FictionPress, FanFiction, who, what, when, where, why? Beta Reader search concern.

Winfred · Feb 17, 2017

Hi!

In my main worldwide web search for Beta Readers for my novel I found somewhere in an article on what a Beta Reader is a list of about 9 beta readers from FictionPress. I clicked on each one and sent a query. After about a week so far one has responded and is reading. My request was for just a test read. I asked just to note whether or not I held their interest and if I didn't to mention where and why I lost them. I went to the FictionPress website and could find no "About Us", or "Contact" to click on that most sites normally have. They have "Help" for technical problems, and a very extensive forum area 149 pages long that they note the moderators and the owner review all postings. One thread seems to be from a moderator welcoming all new members.

There's an amazing 50,600 followers at their Twitter site where I find mainly their notices about various system updates, upgrades etc. There is a nice blog site that mainly posts the same or very similar tech upgrade etc. notes. It seems like a huge technical endeavor to keep both of their sites going. I suppose their revenue comes from advertising. I still wonder though why they don't have an "About Us" or an actual address etc. I noticed they have many Beta Readers and was very attracted to that. So I joined. It's good they have all new members delayed 24hrs before they can PM beta readers to avoid spam, so it seems they care. I last night found in the posts at AW that FictionPress and their FanFiction site had a major plagiarism outbreak and many writers leaving which led me to creating this thread.

I met a writer who also works seasonally as a masseuse and yoga teacher at a very posh spa resort in Mexico just south of California. She said a lot of film/publishing industry people go there. She overhears them talking and said many don't hesitate to steal material. I don't really find anything about FictionPress/Fanfiction at AW or even on the main web as far as comments etc. from other writers rather than my asking staff at the FP/FF site. Is there a reason they don't define themselves? Of 5 beta readers I clicked on in the site all 5 were noted as available. I wonder if it is all controlled because I have one Beta Reader from them after querying a total 14 so far if I include those on that article list. I wonder if they might then without warning delete all other requests even though each Beta Reader has their own individual profile or web page. I was very surprised to so far find all Beta Readers available as I have found that most Beta Readers are usually swamped with material or unavailable until further notice like at AW. Does anyone know where I can find writer's experiences with them, or some definition of the who, what, where, and why, about them? I was going to query more Beta Readers there, but I'm holding back until I can gather more about them maybe from other writers here. Thanks for any input!

Carpe Diem!
Winfred

The Urban Spaceman · Feb 17, 2017

Is there any particular reason you're searching for a FP beta-reader in particular, or was it just a general "give them a try" sentiment?

I haven't used FP in a long time, but it may be suffering the same issues as FF—annoying technical glitches and no solid way of contacting TPTB, like you say. IMO, FP and FF have, over the years, been losing ground to other platforms, most recently AO3. A lot of fanfic I see these days is marked "cross-posted from AO3" by users who want to ramp up the views/reviews on their works. And that's fine, I have no problem with it; I've even blogged something I've submitted to FF before.

However, IMO, FP is not the best place for original works to be published. I'm not aware of plagiarism issues, but the editor is not particularly user-friendly. Using 'paste' function instead of 'upload file' can result in html/css corruption and require a delete/re-upload of the affected chapter. If you're not planning to publish your work there, and are just using the services of FP betas, then I feel it's a little unfair on the people who've given their time to beta your work.

Sorry I can't offer any more useful advice.

Winfred · Feb 17, 2017

Hi The Urban Spaceman!

I didn't go to FP/FF with any false pretenses, just out of searching the web for "beta readers". There are a lot of articles about what a beta reader is etc. I was reading and only remember this article having about 9 beta readers, something like that, and all from FP. I clicked on each name and sent a query. I didn't have to enroll or join in anything and there was no stipulation that one inquiring must be considering publishing through FP or I otherwise would have never done that as I believe in being truthful. Out of 9 one responded and is reading. Really, the FictionPress site has no "about us". I just thought it was nice of them to help writers with beta readers. I don't want to publish with them. I'm just looking for beta readers. Even in my query email I never said I wanted to epublish or anything like that. The list of names was never presented in a manner as to use them only if you plan to submit to publish with FictionPress. If you go to FictionPress there is no "About Us". Also the FanFiction site is the same, no "About Us" to click on, just a site I thought was for people who liked Beta Reading and helping others. I thought the universal for Beta Reading is that one does just that, reads for no fee, just to help a writer with an objective outside analysis to whatever degree the writer wants. I guess maybe that's a wrong interpretation of what a Beta Reader really is.

What is "A03"? Is that a name of a site for free Beta Readers? I also found a site where my novel would cost $113 to have a Beta Reader read it which I thought was not really being a "Beta Reader" if they charge for it. So I'm probably way off and making a wrong assumption with FP. Maybe I should write back to that Beta Reader at FP and tell her I misinterpreted things, that I have no plans to epublish as I hope to go the traditional route but really need to have my story in its best form first. Thanks very much for your input. I'll have to look into what A03 is... maybe "America Online"?

Top of the Day!
Winfred

The Urban Spaceman · Feb 17, 2017

AO3 is Archive Of Our Own is a part of the Organisation for Transformative Works (https://archiveofourown.org/) and is in the business of hosting fan works (as well as original works). I only mentioned it because it's one of those platforms which may take writers and traffic away from FP and FF. It's been in beta since its inception but it pretty widely used by fan artists. I'm not sure on their beta policy, or whether they even have them, as I don't use it myself.

With regards to FF and FP betas, the majority are also writers with a separate beta profile. FF/FP allow for writers who are betas to enable a separate profile to be matched with writers who are looking for a particular type of beta. I can't comment on the quality of FP betas as when I used FP, I never had a beta (not sure if it even had the facility, back then) but in terms of FF, betas can be very hit and miss in terms of quality and credentials.

