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I also don’t beta read to any sort of checklist. I will always check first with the author what they particularly want feedback on – if they feel something might not be working, but aren’t sure, or whatever. Then I will make sure to address those issues, as well as make other comments as I think necessary.

I have quite a sharp eye from the proofreading point of view, so will point out typos if I spot them, unless specifically asked not to. (Or I may get so carried away by the story I stop bothering to notice typos, in which case I will say at what point that has happened.)

Any beta reading I’ve had done for me has been very useful, helpful, and given more feedback than I had been promised. It can be tough but the worst I’ve had is a paid-for full manuscript assessment from Jericho (as WW). By “worst” I actually mean a reply so quick that I could not believe the editor had read it thoroughly, and one so padded out with boiler plate information that there was not a great deal of helpful material in there. The editor clearly thought it was crap. It was, I now realise, truly grim – but it was salvageable and I was none the wiser really on why it was grim, so at that point I couldn’t salvage it.

I always try to point out the good as well as the stuff that’s not so good. That said, I have beta read a lot of work for one author and now know her pretty well. So in her case if I am short of time we are both happy for me to read and only to point out what’s not working. That would be depressing if you weren’t expecting it, though.

The biggest down side of beta reading is that I now tend to “beta read” novels I am reading for pleasure. Sigh.