Beta Readers
The Beta System
What is a Beta?
A beta, or betareader, is a person who reads through an author’s work and makes suggestions and corrects grammar. Betas are basically the equivalent of an editor.
Betas come in all shapes and sizes. Some betas do thorough checks. They look at every plot twist, character, and piece of dialogue to make sure that it all makes sense, fits, and is realistic. They help an author make sure that everything in their story sounds right.
Other Betas just check the grammar and look for major problems. It depends on the type of beta a person wants. Authors can get betas for anything, one-shots, drabbles, chapter fics, etc.
How the system works.
The Fangathering beta system is simple.
Becoming a beta:
To apply to be a beta you must send the following form to Fangatheringfiction@gmail.com.
Username:
Email Address:
What genres you’d like to beta (eg. Romance, action):
What ‘ships you’d like to beta:
What lengths of stories you’d like to beta (eg. One-shots, drabbles, chaptered):
Your strengths as a beta:
Your weaknesses as a beta:
How often do you get online in order to beta:
What days of the week do you most often have time to beta?:
Link to a sample of your work (optional):
Active/Inactive:
Make sure that your spelling and grammar are good. A beta needs to be able to use good spelling and grammar, and if there are a lot of mistakes, you won’t be able to be a beta. Once you’ve done this your beta profile will appear on the list of Betas. The Active/Inactive status tells a person looking for a beta whether or not you’re taking stories to edit at the moment. This way, if you have a big test, or too many other stories to beta, then we can inform the rest of the world that you are unable to take requests.
If someone wants to use you as a beta then either they or a member of a Fangathering staff will contact you using your email.
Using a Beta:
If you need a beta, it’s also easy. You can browse our list of available betas and see if there’s anyone who’ll meet your needs.
Then you can email them. If you’re too shy to, or if you don’t know who you want as a beta, you can email us at FangatheringFanfiction@gmail.com.
Email us or your preferred beta the following form.
Username:
Email:
Title of the Story:
Rating:
Detailed Summary:
Expected length of story:
Ships (if any):
Genre:
Strengths as a writer:
Weaknesses as a writer:
What you expect from your beta (such as how thorough you’d like them to be):
How quickly you’d like the story back:
How often you update the story (chaptered fics and drabble series only):
If you have emailed the beta directly, then you will get a reply back as soon as possible, saying whether or not the beta would like to help you with your story.
If you email the Fangathering Staff, we will try to find a beta for you and email you back as quickly as possible. If we can find no one then one of us will beta it ourselves.
If you are unhappy with your beta, email us. We will do our best to make sure that everyone is working well together.
The point of this archive is to help writers grow and share their works. The beta system is meant to help you as an author.
Little things like spelling and grammar are really important while writing. If you can’t use your own language, then your writing won’t be as effective. If your grammar is bad, we are glad to help, but be warned; this means that all future stories with bad grammar will be almost immediately switched into draft format. We offer the authors of this site all of the tools they need to write a successful story.
Good luck to all, and we hope that this system will help you.
