Beta Reader Group discussion
PAID services requested
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I do apologise if anyone's complained about me contacting them to offer my services. I joined this group just a few weeks ago and made a post advertising my business in this paid services section. I then started receiving the daily digest email. I didn't realise that the messages there were from all the threads of the group, not just the paid services section. I therefore did contact four or five authors about their posts. Now I've realised my mistake I check very carefully before I reply to someone. Anyway, I just wanted to offer my apologies if I've inadvertently annoyed anyone.
Thank you for providing this venue.I am a professional editor, working for a number of small independent publishers, but most of my clients are writers on the way toward publication.
http://bobswriting.com/editing.html
:)
Bob
Thanks Lin, I think this is a good addition to the group.
Looking for a beta reader for my 85K fiction MS.
Mod
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what am I doing wrong? I have tried to post a request for paid beta reader several times (yes, in the paid services topic). First, every time I post, it wipes out what I posted and goes to the 'capcha' screen. Luckily, I'm in the habit of copying what I type - so I go through the captcha process, paste my post and post. Then it says "your topic has been posted" and nothing is there.
Are you getting a prompt to enter a book name in one of the fields? I was getting that as well, but only sometimes. Sorry I don't have a solution - but I can commiserate a bit. I'm not sure where those posts go... Have you tried a different browser?
Mod
Looking for a first reader on a hard SCIFI dystopian novel, the 4th of a series. Befire I go into the editing process, I want to see if the story resonates.The year is 2180 and the rump of the American experiment has just survived an invasion by the utopian Unity. They are looking for allies for the inevitable battle to come. The west coast, long isolated from America, is a possible candidate--but it has just gone silent. An embassy of second rank diplomats, make-do military, a pardoned felon and an undiscovered spy, make up the American ship of fools to go find out why the "Demarchy has Gone silent."
W. wrote: "Looking for a first reader on a hard SCIFI dystopian novel, the 4th of a series. Befire I go into the editing process, I want to see if the story resonates.The year is 2180 and the rump of the Ame..."
I'd be happy to go through this book.I like to work off a Word document, leaving marginal notes on the read-through and then providing a few pages of summary at the end.
Hard sci-fi is my favourite genre. I don't charge, but if the work proves to be a serious non-fit for me I don't finish it either.
bspringett@iprimus.com.au
Hi, I am looking for a paid Beta reader for my novel The Myriad Era, a Sci Fi thriller. 284 pages (73,000 words). I've recently gone through intensive work with an editor and an agent is waiting on my revisions.The book is about an aging former rock star with addiction problems that are destroying his marriage. He tries standard psychotherapy but is unable to face the darkness within, so he agrees to a new untested method in which a computer maps his brain in order to get to the root of his trauma. He ends up getting a lot more than he bargained for. It's a story of love, art, creation and the future of music.
I've had my short story The Red River Virus published in The Huffington Post and this is my 4th novel. My first novel The Book of Enemy was blurbed by Chuck Palahniuk as "wildass awesome and amazingly original",
Let me know if you are interested in doing a straight up paid Beta reading and answering some questions. Thanks! David
David wrote: "Hi, I am looking for a paid Beta reader for my novel The Myriad Era, a Sci Fi thriller. 284 pages (73,000 words). I've recently gone through intensive work with an editor and an agent is waiting on..."Hi, David, I'd be happy to beta read for you. I can offer live commentary or reader reports. If you are interested in my services and getting more information and reviews on my work you can PM, email me at norawatkinsbray@gmail.com, or find me on Fiver @nwritesb, wherever you feel more comfortable.
David wrote: "Hi, I am looking for a paid Beta reader for my novel The Myriad Era, a Sci Fi thriller. 284 pages (73,000 words). I've recently gone through intensive work with an editor and an agent is waiting on..."Hi David,
I'd love to beta-read for you. You can contact me on fu65745@gmail.com or on Goodreads for more info.
I hope you have a great day!
Fiction 65K looking for final proof read.I have completed novel-that has been reviewed by a story editor plus I have run it through a couple of software editing programs to check for punctuation etc. I think it’s pretty clean – but as we know things fall through the cracks. I would like to have one final proof-read before publishing. Fiction 65K words. Should be light duty - looking for a quick turn around.
The Very Last Laugh. (Brief Synopsis)
Vince Locker has hit rock bottom. He’s a deadbeat dad and has just bombed out of a comedy contest that he’d hoped would turn his life around. Perched on a bridge deck, trying to work up the courage to jump —a hearse pulls up. Out steps Truss, a salty, old school, mortician, who talks Vince down and gives him a cot at the mortuary to sleep off his booze fueled despair.
Along with Truss, the chance encounter introduces Vince to Winona the mortuary’s young, spunky business manager—who, discloses the mortuary is struggling financially and is under pressure to sell-out to a dubious funeral home chain that wants the cover of Truss Mortuary’s long-standing reputation.
