss things.

I've found beta readers by posting in the SYW forum. (Mostly the SF/F SYW, but I used to post in the Erotica SYW back in the days when we had a really active group of writers hanging out there.)

Of course, not every project is right for every beta. One fellow who gives me solid feedback and is also supportive was not as keen on the last thing he read for me because it had a strong romantic arc in it. (Not that he didn't read the whole thing, he just mentioned that it wasn't his normal thing.) And when I do write erotica it tends toward the hardcore/BDSM side, which not everyone wants to read.

Anyway. I found that having an excerpt of something in the SYW was a good way to find folks who offered good feedback and read the kind of stuff I write. Easier than having someone volunteer to look at an entire novel and then never get back to me or turn out to be a horrible critter.