Pam originally posted a thread with this title on the old boards, a couple of years ago. A discussion we were having just before the crash made me think that it might be worth bringing it back again.
First, I think pretty much everyone knows what a beta-reader is. But just in case... a BR will read a story, either as a whole or in sections, and comment on things such as plot, characterisation, overall consistency and so on - and perhaps also spelling and grammar, though for most of us it's the content rather than the presentation which is important. I want to know, for example, if the actions of my characters make sense; if I've described their motivations clearly enough; if the A-plot is actually NOT full of holes.
And I also want to know if I've given Clark a charcoal suit on page 10 and on page 15 (the same day) he's wearing brown.
