InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Zeeky boogy doog!"

Slash Pervert (slashpervert) wrote,
@ 2009-05-11 23:09:00

Entry tags:

beta, nonfiction, pdf

Beta needed for PDF versions of our novels!
Are you one of those people who likes to re-read our stories but still finds errors when you do? Would you like to help make sure those mistakes are corrected?

I have collected all of the full length, finished works written by myself and co-authors into PDF files. I know that a number of you have been looking forward to those. Problem is that my current Betas are busy helping with new work.

I have prepared the Word files that are ready to be proofed before turning them into finished PDFs. I need someone who has the kind of mind that sees those misspelled words and misplaced commas and itches to fix them.

Am I asking for too much?

If not, please read the additional requirements under the cut tag and drop me a line if you want to be the "final Beta" on our work.

One - You must be at least age 18 or over. I am unwilling risk legal sanctions for sending explicitly sexual and/or violent stories to a minor.

Two - You will need to have the time and interest to carefully read the book length works, correct them and get them back to me in a timely manner.

Three - You will need to be online regularly and communicate well about the progress of the story. It is incredibly frustrating to have the Beta just disappear in the middle of a project.

Four - You will need to have a really solid knowledge of appropriate grammar, spelling and punctuation, especially as it applies to fiction - in British form, not American. (There are sites that have this information.)

Five - You will need to have a solid knowledge of Harry Potter canon, including the spellings of names and places, etc. and the ability to use British spellings. We try our best to be as canon-compliant as possible within the boundaries we set for each story. A Beta, ideally, helps us catch our mistakes in these areas.

If this works with you, please send me email at slashpervert @ gmail.com with the following information:

Your Name:

Your Age:

Your Email:

Do you have AIM, YIM or Google chat where we can discuss the project? If so, please provide information.

Have you done Beta (editing) before? What have you worked on?

What areas are your strengths?

What areas are you weakest?

How many chapters/words to you realistically think you could work a week?

Can you complete an entire novel (70,000 to 150,000 words) per project?

Have you read any of slashpervert's completed works? If so, which ones? Do you have a favourite?

Are there certain types of content you won't Beta?

(Post a new comment)

elfwreck
2009-05-12 01:28 am UTC (link)

I firmly believe it is NOT illegal for minors to read sexually-explicit text. I've looked for laws about it; the laws pertain to images, not text. A minor can purchase The Joy of Sex. She can read The Hundred-Dollar Misunderstanding and Wifey and all manner of tacky romance novels, including very explicit ones.

That said... it's very reasonable to not want minors working on this. Almost worth saying, "no virgins need apply; we need betas who know what sex is. And if you're not a virgin, an still under 18, we don't want to know about it."

I'm willing to help, but not sure how much help I'd be. I'm still reading stories for the first time, and I can't catch mistakes while I do that. (Sometimes I would anyway, but I can't carefully watch for them and read for plot at the same time.) And my current schedule is wonky; I'm not sure how much I can commit to.

I can say that, the stuff I have, I'll be keeping an eye out for SPAG errors.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

slashpervert
2009-05-12 01:40 am UTC (link)

It isn't illegal for minors to read it. And I consider it a disgusting form of censorship, as well as hypocracy, that our culture treats teenagers as if ignorance equals protection.

On the other hand, I am not willing to risk being arrested for "corrupting a minor" or sued by angry parents.

A person's age and sexual history are not really the same. And, oddly enough, I know someone who writes great sex scenes and is still a virgin. (I also know some experienced people who don't write it well.)

Thanks for the offer. I will appreciate it if you send me any you find.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

elfwreck
2009-05-12 01:54 am UTC (link)

It's one of my touchy points; I don't like the myth that minors are legally not allowed to know sex exists. But I've got no problems with "not dealing with minors, not dealing with freaked-out parents; apply later when your education is legally entirely in your own hands."

And I wouldn't think a virgin couldn't write great sex... just that it'd be less likely. (And firmly agree that much sexual experience, even very skilled sexual experience, doesn't translate to any kind of writing skills about it.)

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