Beta Project 2015

Note: Due to problems after the upgrade, the Beta Project has been moved to a new subforum: Beta Project Subforum 2. The password is "testing." You can find all 2015 entries there.

It's that time again. The Beta Project is an attempt to pair AW members to the best beta reader for their novels. And if you don't know what a beta is, then this is the thread for you. Betas are invaluable resources for writers, pointing out the problems with characterization, plotting, descriptions, dialogue, and so. Some may be detailed and some may be more general. Usually you'd discuss with your betas what kind of things you want them to look for, although that will not stop them from pointing out things you never even thought of as a problem.

How does the Beta Project work?

Each participant will submit a private message to me by Friday, May 1, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EST (to PM me, click on my user name and select "Send a private message to Sage"). This gives you 2 weeks to polish up your entries and finish up your novel if you were close to being done. You can submit unfinished manuscripts, and you can also submit short stories, non-fiction, poetry, screenplays, comic books, whatever you need a beta for. However, I believe all past entries have been novels, and if only one or two others are entered this time, it may be difficult to find knowledgeable betas for you (so encourage others in your category to submit if you want to join with a non-novel).

Personally, I prefer finished, polished mss to beta, but you absolutely can enter with an unfinished novel. Please do make sure that you note that information in your entry. If you have any other unusual beta requests, note those please too.

The only requirement I make for entering is that you're a member in good standing as of today, April 15, 2015.

Your PM should look a little something like this:

Manuscript Title: Your current title or "untitled" if you prefer
Manuscript Genre: This will help match you up to readers
Manuscript Word Count: (or Current/Projected Word Count for unfinished mss)
Is your manuscript finished?: Y/N

Hook:

150 words about your novel. It doesn't have to be a full query, and probably won't be with this word-count limit. But it's great practice for summarizing your novel in a way that will hook readers.

First 750 words:

In standard manuscript format (Courier New, 12 pt, double space), 750 words is about 3 pages. Find a spot short of that 750-word mark that makes for a good ending spot. You should be in normal AW format (Verdana, size 2, with a space between paragraphs) when you submit to the Beta Project.

What do you look for in a beta?

About 100 words about what you're looking for. For example, I might say, "I'm looking for a beta who will point out those pesky plot holes I've been blind to and any characterization that doesn't work. My description can sometimes be lacking, so please tell me when I need more. And I'm nervous about the romance. Is it, well, romantic?"

What genres do you read?

This is for matching purposes and will not be posted. Include also if you like other categories, such as non-fiction, poetry, short stories, etc. just in case we get some non-novel entries.

What happens next?

On May 2, I will post the entries in the Beta Project Subforum. There they will be under the same protection as those excerpts posted in Share Your Work. The password is "beta." That's a great place to see examples of what the last Beta Project was like.

The entries will be anonymous. Don't worry about it if you've posted about your manuscript elsewhere on AW and know that it might be recognizable, but we're hoping that beta offers come because your hook and first 3 pages catch the reader's attention.

I will assign everybody 3 entries to critique. This way everyone will get at least 3 critiques on their first 3 pages and maybe their hook and title too. Since the entries will be posted publicly, critiques may also come from people who were not assigned to you. The critiques will be anonymous as well, and will be sent to me. I post them in the thread with its associated entry. That way, you can get critique experience without feeling pressured about what other's might think, but the critiques will still be posted so that others can learn from them. And you'll be surprised how much you'll learn critiquing other people's work.

These mandatory critiques are just on the 750-word sample from each entry. Entrants may request to beta other entries, but it is not a requirement.

You will be given 2 weeks to critique the entries assigned to you. If you fail to PM me the critiques by 11:59 p.m. EST, Friday, May 15, 2015, I will withhold your critiques and beta offers. Don't make me do that. The critiques can be detailed if you wish, or they could just be a few constructive points. I will post all critiques on May 16 using the same formatting used when they were submitted to me. If I get all the mandatory critiques before then, I'll post them earlier.

Everybody on AW can offer to beta or critique the entries, not just participants!

If you see one or more entries that you wish to beta, PM me with the entry number(s) you liked, and I will share your name with the author(s) so that they can choose to contact you. But, don't worry, just because you were selected to critique an entry, you do not have to beta it unless you want to.

Last year, if someone had sent in their critiques early, I gave them the names of any beta requesters as they came in. I imagine I will continue that tradition this year. Betas may request at any time after the entries are posted.

Timeline:

April 15: You must have joined Absolute Write by this date to participate. You can enter starting today!
May 1: Due date for all entries (You're welcome, Camp NaNoers)
May 2: After a sleepless night, Sage posts the entries in the Beta Project subforum and sends out critique assignments
May 15: Due date for all mandatory critiques
May 16: Sage posts all critiques in the Beta Project subforum

Any questions or comments?

Post 'em here!

All right, go get those manuscripts polished and entries together. Or if you're ready, you can PM me your entry now.

I ran it last year, but before that it was like 5 years in between.

It's a good motivator

Also, you technically have 2 weeks after that before the project ends. And you can also put in your notes that you want to make it sparkle before any betas see it or let those that request know when I give you their names.

Worst case scenario, TAM, you put it up and nobody requests, but you still get crits on the first three pages of whatever story you use in your entry.

Last year there were a lot of people who weren't finished when they entered, and a fair few got requests. Because of the month between the beginning and the end, I think several also finished *during* the time period. At least one person finished before the entering period ended and asked me to revise their entry to reflect that, and another person completely rewrote her entry so that I couldn't recognize the hook and beginning as being the same story. Beta requests won't happen in a vacuum either. Sometimes they're like, "I want to check out the first three chapters first," or "I want to read this when the entrant has edited it," or "I must read these three, but if this 4th person doesn't get any other offers, I'll read theirs too."

Examples of special notes you could add in your "What do you look for in a beta?" section:
- This is a collection of short stories, so I'm hoping that someone who reads shorts will want to look at it.
- I only need "Part 1" looked at, so you'll only be reading half the book.
- I need an alpha reader! If you can overlook my typos and point out the big things, I'd love you for life!
- This is book 2 in a trilogy. If you want to read book 1--already beta'd by many--first, you certainly can, or you can go straight into this book. And, hey, if you want to read book 3 afterwards, I'd probably be okay with that too. (No, I will not be entering, but that's what my entry would look like )

Another thing I remembered from last year is that a few people sent me 2 entries each. You can enter with as many as you want, but for each entry, you will have to critique 3 other entries. So if you send 2 entries, you'll crit 6. If you send 3, you'll crit 9. Please don't make me juggle 12 or more entries for you to crit

I'll have limited internet this weekend, so if you send me an entry and I don't give you an "I got it," don't worry. If after Sunday night, I haven't, nudge me to see if it got lost.

yetanotherheather said:

This sounds incredible! Thank you so much for doing this. Is it May 1st yet? I can't wait to get started!

Click to expand...

You can get started now

Anyone can PM their entries to me anytime through May 1.