Beta Readers

Beta Readers lets you share a book with invited readers. It collects their feedback in one place. Readers open the book in their browser. They cannot download it. As they read, they can answer a questionnaire, leave quick reactions, and flag specific spots. Each is covered below. Their responses gather into a summary on the round’s page.

Turning on Beta Readers

Beta Readers is a free add-on. It is switched off by default. You enable it once before you can use it.

  1. Open the publisher menu (your workspace name, top of the page).
  2. Choose Add-Ons. This link is shown to owners and admins.
  3. In the Free Add-Ons section, find the Beta Readers card.
  4. Click Enable.

The card then shows an On badge. Beta Readers now appears in the sidebar, under Books. To switch the add-on off again, return to the same card and click Switch off.

You need owner or admin access to change add-ons.

Creating a reading round

A reading round is one book shared with one group of readers. You create a round, then invite readers to it.

  1. In the sidebar, open Beta Readers.
  2. Click New Beta Read.
  3. Fill in Round Name. This is a label for you, for example “First-draft beta, spring”.
  4. Choose the File. Only PDF files are offered. If you have not already, upload your book as a PDF in Assets first.
  5. Optionally link a Title or a Manuscript.
  6. Optionally set Please Finish By. This is a soft deadline shown to readers.
  7. Click Create Beta Read.

New rounds start as a Draft. Draft rounds are invisible to readers. You activate the round when you are ready to invite people.

You need editor access or above to create a round.

Editing the questionnaire

Every new round starts with six default questions. Readers answer them after finishing the book.

  1. On the round’s page, click Edit.
  2. Scroll to the Questionnaire section.
  3. Edit the wording of any question, or change its Answer Type.
  4. Add or remove questions, and drag them to reorder.

Each question uses one of three answer types: Yes / No, a Rating (1–5), or Free text. Changes save as you make them.

Activating the round and inviting readers

Readers can only join an active round.

  1. On the round’s page, click Activate Round.
  2. The Readers section now shows an invite form.
  3. Pick a contact under Invite one of your People, or type addresses under Or email addresses (one per line).
  4. Click Send Invitations.

Each person gets an email invitation. When they accept, they get a portal account and join the round. Invitations you have sent appear under Invited (awaiting acceptance), where you can Cancel any that have not been accepted yet.

You can also invite a reader from their contact record. On a person’s page, in the Portal Access section, use Invite to a reading round. Pick the round under Reading round. Click Invite as beta reader. This route has three requirements. The round must already be active. The person must have an email address on file. You must be an admin.

The Readers section is shown to editors and above, because reader email addresses are personal information.

What your readers see

Readers sign in and open Your reading in their portal. Their round appears under Beta Reads, with a Read button.

The book opens in an in-browser reader. Readers cannot download the file. While reading, they can:

  • Leave a quick reaction with How is it going? — one tap for “Enjoying it”, “It’s okay”, or “Losing me”.
  • Mark a specific spot with Flag a spot — a short note pinned to the page, for a typo or anything confusing.
  • Open the Questionnaire to answer your questions.

Readers cannot see each other or each other’s feedback. Their reading position is remembered, so they can stop and come back to the same page.

Reviewing feedback

The Feedback section on the round’s page gathers everything readers send back.

At the top, four cards show Readers, Started, Finished, and Average Rating. Below them:

  • Each questionnaire question shows its answers. Yes/No and rating questions show totals. Free-text questions list each answer with the reader’s name.
  • Flagged Spots lists every flagged page, the note, and who left it.
  • Pulses lists the quick reactions readers left as they read.

The Readers section also shows each reader’s progress, from Not started to a page number to Finished.

The Feedback section is shown to editors and above.

Ending or revoking access

You control access at two levels: one reader, or the whole round.

To remove one reader, find them in the Joined table in the Readers section and click Revoke. They lose access to the book immediately.

To close the round for everyone, click Close Round on the round’s page. Readers lose access until you reopen it. A closed round shows a Reopen Round button. Clicking it makes the round active again and restores access to readers.

To remove a round entirely, click Delete on its page. This also deletes its questionnaire and reader records.

  • People — the contacts you invite as beta readers