Beta Readers

I attended the Self-Publishing Book Expo over the weekend. I enjoy these type of events. Keeps me up-to-date on trends. The Expo also had a few exhibitors, most for businesses I’d never heard of!

My publisher and I have been looking for more beta readers for Chains of the Sciell Book 2 of The Merging Worlds Trilogy. We only had 1 for The Sciell. We don’t have anyone pinned down yet. Then, at the Book Expo, I found out about BookHive.

“BookHive offers online focus group research for authors who want to test finished manuscripts in target markets.

Both quantitative and qualitative online research are conducted via carefully selected members of the targeted readership. Test readers review finished manuscripts and give honest feedback. Results are available to the author to provide useful information for editing the book. Favorable test results can be a powerful tool for promoting the book to agents and publishers–as well as the general public, if self publishing is contemplated”.

That sounds kinda amazing. I asked for more information and I’m doing some research on it myself.  So far, I haven’t found any case studies. It cost $499. No bad considering 8-10 people will read my book and give me feedback. I paid more for a Kirkus Review that did nothing for my book or my brand. This is a “we’ll see.” I’ll have to budget for it. I’ll keep doing research on it.

Here’s one case study I found.
Tested By Book-Hive!