Although, beyond social norms, Vince seizes on a mutual opportunity—‘comedic tributes for the dead’. A quick cash fix to meet Vince’s child support demands and a new revenue stream for Truss Mortuary—that just might help stave off the franchise buzzards.
The comedic tributes are hilarious, disastrous and far-reaching. They propel Vince into the dark underworld of the funeral industry, life insurance scams, savage politics, a kidnap and murder mystery. His work as a comedic eulogist also
brings to light a painful realization—Vince is in search of closure in his own life—something he was denied when his father mysteriously disappeared twenty years ago. All the while, he harbors a dream that burns within—of making it big time as a comedian.
contact: dk@gamedesign.com
Private investigator novel, target audience adult women, 59,087 words. First book in series was Dangerous Passion. Elly Stevens
ellymae@rochester.rr.com
Hi Elly,I would be interested in beta reading for you! Seeing that you are looking for paid services i can offer to read the first four chapters and provide sample feedback. If you are happy with my work, I will then charge 45.00 regardless of the word count. I look forward to hearing from you!
Have a great day!
Tina
Tina wrote: "Hi Elly,I would be interested in beta reading for you! Seeing that you are looking for paid services i can offer to read the first four chapters and provide sample feedback. If you are happy with ..."
Thank you. I will send the first four chapters this afternoon to your email. Pdf okay?
Hmmm, maybe go Eminem. Author a manuscript about a scamming beta reader...and embellish it. As Eminem says, 'you don't want me to write a song about you.' You are not alone. There are other folks who provide great services. Obviously, your reader is not one of them. A thought. The time spent to look in the rear view mirror is never time spent as well as looking out in front. I have used really awful people in my manuscripts and I developed them into the most scurrilous characters. It is always a challenge to connect with the best of the best. Keep writing; don't look back, think of it as a payment for a lesson on what not to do. Sorry it happened. Patience. Sun Tau states better to never go to battle. Use wits ....
May wish to try other search services such as fiverr. The reader does not get paid until you sign off. Lots of avenues for recourse. I have found some great readers at fiverr.
Chris I am so sorry this happened to you!! I beta read for an editing company, and have heard from other authors this same thing happening to them. It’s frustrating for sure, and it makes things harder for writers and beta readers. It makes it tough for writers to get the ball rolling and self publish. There are many trustworthy beta readers out there, I am very sorry you had a bad experience. Let me know if I can help in any way! I’d be happy to beta read for you.
So sorry that this happened to you! The book community is usually very helpful when it comes to wanting to help, but there are those who will take advantage. Don't let this stop you from your passion! Surround yourself with good people and you will achieve great things!Wishing you the best of luck in your writing journey!
Chris, I am sorry to hear that this happened. That is why I only charge half my asking fee in advance for new authors I work with. After I've worked with you before, I then charge after completion. That way authors know that I am serious about not scamming them. As a beta reader, I had to start doing it this way because I got scammed out of money after I delivered completed work. The authors were new to me, and I was just getting started. I didn't charge anything upfront at that time. It only took being scammed a couple of times before I changed my policy.
Hi, I was just scammed by two beta readers. Where can I share my story and ask for advice on what to do next and on how to verify beta readers?
Aidana wrote: "Hi, I was just scammed by two beta readers. Where can I share my story and ask for advice on what to do next and on how to verify beta readers?"Hello, Aidana. I'm so sorry this happened to you. If you found those two readers through Goodreads, I’d recommend posting a thread in the Beta Readers group to warn other authors by mentioning their business names.
For verification, when connecting with beta readers on Goodreads, ask for their review threads. Most legitimate beta readers have dedicated threads where past clients leave reviews. This helps confirm their credibility. You can also reach out to those authors for further insights or referrals to trustworthy beta readers.
For reference, I’ll drop the link to my own review thread so you can see how it works:https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Hope this helps!
Aidana wrote: "Hi, I was just scammed by two beta readers. Where can I share my story and ask for advice on what to do next and on how to verify beta readers?"Hey Aidana, I'm so sorry this happened to you. You can make a post in the beta readers GoodReads thread where you found them or make a new post in the same paid services folder and talk about your experience.
Best way to discern good beta readers - see if they have testimonials directly from authors (like this https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...), ask them to see sample works from previous clients and see if the wording and report seems like generated from AI.
Edit: Exactly what Fiza said
Aidana wrote: "Hi, I was just scammed by two beta readers. Where can I share my story and ask for advice on what to do next and on how to verify beta readers?"Hello Aidana!
This is extremely disheartening. I apologize for this sour experience. I agree wholeheartedly with Fiza and Sarah. Please point them out so they can be rooted out or better still ostracized.
Once again, I'm sorry for your experience. We're not all bad eggs.
If you would like information on paid services, please be clear in what you're looking for.
If you reply to a post on here, PLEASE make sure you're capable of providing the service requested. In particular, please do NOT offer to edit if you are not a trained editor.
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CONTACT SOMEONE DIRECTLY TO OFFER YOUR SERVICES unless asked. We have had complaints about some people spamming personal email addresses with details of paid services.