Carla King – How to Recruit Critique Partners & Early Readers

It’s not just about writing. It’s about early marketing and cultivating super-fans!

Have you ever thought to yourself…

• Why can’t I finish this book?
• What am I going to do with it when it’s done?
• Will anyone ever read it?

I’m tired of struggling, searching for the right tools and services, wondering about the publishing process, how to make my book succeed, and waiting to reach an audience who wants to read it. I know they’re out there.

But can I even make it as an author?

Yes! This is an attainable goal. It happens for authors all over the world, and it can happen for you. This course will help you navigate the process, every step of the way.

Take the First Step to Getting Your Book Out into the World

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” ― Richard Bach

How much more confident will you be when you know you are taking the right steps to publishing so well that you can self-publish or send your manuscript to an agent for a traditional publishing deal?

How inspiring would it be if you were certain about where your book fits into the marketplace?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to gather a tribe of early readers and stay connected with them for the long term, cultivating them from early readership to raving super-fans who give you five-star reviews and share your books through word of mouth and social media?

You can find your readers, publish your book, and enjoy a career as a published author.

Avoid Mistakes and Dead-End Services

Maybe you’re just starting out, or maybe you’re one of the many authors who have been discouraged by false promises and broken services. Lots of authors are attracted by the apparent ease of self-publishing, using free ISBNs, and publishing too quickly or in the wrong categories, only to learn later that they should have waited.

Perhaps you’ve made embarrassing mistakes by skipping important steps like editing and proofreading.

Maybe you’ve been trapped by a high-priced, unscrupulous vanity press whose promises never manifest.

It’s exhausting and demoralizing to make those kinds of mistakes. It’s frustrating to have to start all over again. But you can avoid all this.

Self-Publish or Send Your Manuscript to an Agent

You don’t have to go down these dead-end roads. This course sets you on the path to freedom so you can publish with confidence and positivity. This course sets the foundation for your success as an independent author with a manuscript and platform ready for:

• Self-publishing
• Hybrid publishing
• Attracting an agent and securing a traditional publishing deal

You have the freedom to choose your publishing path:

• You have the freedom to self-publish.
• You have the freedom to be a hybrid author.
• You have the freedom to pursue an agent and a traditional publishing deal.

Start Building Your Author Platform Now

Here’s a secret: marketing begins during the manuscript preparation phase. Market research and early readers help you with story development, editors polish your final manuscript, and your author website converts site visitors into email list subscribers. Social media amplifies your reach.

Those early readers? They’re your marketing street team—enthusiastic fans who will help spread the word about your book when it’s published.

The Self-Publishing Freedom Course teaches you to shift between your roles as author and publisher, positioning yourself for success with a quality manuscript and early marketing to build your platform and prepare for five-star reviews.

Equip Yourself for Success

Learn how to do everything necessary to ensure your freedom to self-publish or make a deal with an agent and a publishing house. Recruit early readers, cultivate super-fans, build your web platform, secure professional editing, and manage your book identifiers independently.

Whether self-publishing is your ultimate goal or a stepping stone to traditional publishing, this course empowers you with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to achieve your dreams.

Course Curriculum

Introduction

• Course Overview
• Resources

How to Get Critiques and Early Readers

• Introduction
• Avoid embarrassing mistakes
• Critique groups vs. beta readers
• How to find critique groups and partners
• How to find beta readers
• Where to beta publish
• How to interact with beta readers
• Turning beta readers into a marketing street team
• Overcoming fear of revealing early work
• Templates for beta reader requests

How to Deliver Your Manuscript

• Using BookFunnel for Beta Delivery

Next Steps

• Congratulations!

Your Instructor

Carla King is the founder of the Self-Publishing Boot Camp educational series. With a background in technical writing and a passion for travel, she began self-publishing her adventure travel books in 1994. King has since guided countless authors in their publishing journeys.

As the author of multiple books and a leading publishing consultant, Carla is one of the most trusted voices in self-publishing education. Her Self-Publishing Boot Camp Guide for Authors is a comprehensive resource for independent authors worldwide.