For as long as humans have been writing down their thoughts, they’ve been handing

their work over to a buddy and saying, “Hey, what do you actually think of this?” I don’t have scientific proof of this, but I can imagine an ancient Sumerian clerk asking a fellow scribe, “Before the clay dries on this thing, just tell me, does it make sense to you?” The need for outside confirmation to that burning question, “Is this working?” can be overwhelming in our moments of greatest creation. When I (Valerie) was giving birth to twins, I only had one question as I labored, “Is this working?”

Is that a dramatic comparison? I don’t really think so. It’s your book, but you call it your baby for a reason. And your biggest question when you feel the final push coming closer: “Is this working?”

Although the concept of beta reading is ancient, the term is modern. Beta testing is a stage in software development, a stage for catching bugs. In a newly created epic-

fantasy journey game, if the wise crone doesn’t hand over the key to the dungeon in

return for the enchanted apple, you’ve got a glitch. Beta testers will give that feedback as they play through the game.

The same is true for beta reading. We will “test” your writing by reading it the way you designed it to be read; with a blankie and a cup of tea on a couch on a cold winter’s eve. Or on the beach under an umbrella after a summer swim. But, there is a difference between your Writer Island Beta Readers and your future audience: we’ll be taking notes.

Those notes will be for your eyes only. You’ll receive feedback notes on what works,

and what doesn’t. If the wise crone doesn’t hand over the key, you’ll hear about it from us. If we experience cold chills and lose sleep over your protagonist’s plight, you’ll hear about that, too. We’ll detail the number of tissues we went through and document our belly laughs. And remind you when you forget that Marianne is an accomplished polyglot who should have been able to decipher the cryptic clue.

We’ll make a note of where we got bored (sorry!) and where we were delighted. If we become confused, but then discover where you’ve tricked us, you’ll find out “it works!”

If your story is a tangled knot, we aren’t going to untie for you. But we’ll point at it. “Your loose end! We found it! It’s stuck in this big knot!”

You’ll have what you need for that final push. Beta reading will give you everything you need to answer the question: “Is this working?”