Manuscript
No manuscript loaded yet.
Import a .txt file to begin, or load a .brl session. Chapters are auto-detected by lines starting with "Chapter". Select text to add tagged comments.
Import
Export
Manage
Help
Recipient
Subject (optional)
Your session file (.brl) will be downloaded first, then your mail client opens with the subject pre-filled. Attach the downloaded file before sending.
Step 1 — Download your session file
Step 2 — Upload to your cloud
Clicking a provider opens its web portal in a new tab so you can upload the downloaded file. To restore on another device: download the file from your cloud, then use Import .brl.
Step 3 — Restore from cloud
Your session (chapters, comments, feedback) is compressed and encoded into a URL fragment. Nobody can read it — the data never leaves your browser.
Your session link
Open this URL in any browser to instantly restore your session. Works offline once the page is loaded.
Restore from a link
No manuscript loaded yet.
Import a .txt file to begin, or load a .brl session. Chapters are auto-detected by lines starting with "Chapter". Select text to add tagged comments.
BR Editor is a browser-based beta reading and editing tool. Unlike a simple reader, it lets you edit manuscript text directly, look up synonyms and spellings, format text, and leave tagged inline comments — all without an internet connection (except for word lookups).
Click ☰ in the header, then 📄 Import .txt Manuscript to load a plain-text manuscript file.
.txt (plain text only)..md), save it as .txt first, or use the Beta Reader Lab app which supports .md import directly.The Chapters panel in the left sidebar lists all chapters with word counts and a progress badge.
Click any chapter to switch to it. The active chapter is highlighted with an accent border. Clicking a chapter marks it as reviewed and updates the progress badge.
Drag the ⋮⋮ handle on the left of any chapter row to reorder. After dropping, chapters with default "Chapter N" titles are auto-renumbered. Custom titles are preserved.
Click ＋ Add New Chapter at the bottom of the chapters list. The new chapter's title is auto-selected for editing — type a name and press Enter.
Hover over a chapter row and click the 🗑 icon. You can't delete the only remaining chapter. Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.
Unlike Beta Reader Lab (which is read-only), BR Editor's reader pane is fully editable. You can:
As you type, the cursor automatically stays centered vertically in the reader pane — no need to scroll manually while writing.
The Editor Toolbar in the header provides text formatting controls:
To use the toolbar: click in the reader pane where you want to format, then click the toolbar button. For headings, place your cursor in a paragraph and click H1/H2/H3 to convert it.
To add a comment on a specific passage:
The selected text is highlighted in the reader with a color matching the tag.
Click any highlight in the reader to open the inline comment popup, which shows:
Close the popup by clicking the ✕ button, clicking outside, or pressing Esc.
Tags categorize your feedback. The app has two tag modes:
A reduced tag set with only: Loved this, Confusing timeline, Typo, Pacing, Dialogue stiff, Character issue, Slow section, and Powerful moment.
The Comments panel has three filter dropdowns:
Filters can be combined — e.g. show all "Pacing" comments in "Chapter 3" that are still "Open".
Each comment in the list has three action buttons:
The Comment Density panel shows a visual bar chart of how many comments each chapter has received.
The Global Feedback panel in the sidebar is for big-picture feedback about the whole manuscript.
.brl and .md exports.BR Editor includes built-in word lookup powered by the Datamuse API (free, no API key required). This feature requires an internet connection.
Once the popup is open, you can switch between Synonyms, Antonyms, and Spelling tabs at any time — it re-queries the API for the same word.
BR Editor includes text-to-speech using your browser's built-in speech synthesis.
The app automatically selects Andrew Online (Natural) — English (United States) as the default voice if available. Fallback order:
The 🔊 Read button in the Global Feedback panel reads your global feedback aloud using the same voice and speed settings.
Use the − and ＋ buttons in the header (next to "Text") to adjust the reader pane's font size.
Click ⛶ Fullscreen in the header for distraction-free reading and writing.
You can reorder the button groups in the header by dragging and dropping them.
Click ☁ Backup & Sync in the header to open the backup panel. Three strategies are available, all client-side only:
.brl session file is downloaded first, then your mail client opens with the subject pre-filled..brl file export for large manuscripts.The badge next to the Backup & Sync button shows your last backup time. A green dot means backed up; an amber dot means a backup is in progress.
Click ☰ in the header to access export options:
Downloads your entire session as a .brl file (JSON format), including:
Filename: storytitle_readername.brl
Downloads a Markdown file with the manuscript text and all open (unresolved) comments inline:
Filename: storytitle_beta_notes.md
.brl file after each session as a portable backup. Export .md when sharing feedback with an author who doesn't use the app.Click ☰ then 📂 Import .brl Session to load a previously exported session file.
This restores:
The app supports multiple format versions with backward compatibility. Older format files are automatically converted. Unknown tags from other apps (e.g. Beta Reader Lab) are preserved and labeled.
#brl= in the hash), the app will prompt you to restore it automatically on load.BR Editor automatically saves your session so you never lose work.
Toggle Dark mode in the header (right side) to switch between light and dark themes.
BR Editor is fully responsive and works on phones, tablets, and foldable devices.
On devices like Surface Duo or Galaxy Fold, the app automatically spans both screens with the sidebar on one screen and the reader on the other.
Click Delete on any comment in the sidebar list, or open the inline popup (click a highlight) and click Delete. Confirmation is required.
Click ☰ then 🗑 Delete All Comments. You'll see a confirmation showing the total count. All comments and highlights are removed. The manuscript text itself is not affected.
.brl file first as a backup.Browsers load voices asynchronously. If the dropdown shows "Loading voices...", wait a few seconds. If it persists:
Highlights are applied by matching the saved selection text against paragraph text. If you edited the text around a highlight, the text may no longer match. The comment still exists in the sidebar — its highlight will reappear if the original text is restored.
.brl backup.If the URL is very long (over ~100,000 characters), some browsers may not handle it correctly. Use the .brl file export instead for large manuscripts.