QAF Beta Comm

[switch842]

This is a continuation of the comments started over in the bjfic community about starting a related community for betas and those looking for one. Please post here if you are interested in participating in this and have any ideas about how this could be maintained.

Comments

[huh789.livejournal.com]

OK what can I do?

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

I guess we have to promote this community somewhere. Like post it on our journals and ask for our flist to spread the news and to invite people to join and help out the writers in our fandom.

[huh789.livejournal.com]

I think bjfic would be a good place to promote considering the conversation got started there. I know it isn't for that sort of thing, but considering they let the original post slide(at least so far) it might be OK. Seems like we need to work out exactly how the community will work...

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

Maybe. Or maybe the moderator hasn`t seen the post yet. Bloodyrose is pretty busy these days. Anyway, I say we make some basic rules about betaing. Which those are, I`m not sure yet. I`d have to think about it first. *grins*

[huh789.livejournal.com]

For starters post should be offering services or asking for them. As far as I'm concerned they can include anything you think might help you find someone you will work well with - the type of fiction you like, your ability to take criticisms, past work etc. I also think we should ask that writers list any expectations - timelines, etc. and betas should include their availability.

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

Something like this, but for QAF fandom : http://community.livejournal.com/find_me_a_beta/profile

[huh789.livejournal.com]

Wow, that seems like a good place to get ideas. Seems like they ask for more information than absolutely necessary (age and sex?), I say we leave it a little more open ended - let people share what they want- but in general it is great.

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

*grins* Cool. :)

[switch842.livejournal.com]

That does seem like an excellent starting point. Would you two like to be the co-mods on the community? I'll get the premliminary stuff up today over there and we'll see what happens.

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

Sure, count me in and we`ll work on it as we go. :)

[huh789.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty new to lj so I don't really know what that entails, but I would love to help so count me in.

[switch842.livejournal.com]

Question - on this community, they state to post the story you want betad under an lj-cut. That could be tricky if stories are long. And I know as a beta myself, I like to edit in the story itself. Do we want to advise people to e-mail stories to each other? Or any other ideas?

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, emailing could be the best solution. Our comm could be like a connector between the writers and the betas, and after that they do the deed through the email. :)

[switch842.livejournal.com]

Excellent. OK, I have put up some preliminary User Info at qaf_beta if you guys want to take a look and let me know what you think. What's there is just what I thought of off the top of my head, so let me know what needs to be changed, added, etc. Crazy, I'll add you as a maintainer. Thanks!

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

*grins* Well, I`ll do what I can. First thing we should definitely do is tell our flist about this in a post. Ask them to spread the word about the comm, and we`ll go from there.

[huh789.livejournal.com]

I don't have much of a flist under this name and considering the things I said about one of my betas I would rather not post on my other lj... sorry I am not much help here.

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

*pets* It is really no problem. Just promote it where you can. ;)

[switch842.livejournal.com]

And the post is gone. Damnit. Oh, well. I knew that would happen eventually. I just wish there was somewhere to keep all that info ya know? Grrr.

[huh789.livejournal.com]

I agree that email is the best way to go.

I would like to suggest that betas include information about expected turnaround of stories and that writers include what they expect in this area as well. That is something I have had a problem with in the past.

Also, and I'm not sure how this would work, but maybe we could have some sort of feedback system for the betas. We would certainly have to encourage writers to be constructive...but maybe they could rate betas on several criteria. Might help other writers pick a beta.

Anyway let me know what you think and how I can help.

[switch842.livejournal.com]

I do like the critique idea. It would help to weed out maybe those that aren't really the best betas. Or are good at one part but maybe not everything. That kind of stuff.

[huh789.livejournal.com]

We could suggest that writers give a 1-5 rating on certain areas like turnaround, availability, grammar, help with general content (not a good way to word that) and anything else they might feel is important. That way we might be able to keep people from getting too mean if they have a bad beta.

On a different note. I have had a beta go through a story and miss most of the grammar issues but make major content changes... maybe we should suggest writers state if they want help with content.

[crazy4qaf.livejournal.com]

I like that suggestion. Yeah, some betas have a weird way of working. In my opionin, a beta is there to check the grammar and the spelling and such, along with correcting things that would be OOC for the specific fandom. Changing the content majorly just seems too much (well, unless the content is something that the particular character really wouldn`t do, I guess). But the character`s reaction to some situations, that weren`t met in the canon, are simply based on the individual perception of the author and that can be disconcerting to the writer sometimes. Not to mention that the fanfic itself is actually a pure AU. :)

Damn, I never thought all of this would come out. *rotfl*

[huh789.livejournal.com]

Sorry, one more thought, seems like QAF Coffee Club might be a good place to promote this new community.

[switch842.livejournal.com]

That does sound good. THere's also the plot bunny comm, and probably the general QAF fans group, too.

[switch842.livejournal.com]

OK, you both need to accept the invitation to be a mod here: http://www.livejournal.com/manage/invites.bml. That will give you full access to the community - updating the layout, user info, deleting posts, etc.

[switch842.livejournal.com]

OK, here is the link to the preliminary user info: http://community.livejournal.com/qaf_beta/profile.

Take a look and let me know what you think.

[huh789.livejournal.com]

Looks great! I'll keep thinking and let you know if I have any other ideas. I'm happy to pimp it out anywhere (coffee club, bunnies, etc.) but maybe we should decide who does what community so we aren't repeating ourselves too much. I'll be gone for a few hours but I'll check back later to see what you guys think of this.

I imagine my alter ego (of sorts) will be posting looking for a new beta sometime soon :)

[switch842.livejournal.com]

LOL. I can post to benmikeyfans, queerasfolkfans, and qafbunnies. Probably no bjfic though. :-D

ideas for group

[sfscarlet.livejournal.com]

In one fandom I write in, there is a writing link on an archive site to a link. It lists all the betas available and what they specialize in- B/J, won't do death fic, RPS, turn around time, grammar, ooc, etc. This way the person seeking a beta can look for someone and read their experience. the person sends an email and it is all done through email etc. I find my betas have helped me immensely as a writer and I'm always looking for a good one.