You can download a printable pdf, below.
You should find someone who:
is open about which genres they work with and which they don’t.
is prepared to discuss your requirements and theirs with you beforehand, either by email, Skype or equivalent, or phone, so you can agree on exactly what they’ll be doing. Confirm this in writing. Your discussion should include why they feel they’re a fit for your book.
fits the general picture of your target reader in terms of age, gender, background and so on, or who is able to put themselves in the place of the reader, regardless.
reads widely and diversely, from romance to thriller to self-help, or the equivalent. If you were to visit their house, in every room they’d have wall-to-wall bookshelves overflowing with well-thumbed books. As a good starting point, you could ask them what their favourite books are in your genre.
can differentiate between what works well and what they don’t like personally. This is very important because you need a highly objective opinion at the end of it all.
has an online presence, or word-of-mouth referrals, that give you a good idea of how competent they really are at the business of things to do with writing. If you’re going the friend/relation route, then go and count their bookshelves. But you might want to leave it at that.
isn’t afraid of upsetting you. This is why your friend/relation may very well not be the best person for the job.
is prepared to be honest while also being constructive and kind. Their input should build, not break, both you and your book.
will provide you with a written report and possibly face-time or telephonic discussions of their findings.
can give you a reasonable timeframe and understands the need to stick to it.
You're welcome to contact me
if you could use some help finding beta readers.