1-Million-Words

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the 2020 post for beta-readers. This replaces the 2017 version, as I'm not sure how many people on that page are still offering beta-reading.

If you are available to beta fic for others, this is the place to comment with a note of what you're happy to help with, for example: fandom, a read-thru for basic errors, grammar/spelling/punctuation, Brit-picking (or other cultures), characterisation, plot, etc. I won't reply to your comments, then if you wish to edit/add to anything, you can do this at any time.

Anyone looking for a beta can refer to this post and PM any of the commenters if they see one who is offering something that matches their need. Failing that, you can post here asking for help, but you run the risk of not being answered directly by members - I will see it and can direct people here, but that is not as efficient as a direct PM.

BETA-READING INFO

It's okay for a beta to say no if they're busy or feel unable to help someone. For those of you here looking for beta help, you can always try someone else on the list if your first choice is unable to beta for you.

Remember, a beta is trying to help make a story better; they're not meant to be criticising the writer. Every suggestion to alter the story in any way is simply a SUGGESTION and the writer can accept or disregard that suggestion as they see fit. If you can't take concrit, be sure to tell the beta exactly what it is you want from their help before you get started. And betas, if a writer doesn't take your suggestions, don't take it to heart; it's their story and their choice what they use or don't use of your concrit.

You all know this comm. by now, and how we like to encourage our members; so please remember that if you can't be pleasant, please bow out nicely - from either end is acceptable - and that should be the end of it. Your mods are here if there are any issues, but if you remember to treat others as you would like to be treated, then we shouldn't have to be involved.

Thanks, guys, and let's get some beta-reading done!

Hello members! You are tracking wonderfully well - I just checked out our Feb figures! - so YAY all of you!

It has been pointed out that we have some out-of-date links to the top left of the comm, and I'm on a mission to fix those that our fearless leader kaige68 hasn't already dealt to.

I've got the 2016 brag book sorted, and in so doing realised that not much bragging has happened, so if anyone who missed it at the time wants to tell us what they are most proud of from 2016, please do pop into this link and let us know where to find your best creations now! And, as I say, the link is permanently on the main page of the comm, so you can still visit later if you haven't got time right now.

The other thing I need to update is the weekend challenge schedule for this year, and that is my job for this weekend, so watch the link change from Weekend Challenge Schedule 2016 to Weekend Challenge Schedule 2017 sometime in the next few days!

Finally, I'm thinking that since the Rewards and Beta Readers posts date from our first year (2013! This is our fifth year, can you believe?), I will put up some new posts for them over the weekend too, and get anyone who wants to, to re-sign in on them, or indeed sign up for the first time! That way we will have a more up to date list of who is offering what, since some of our members whom I see on those older posts have become quieter of late and I'm not sure that they are all still interested in beta reading or helping out with rewards.

If you have any thoughts on anything I've mentioned today, or want to ask about/point out anything I've touched on, please feel free to comment here!

Hey everyone, how's your weekend going? It's wet and wild over here in Auckland right now, and I should be doing a million other things, but why do all of those when 1_million_words is calling out so loudly to me? I'm even ignoring the grumpy husband who clearly thinks I'm very lazy

( So, who needs a beta? Who betas? Who'd like to beta? Anyone up for joining the newest comm list? )

In other mod news, I have been through every entry in the comm today and added tags where there were none. I've added a couple of new tags and I've renamed a couple just to keep them in line with our other tags. There aren't too many of them altogether, but they are useful for helping us find posts that may be of use or that we want to refer back to.

So can I just remind everyone to please tag your entry if you are posting in the comm from now on.

If you aren't sure what tag to use, have a look at the list and choose one that seems relevant. if nothing seems right, use either 'help!' or 'thinky-thoughts', or if you really believe the tag will be useful again, please feel free to suggest a new one! We're open-minded here and in fact I now want to add 'kinky thoughts' to tags, just because I can!, so don't be afraid!

Oh, and a few suggestions re the new ones I created which are: 'creation: fic' and 'creation: image'. These are for when you post about a fic or image you've created. Please use them whether it's a link to elsewhere or it's directly posted here; I didn't want to make too many, hence one only for each type at this point. Also, if your creation is inspired by or in response to a challenge or regular feature here, please use the appropriate tag on it in addition to the creation tag (eg: 2 tags - 'creation: fic', 'weekend: challenge' or 'creation: fic', 'daily: word of the day').

Now... anything else? Do you have any questions for your mods today?

And I finish by saying you are all amazing! I can't believe how well we've done in only four months! We've far surpassed what kaige68 and I imagined when we she started this little comm. Keep it up, everyone, for you are the best and we are both so very proud of you!