I’m a self-published author of three children’s books with a fourth book on the way in a few months. I’ve collected comics for 30+ years, and I recently decided to combine my love of writing and comics. The result is my forthcoming graphic novel, The Corgis.

The Corgis is a humorous all-ages graphic novel that uses anthropomorphic corgis (dogs) based on my family to present my take on fatherhood in modern times. The initial graphic novel will contain two complete stories, with each story containing 32 pages, for a 64-page total story length. The total story length is still an estimate at this time. The first story, Any Given Day, follows the father character as he goes through an unremarkable weekday with his family.

I’m looking for beta readers for the first story (32 pages). I have an illustrator lined up, but schedules don’t allow artwork to start until April. I’m taking advantage of this time to get more feedback on the story. The 32 pages are presented on comic pages with panels, dialogue, narration, and art direction (i.e., notes for the illustrator). There are no illustrations of any kind at this time.

Does the idea of being a beta reader intrigue you? Read on!

What’s a beta reader?

A beta reader provides honest feedback on the draft of story. As this is a comic where both the writing and artwork play critical roles, beta readers pay close attention to the panels and page breakdown as a means to drive the story. As noted above, there’s no artwork at this point, but I do have panels and describe what will be happening in the panels.

What’s your commitment as a beta reader?

You’ll receive a PDF of the comic (32 pages), and you’ll have two weeks to review the story and provide feedback. Readers will answer the following questions:

1.      What did you think of the story as a whole?

2.      Did you have a least favorite part? What is it and why?

3.      What scene(s) were the most memorable?

4.      Did the end feel satisfying or unfinished?

5.      Any other feedback you have on any story element (e.g., page, panel, dialogue). This question is optional, and the response can be as short or as long as you like.

Responses can come in a Word document or in the body of an email. If you provide constructive feedback and if you’re interested in reading the second half of the graphic novel (32 pages), you can choose to be included in the next round of beta reading within the next couple of months.

What will I do with the comments?

I will review and seriously consider all comments. I can’t guarantee that I’ll act on any or all of the comments, nor will I provide a point-by-point response to all comments. I may also use comments in marketing and advertising efforts.

How do you sign up to become a beta reader?

Just send me a message here on the boards with the following information:

1.      Full Name

2.      Email address

3.      Country

4.      Age Range (< 18 years, 18 – 30, 31 – 50, 51+)

5.      Favorite genres of comics

All communication for the beta reading will happen via email.

How will I select beta readers?

I’m interested in beta readers who are comic fans. You don’t have to love all-ages comics to provide helpful feedback, but comments like “I just don’t like this type of comic, I really only like books about zombies” are not helpful. I’ll also not accept beta readers from anyone on my ignore list. I have no idea how many people will want to be a beta reader. Ideally, I’ll have 3-5 beta readers for each story.

What do you get for being a beta reader?

Assuming that the graphic novel is published as planned, you will receive a free copy of the graphic novel signed by myself and the illustrator. We will personalize the signature, too, if you like. You can also choose to have your name included in the graphic novel in an acknowledgments section.

There is no monetary compensation for acting as a beta reader. I may use your comments, ideas, and suggestions to add to or alter my work without any compensation to the commenter.

If you don’t want to be a beta reader, but I sound like an awesome guy, how can you find out more about my children’s books?

You can learn more about my books on my website and purchase copies of my books on Amazon. If you purchase my book, positive feedback on Amazon or Goodreads would be greatly appreciated.