"PUBLISHING is a BUSINESS of RELATIONSHIPS."
—Lisa Unger
If you’re an author finishing up the first draft of your novel or standing at the starting line of your publishing journey, you may have already realized that the world of publishing is a particular if not slightly convoluted one. It can feel a bit like a maze with all the steps, terms, and concepts that everyone in the bookstagram/booktok communities seem to just inherently know. You might feel tempted to just barrel ahead with your plans and ignore some of these finer details; after all, how important can beta readers really be when you’re hiring a professional editor anyway?
The answer: incredibly important. And as complicated as all of these steps may seem, they each serve a distinct purpose that your book will suffer for if overlooked. Understanding the specific roles of beta readers, editors, ARC readers, street teams, and the differences between traditional, indie, and self-publishing is crucial for navigating the complex landscape of author-hood and ultimately getting your book into the hands of readers – especially if you’re going the indie route. That’s why we’re here, to provide a detailed overview of each term in order to help you make informed decisions about your writing journey.
Writing Your Book
Beta Readers:
Your First Audience
Beta readers are usually non-professionals who provide feedback on your manuscript before it undergoes formal editing.
They’re your taste testers – they represent your target audience and offer insight into how your book might be received in its current state. It’s not about grammar or punctuation at this point in the process, it’s about content. Are your characters likable? Are there glaring plot holes that need to be addressed?
The best time to send your manuscript out to beta readers is when you think your story is finished. You will have done multiple drafts by this point and revised until you could revise no longer. After your beta readers are finished reading your story and have provided their feedback, you will find that you in fact can – and will – revise even more.
1. Honest Feedback
Beta readers share their initial reactions to the story, characters, and to your writing style. Their feedback is incredibly helpful in determining what your readers’ first impressions might be, and whether or not you’re delivering on the promises you’ve made.
This is especially useful when it comes to understanding how your character arcs might be received by your readers. Are they clear, cohesive, and satisfying? Are your readers compelled to learn more about them and root for them as the plot progresses?
2. Identifying Plot Holes
Beta readers are looking at your story with fresh, objective eyes – something you’re no longer capable of doing at this stage in your writing process. They’re much more likely to spot inconsistencies and plot holes than you are, and might even ask questions about things you hadn’t even considered before. This perspective is invaluable when you’re refining a story.
3. Improving Pacing
Again, at this point in your writing process, you’ve lost the ability to judge your work objectively. It becomes quite difficult to determine whether or not things are coming across as intended, and whether your scenes are moving at the right (or most effective) pace. Beta readers can help you understand which parts of your story feel as if they’re dragging or moving too quickly. The balance of pacing can make or break a story, especially in the eyes of prospective editors and publishers, so you want to be sure this area is as tight as possible before moving onto the next steps of the publishing process.
The key to finding beta readers is to look within your target audience. The best way to do this is to join writing groups, attend the odd class or seminar in order to meet other writers in your genre to pair up with, or collect applications through social media so you can be sure you’re choosing the right readers for your story. Remember that readers who are unfamiliar with your genre or who are otherwise inexperienced can end up doing more harm than good, even with the best intentions, so choose carefully!
Getting Ready To Publish
Editors:
The Polishing Touch
Editors are trained professionals who play a pivotal role in the development from manuscript to published book.
They provide feedback and suggestions regarding the building blocks of your story (plot, character, setting, worldbuilding, structure, etc.), as well as things like word choice, sifting through line by line to improve flow and pacing. Their primary goal is to ensure your book meets the required standards for quality while still feeling authentically you. A good one isn’t aiming to “fix” your story – they’re aiming to bring out the best in it, and in you as a writer.
There are several different styles of editing, and each one serves a distinct purpose in the process of refining a manuscript. You may or may not hire a professional for each step in the revision process, but regardless, your revisions will naturally follow a similar flow.
Developmental Editing
Focus: structure, plot, characters, pacing, worldbuilding, setting, theme
Line Editing
Focus: language, style, readability, syntax, flow, clarity
Copy Editing
Focus: spelling, grammar, punctuation, consistency
Proofreading
Focus: final review before publication
Again, depending on the specific needs of you and your story, you may or may not hire a professional editor for each of these steps, but understanding the different styles will help you determine which type of editor is best for you. For a deeper understanding of the different styles of editing, pop over to our “4 Primary Types of Book Editing” blog post.
Marketing Your Book
ARC Readers:
The First Steps of Marketing
ARC stands for “Advanced Reader Copy”, which is a copy of your finished book that is sent out to ARC readers before it’s released to the public in exchange for honest reviews – not feedback.
That’s not to say anybody would be upset with an ARC reader pointing out an error that was missed in the editing process, there just might not be any time left for further revisions. This step is not to be confused with beta readers; ARC readers receive the same version of the book the public will receive, just in advance.
These readers are a crucial part of your book’s pre-release strategy. Their purpose is to give the book a thorough read and write authentic reviews for social media, including their own blogs, Goodreads, and Amazon. This is incredibly effective for building anticipation around the book’s release and proving your credibility to prospective readers.
