Get useful feedback from beta readers on my manuscript
A plan for picking beta readers, a request message, focused questions per section, and a way to sort the feedback you get back.
The prompt
Help me get useful feedback from beta readers. This is step 5 of writing my novel.
Where my manuscript is (from step 4, if I have it): [e.g. "second draft done, structure fixed"]
Genre and target reader: [DETAILS]
What I most want to learn: [e.g. "is the middle slow?", "do readers guess the twist?", "is the main character likable enough?"]
Who I could ask: [friends, writing group, online communities, genre readers I don't know]
Format and timeline: [e.g. "PDF, want feedback within 4 weeks"]
Give me:
1. How to choose 4-8 beta readers: a mix of readers who love the genre and at least one careful critical reader. Explain why close family alone usually isn't enough.
2. A short request message: what the book is, what I'm asking for, the deadline, and that they can say no.
3. A reader guide: questions to answer after every few chapters (Where did you lose interest? What confused you? What do you think will happen next?) and big-picture questions at the end. Ask about reactions, not fixes.
4. A feedback sorting table: Issue | Readers who mentioned it | Chapters | My verdict (fix / consider / ignore) | Planned change. Explain why one person's comment may be taste, while the same comment from three readers is a pattern.
5. A thank-you message and how to credit or thank readers.
Next step: decide how to publish.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Creative Writing prompts
What to fill in
- e.g. "second draft done, structure fixed"
- DETAILS
- e.g. "PDF, want feedback within 4 weeks"
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the Few-Shot structure (Few-shot prompting). A few-shot prompt includes one or more worked examples of the input and the output you want, so the model can copy the pattern instead of guessing it.
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