Depending on how you found the FP betas, they may be expecting to see your work appear on FP. Might be best to check the site which referred you. Other than that, perhaps mentioning that the story they'd performing beta services for will eventually go on to be sold for profit (I'm assuming that's the case, anyway) might be at least polite.

Winfred · Feb 17, 2017

Hi Urban Spaceman!

Right after I wrote my last reply to you I immediately emailed the one FP beta reader that had asked for my material and told her that I wasn't aware that Beta Readers read only for those who plan to publish through them. Wow! What a difference as I didn't want to do the wrong thing. I think it's their fault for not having an "About Us" to click on. They have no identity or statement of purpose etc. I just thought they liked writers to Beta Read as they might find some writer they like who would have never considered them. I just thought it was their form of exposing themselves to a variety of writers or something like that, or are devoted to helping aspiring writers find their niche and make money from the advertisers. Again, there is no statement of purpose or rules. They must receive a lot of requests but never seek to change anything, and the same for their FanFiction site. I found some Beta Readers at FF wanting to read in the drama category.

I had never heard of Fan Fiction and discovered it's like a genre. My story only indirectly relates to "The Wizard of Oz" in dialogue and through some sporadic myths that are brought up with my protag. It's not a sequel at all. I just thought at first Fan Fiction was just a name not a genre. When I joined FF there is a separate profile for Beta Readers as if anyone can be one. I just thought the voluntary option was there if some day a member chose to start Beta Reading, a choice a member might make when they feel like it. I will be doing follow-up emails to the other 5 I've PM'ed most recently. You've been very helpful. I'll look at "Archive of Our Own" as I feel my story is about the transformation of both my protag and antag. My antag is a "Hibakusha" a Japanese title for those who survived the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. I believe a southern California girl encountering such a person and some others in my story sends her and my antag into a larger signal strength of sorts, enough so I consider them to be allegorical characters.

My antag I feel has paradoxical elements to him, a difficult antag. "... and death shall have no dominion...." I don't mean to be self-aggrandizing in mentioning I even come close to such a profound level as creating a character that is easily accepted as being allegorical. Somehow that's the direction my story just might be recognized as dwelling within. "...the last wave bye crying how bright their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay..." Only just maybe I might be within the orbit of A03. Their site never popped up in my general searches for beta readers. I'll have to take a look as long as they don't have a rule one must publish through them or something like that. Thanks again for your input. I'm grateful to all who might leave some pearls here.
Thanks! Winfred

The Urban Spaceman · Feb 18, 2017

Winfred said:
Right after I wrote my last reply to you I immediately emailed the one FP beta reader that had asked for my material and told her that I wasn't aware that Beta Readers read only for those who plan to publish through them. Wow! What a difference as I didn't want to do the wrong thing. I think it's their fault for not having an "About Us" to click on. They have no identity or statement of purpose etc. I just thought they liked writers to Beta Read as they might find some writer they like who would have never considered them. I just thought it was their form of exposing themselves to a variety of writers or something like that, or are devoted to helping aspiring writers find their niche and make money from the advertisers. Again, there is no statement of purpose or rules. They must receive a lot of requests but never seek to change anything, and the same for their FanFiction site. I found some Beta Readers at FF wanting to read in the drama category.

It's very possible that FP betas also do beta elsewhere, and might even be game for beta'ing your work. It would probably be best to address it on a case-by-case basis. Alternatively, there is a whole board on this very forum to request betas, mentors and writing buddies. Why not make use of a resource already at your disposal?

I had never heard of Fan Fiction and discovered it's like a genre. My story only indirectly relates to "The Wizard of Oz" in dialogue and through some sporadic myths that are brought up with my protag. It's not a sequel at all. I just thought at first Fan Fiction was just a name not a genre. When I joined FF there is a separate profile for Beta Readers as if anyone can be one. I just thought the voluntary option was there if some day a member chose to start Beta Reading, a choice a member might make when they feel like it. I will be doing follow-up emails to the other 5 I've PM'ed most recently. You've been very helpful.

Fanfic is not a genre; it is a word used to describe works written by fans of established books, TV programmes, comics, whatever, and it encompasses genres. The stories are directly based upon and set within the worlds of pre-existing works. So, if I write a Star Wars story, it's fanfiction (unless I have a book deal with the franchise to write a book for them). Fanfic is entirely NFP, so you're best staying away if you're planning on publishing your work. Merely having a reference to The Wizard of Oz doesn't make your story a fanfiction, and you're right, anyone at FF can be a beta reader. That's why I suggest you don't use them.

I'll look at "Archive of Our Own" as I feel my story is about the transformation of both my protag and antag.

The "Transformative" aspect doesn't refer to characters; it refers to the work itself. Here's a link to the mission statement, hope it clarifies: http://www.transformativeworks.org/what_we_believe/

Winfred · Feb 20, 2017

Hi Again Urban Spaceman!

I was wondering if you might know why FanFiction/Fiction Press websites do not have an "About Us" area where they describe what they are. Also, why they don't provide "Contact" info button where they have a physical address, phone number, etc. and a name of someone. On Facebook all they have in "About" is "Let the words flow." and that's it. They refer to a "the owner" in one of their notices to website members, but again no name no identity no about no profile... or anyone else who reads here might know or share their experiences with them. Also did you or anyone reading this know what happened with what I read was a big disenrollment of members with some plagiarism outbreak at those sites? Thanks again to you and to anyone else who might contribute here!

Carpe Diem!
Winfred

FictionPress, FanFiction, who, what, when, where, why? Beta Reader search concern.

Winfred

The Urban Spaceman

Existential quandary

Winfred

The Urban Spaceman

Existential quandary

Winfred

The Urban Spaceman

Existential quandary

Winfred