ARC readers are not paid. It’s against the terms of service for many platforms, including Amazon, to post paid reviews. The perks enjoyed by ARC readers are early and free access to the product, and perhaps some other little gifts, freebies, or incentives of your choosing such as bookmarks, access to exclusive content, or even having their names listed in the acknowledgements of the book. When you’re building your ARC list, make sure you clearly define the value the reader is receiving so they feel like the appreciated, contributing member of the team that they are!
It’s also important to be strategic about the ARC readers you choose. You might look for fellow authors with which you can trade ARCs, choose subscribers to your email list, or post an open call for readers on your social media platforms. Whatever you do, keep in mind that these first reviews are crucial to attracting the right buyers going forward; choose people who are a part of your target audience, who you think will enjoy the book and have good things to say about it. Don’t just send it out to anyone available, or you won’t have followers left to actually buy the book once it comes out.
Marketing Your Book
Street Teams:
Your Promotional Army
Literary street teams are enthusiastic readers who help you promote your book.
They may or may not include your ARC readers, but similarly to your ARC readers, they provide honest reviews and encourage others to purchase your book. They may assist in the following ways:
- Posting reviews on their blogs, Goodreads, Amazon, or other online platforms
- Promoting the book on social media
- Handing out promotional materials such as bookmarks or fliers
- Recommending the book to other prospective readers
- Requesting the book from their local libraries and bookstores
- Spreading word of mouth and sharing promotional content
Your street team is an invaluable resource for expanding your audience and generating excitement about your book. Like ARC readers, they’re unpaid, but often receive free copies of the book, exclusive content, or other perks for their service.
When building your street team, the first place you’ll look is within your circle of ARC readers and your online followers.
You want to be sure your team is excited about the book and genuinely invested in its success.
Clearly defining perks and expectations will keep things on track and running smoothly in the early weeks/months of the book’s release.
Publishing Your Book
Publishing:
Choosing your Path
Deciding between traditional or indie/self publishing is the most significant choice you’ll make as an author. Each path has its pros and cons, of course, and understanding them will help you make the best decision for your book goals. For a more detailed walkthrough of the publishing process, check out our “Traditional vs. Indie Publishing” blog post; otherwise, we’ll give a brief overview here:
Traditional Publishing
Traditional publishing refers to the process where an author submits their manuscript to a publishing house or literary agent, and if accepted, the publisher handles the entire process of turning the manuscript into a book and bringing it to market. Whether that publisher is one of the big 5 (Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuester, Macmillan), or a smaller, independent publisher, it’s considered traditional publishing as long as the book is published and distributed entirely at the publisher’s expense.
Pros:
- Professional Support: going the traditional route allows you access to experienced editors, cover designers, marketing teams, etc.
- Advance Payments: authors often receive advance payments against future royalties.
- Distribution: trad publishers have wider distribution channels, including bookstores and libraries.
Cons:
- Control: you have less creative control over your work, as the publishers have final say on most things.
- Time-Consuming: the process is lengthy and challenging, with the potential for multiple rejections and long wait times.
- Lower Royalties: the publishers take a significant cut of sales, meaning your royalties will generally be lower compared to indie publishing.
Be wary of vanity publishers who charge you to publish your work – a real publisher would never do this!
Indie Publishing
Indie publishing refers to self publishing (publishing independently). This means there are no publishers involved and the author fronts the costs of publishing, distributing, and marketing their book. Indie publishing may also encompass working with independent publishers who cover some of the costs involved in the publishing process, but not all – but we won’t get too deep into the semantics. The general rule is that if you paid to publish your work yourself, you’re an indie author.
Pros:
- Complete Creative Control: you have full control over every aspect of your book, from content to cover design.
- Higher Royalties: there are fewer people involved to cut profits between, meaning your share is larger.
- Speed: you can set your timeline, making the process significantly faster.
Cons:
- Upfront Costs: publishing a book isn’t cheap, and you’ll bear the costs for editing, cover design, marketing, etc.
- Marketing Burden: the responsibility of marketing and promotion falls solely on you, which can be incredibly time consuming.
- Limited Distribution: it’s harder to get your book into physical bookstores and libraries without the help of publishers these organizations are familiar with.
There are many factors to consider when deciding how you wish to publish your book. It’s also worth noting that it can be challenging to change how you publish once you’ve begun; many trad publishers, who are difficult enough already to publish with, would rather invest their resources into new authors and debut books they can more easily mould. Alternatively, if you’ve signed with a trad publisher and a literary agent for a series of books, you’ll likely be contractually obligated to continue working with them for the duration of the series. There are exceptions to every rule, of course, but it’s something to consider when deciding how to share your work.
Understanding the roles of beta readers, editors, ARC readers, street teams, and the differences between traditional and indie publishing is crucial for aspiring authors.
Each plays a unique and essential part in the journey from manuscript to published book. Whether you choose traditional or indie publishing, knowing how to leverage these resources effectively will help you navigate the complex world of publishing and get your story into the hands of readers everywhere.
If you made it to the end of this article, thank you! We appreciate you taking the time and hope you found it helpful. For updates, subscribe to our email list and follow us on social media. If you have any questions regarding the topics of this article, please do not hesitate to reach out and ask or leave a comment below. Thank you, and happy writing!