On find alpha readers...

[Marscaleb]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to find alpha readers these days?

I know the usual advice is to start looking at your friends first, but I really don't know anyone who both reads this genre and has advice I would trust. And those that come close don't have the time to read for me.

I've seen it suggested that I could pay someone for the service, but that sounds to me more like the beta level reading.

There are some writing sites/forums I've come across, but getting people to actually read and respond to your post among so many others is pretty hard.

So I'm at a loss. I'm making headway on a story, but I don't know where to go to get good feedback.
Any advice?

 

[pmmg]

The best I can advise is find people who are also looking for alpha/beta readers and offer a trade.

A sight like Scribophile is much more feedback focused, and uses feedback for its currency. You would very likely get feedback there. Useful or not, I dont know.

But...networking. Make friends, and share. Everything else is hit or miss.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Agreed. I found my alpha and my betas all through both writing and gaming, and by the time the first book was ready to release so was our groundwork. But, two keys are authenticity and participation. Both in spades. Good luck!

 

[Marscaleb]

Agreed. I found my alpha and my betas all through both writing and gaming,

Could you give some details about that?
I understand that it what worked for you won't necessarily work for me, but it would be nice to hear about some rubber hitting the road instead of just generalizations.

 

[skip.knox]

Invest. What you are looking for is someone to spend their time and effort. The best way to do that is for you to spend your time and effort. First. Without even asking for trade. IOW, join communities and participate.

I'd say it took me about two years of steady effort. I had to find communities, join them, discover that some didn't fit. Discovered some fit for a while. I finally settled on three, which I've recently trimmed to two. For a while, a few years back, it was more like five.

These communities each take time. I can't even guess how many hours. But, somewhere along the line, I got to know people and people got to know me, and I can't imagine where else I'd go to ask for a reader.

Another way to look at this: the primary goal isn't to get alpha or beta readers. The primary goal is to become a writer in a particular genre, and that means joining the community of writers in that genre. Finding readers is simply one of the several benefits of being in a community.

 

[ThinkerX]

Reedsy offers that particular service, though I have not made use of it. (My focus is on gathering reviews of published works). However, that service is not free.

 

[Prince of Spires]

Get to know other writers in your genre. Preferably, they are at roughly the same spot in their "career" as you are. As in, don't go asking a full-time best selling author to alpha-read for you (unless you know them personally and they offered). Rather, look for other beginning authors and connect with them. Once you get to know people and learn who likes and reads what you write, ask them.

One place could be (youtube) writing sprints. There are people who put up a daily live-stream where they write and people simply join in. They're a great way to connect with other writers and they both offer accountability and companionship from people who know what you're going through. Once you find one you like, hang out there. At some point you can throw in a request asking if anyone is willing to read for you.

Other forums could work as well. Perhaps a place like reddit, in r/fantasy for instance. Lots of readers hang out there. Once you're a valued member you might find people willing to read for you.

It's an investment. Either in time (to get to know people) or money (where you pay someone to do so for you)

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Could you give some details about that?
I understand that it what worked for you won't necessarily work for me, but it would be nice to hear about some rubber hitting the road instead of just generalizations.

I just interacted with the communities I was already a part of. Our alpha reader I met here, when he was a teenager working on his first book. Now he's a better writer than I am.

About half of our betas I met here, as well. Participation and authenticity draw more flies than even honey. The rest all came from gaming or were personal friends.

We are particularly active here and on Facebook, and avoid most other social media platforms as being either toxic or like screaming into the void.