Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related How to get a Beta?

Hi FOLC's,
On the archive FAQ file there is the information that it is a good idea to searh a beta reader for the stories one want to write. It says that the best way is to post an ad here. So, how exactly does this work? One creates a new topic, says that one needs a beta, describes a bit (length, content idea etc.). Then, perhaps someone who has interest answers this and offers him/herself? Or how it works?
(Sorryfor the stupid questions, I'm new here :-)

That's pretty much how it works. It can take a while sometimes to get a bite - traffic on the board can vary depending on what people have going on in real life. I also know that some people choose to also use Grammerly to run their story through for errors. It's not the same as a beta (a beta can tell you things like it's confusing who is speaking here, can you describe the hotel room so we can imagine it better, the last chapter you said the receptionist had red hair and here you say brown, etc).

Personally, I'm not in a position where I can beta (2 young kids, part of the KComm, and tons of RL stuff) but I do wish you luck in your search!

Hey BlindPassenger! Welcome. There is a thread of active Betas here where Betas have listed their skills. You can PM or email any of them with what you're looking for.

You can also post a thread like this and list out what you're looking for in a Beta and someone should respond if they're available.

I second Vicki's comment about Grammarly for grammar and punctuation. That typically works for smaller fics but the longer you get the more in need of a beta you are. I'd start with the thread and if you don't have luck there then start a "Looking for a Beta" thread here and go from there.

Good luck!