Finding Beta Readers

So I am searching for Beta Readers for Love's Autograph. I will reveal soon what I have found so far in my search. First what is a BETA READER? The Alpha Reader is considered within house. So I guess that would be a writers wife, husband, kids, family or friends. A Beta Reader is from the Greek letter B and is also the 2nd letter in the alphabet.  The phrase is used in companies testing their products. They put it out there to the public.


So, I am searching for Beta Readers. In this search, I scoured a few dozen websites and blogs looking for suggestions on how to find them, and to see why they are important.

Here is what I found as far as how to find Beta Readers:
 (Why they are important will have to be in another post)

1. Join a Writing Group. Not sure why that seems so not enticing to me. I guess because I don't want to deal with personalities, and pleasantries.
2. Go to Writing Conferences. That is a way to network, and I would like to go to one soon, but have to AGAIN research the best ones to go to, and then see if I can afford it.
3. Advertise on your blog that you need/want Beta Readers.
4. Writer Blogs
5. Websites & Forums.

Websites & Forums In Order of How Helpful I Found Them to Be

• World Literary Cafe
• Ladies Who Critique
• Passion & Perfection
• GoodReads
• Fanfiction.net
• Golden Crown Literary Society ($20 year membership fee)
• Lesbian Fiction Forum
• Absolute Write
• Indie Unlimited
• The Anthenaeum
• Rainbow Romance Writers (seems really good but had to join RWA for $95 then RRW for $25)
• My Writer's Circle
• Writer's Digest

For some of them I made an account and posted on some of the forums. I sent some messages to Beta Readers. I hope this is helpful.

Do you have Beta Readers? Where did you find them? How many do you use?