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Introduction
A good dedicated beta is hard to find. But what better place to look than the town that is chalk full of talented reviewers and peer editors! We here at Rebel Town are invested in giving Wattpaders a chance to improve their writing skills, and in the vein of our Elite Book Club and Rebel Reviews, we'd like to offer a group of Rebels that are willing betas.
So if you're looking to find a dedicated author to beta read your work on the regular, get your pitch ready, and check out the rules for requesting a beta!
And if you're looking to become a beta reader and cultivate an ongoing relationship with an author in need of guidance, then take a look at the rules for becoming a beta!
-Knowledgeable about proper grammar, spelling, structure, and formatting.
-Able to commit to your authors. Make sure before agreeing to beta you are both in agreement as to how much work is going to be put in. You could do this as a certain weekly limit of words/chapters/hours, or agree to look over an author's chapter whenever they write a new one. Set clear limits for workload so that everyone is on the same page BEFORE committing. You have every right to refuse a request, but once you commit, please live up to what you've said you will do!
-Be polite! Not everyone will have a book that you want to read, but you don't have to be nasty about turning down someone's pitch. Politely decline if a pitch isn't a good fit for you! It would also be helpful to them if you explained why, whether it be time constraints or just a genre you're not knowledgeable with. That way they can make a more informed decision about pitching a different beta. If you have issues with an author, please let us know.
-If you're full, please let us know so that we can close your chapter. On the flip side, if you get a spot open let us know and we will reopen it.
-It would be a nice thing to follow your authors!
Payment: Feel free to negotiate a payment with your authors that works for you, such as a read (or a beta trade!) of one of your chapters for every chapter of theirs you beta read. Keeping track of this is up to your own discretion!
-Be patient when waiting for a response! The Rebels are busy bees.
-Be polite! Not everyone is a good fit for each other. If a beta turns down your pitch, don't take it personally! If they don't explain why they can't work with you at this time, politely ask why and then maybe try another beta based on the information given. Being rude or mean to anyone will result in your requests being terminated immediately, and if you resist our warnings you will be reported to Wattpad.
-Be realistic about your expectations for how much work your beta will put in. They have lives outside of reading your story, so understand that there will only be so much work they can do per week.
-Read the Beta Bios carefully! You want to start a long term relationship with this person so that you can get meaningful feedback on your work. They want you to have a polished finished project to publish, but they can't do that if your story isn't a good fit for them. Make sure you're pitching a beta that you think you'll jive well with.
PITCHING A REBEL BETA
Things to include in your pitch:
-Why you're looking for a beta
-A quick summary of your book
-Your goals for your book going forward
-What exactly you're looking for feedback on (spelling, grammar, plot, character development, help overcoming writer's block)
