• Read this stickie before posting.

    • In order to reduce the number of new members requesting a Beta reader before they're really ready for one, we've instituted a 50 post requirement before you can start a thread seeking a Beta reader.
    • You can still volunteer to Beta for someone else; just please don't request someone to Beta for you until you're more familiar with the community and our members.

A new website for writers and beta readers to find each other!

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A La Vanille

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Hi writers and beta readers of Absolute Write!!


I've just launched a new website that's in open beta (haha) to help writers find beta readers and beta readers to find WIPs they may be interested in reading!


Critique Connect (www.critiqueconnect.com)


As a writer you can:

  • Add details about your WIP(s) (like blurb, word count, draft, disclaimers, improvement areas, etc)
  • Search for beta readers using filters like genres they like to read
  • Add details about yourself such as your critique tolerance, goals, etc.

As a beta reader you can:

  • Search for WIPs you may be interested in reading using filters like genres, types, length, etc
  • Describe your qualifications as a beta reader, your critique style, etc
  • Describe your preferred method of compensation (free, swap, paid, etc)

And as both, you can leave reviews for each other on how it was like working with the other and also interact on the forums!!
Since this just launched, there aren't a ton of users on it right now but hoping to grow the community!


If you're interested, please sign up and I'm also open to hearing feedback about the website itself. Feel free to PM me about any questions or details.


:)
Best,
Maya

Edit: It's been quite a trip down memory lane to see my old profile picture and signature here from 10 years ago! haha not very professional but not going to change it to preserve how I was like back then :)

Edit (May 11, 2019): Traditional email/password log in is now live so you don't have to use a social media platform anymore!!! Let me know if you see anything wonky going on with it :)
 
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StoryG27

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Site looks great. I’ll have to remember this when I’m ready to swap.
 

JakeSTamer

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Just joined, the site looks great. I wish you could make an account without using Google, Facebook, or Twitter. Maybe there's an option to, but I didn't see it. I will try your place when I'm done revising my story (again lol).
 

WeaselFire

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I wish you could make an account without using Google, Facebook, or Twitter.

Yup. I don't use any of those for other web sites, not giving account access to the planet on my social accounts. Sorry, but that eliminates your site for me.

Jeff
 

D. E. Wyatt

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I agree, a site like this is a great idea, but PLEASE allow us to join with a conventional username and password and not have to tie it to social media accounts.
 

A La Vanille

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Hi all,

Thanks for feedback!

Since this was the minimum viable product, I went with what was easiest to implement for login (which was OAuth with social media. With traditional username and password, I would need to implement email address verification, password management, etc). I totally understand the concern though. Allowing login through traditional means is definitely on the roadmap! I'll update this post when it is.
 

dragonangel517

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Joined up, looks good. But I can't contact anyone there with email, because it just brings up an outlook dialogue box and I don't use outlook. Also, it would be nice to be able to reply to a forum comment without starting a new comment.
 

A La Vanille

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But I can't contact anyone there with email, because it just brings up an outlook dialogue box and I don't use outlook.

What you can do is right click the link and copy the email address. It'll end up looking something like [email protected]?subject=Hi%20from%20Critique%20Connect! but just extract the email address here and don't mind the subject stuff. This is good feedback though, I will consider alternatives on how to present this information.

Edit: I've changed the way this is presented so you can still click on the link and it'll open the email client but it's also presented on the user profile in text so it's easier to copy and paste!

Also, it would be nice to be able to reply to a forum comment without starting a new comment.
Yeah I just wanted a very simple forum for the minimum viable product but might expand its capabilities in the future!


I can see the appeal for authors, but I wonder what will attract beta-readers?
Beta readers already post their availabilities on places like Facebook and Goodreads groups (and here! haha). As a beta reader, your motivation for finding unpublished, not polished works to review and edit may be 1) you might genuinely enjoy reading them 2) for monetary compensation or b/c you have a WIP that you want to exchange critiques for 3) critiquing other’s works makes you a stronger writer. Critique Connect just tries to make it easier for beta readers to find WIPs that fit them better or for writers to find beta readers that fit their WIPs and needs better. In fact as of right now, 2/3 of the forum threads are beta readers announcing their availabilities, the other one is looking for beta readers! (though that may change in the future haha) :)
 
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rgroberts

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The site looks pretty good! I think I'll shop around for a reader once I'm finished editing my current project.
 

pattmayne

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Just joined, the site looks great. I wish you could make an account without using Google, Facebook, or Twitter. Maybe there's an option to, but I didn't see it. I will try your place when I'm done revising my story (again lol).

I second this. I'm trying to give less info to these major platforms. Though I also admit it's very convenient to just join with Google!
 

JJ Litke

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I don't see anything about how works are protected. Presumably only someone who is logged in can view works, so you wouldn't lose first publication rights by posting? What about vetting? Can literally anyone show up and offer to read works? I guess vetting is the responsibility of the writer?

The lack of clarification about any of that makes me wary. I'm not willing to turn over my work to strangers with no vetting process, either.
 

A La Vanille

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I don't see anything about how works are protected. Presumably only someone who is logged in can view works, so you wouldn't lose first publication rights by posting? What about vetting? Can literally anyone show up and offer to read works? I guess vetting is the responsibility of the writer?

The lack of clarification about any of that makes me wary. I'm not willing to turn over my work to strangers with no vetting process, either.

Hi there,

These are good questions. So your actual work will not be uploaded to the site. The only things that you add to the site are details about your work, such as title, word count, logline, and blurb. So if someone emailed you and said "hey I saw your WIP on Critique Connect and I'd be interested in reading it", you decide for yourself whether you want to give this person your manuscript. Likewise, you can search for potential beta readers, read through their profiles, and decide whether you'd want to contact anyone to read your manuscript. You could also just lurk as a writer on the site and not add any details about your WIP, but you'd have to contact beta readers yourself.


Its functionality is essentially this subforum where people will post about their WIPs they'd like beta readers for and beta readers to announce their availabilities, but you do not share the actual Google Doc, Microsoft Doc, or whatever form your WIP is in with each other until a relationship has been established. The only difference between Critique Connect and subforums like these is the way the information is presented. When filling out a profile or a WIP on Critique Connect, I hope the fields such as "Critique Style", "Critique Tolerance", "Goals", "Improvement Areas", along with links to social media profiles help give a more holistic view of a potential beta reader and potential WIP we may want to beta read.


You asking these questions have definitely shown that the homepage/login screen I have currently doesn't satisfy these questions so I will be thinking of how to present this with more clarity. So thank you very much for your feedback!
 
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veinglory

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I am a beta reader and my motivation is not just to help random authors. There is a bottomless pit of authors wanting beta-readers and most of them don't like honest feedback when they get it. I think you need to work more on the appeal for the most important part of the activity... the ones doing the work.
 

A La Vanille

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I am a beta reader and my motivation is not just to help random authors. There is a bottomless pit of authors wanting beta-readers and most of them don't like honest feedback when they get it. I think you need to work more on the appeal for the most important part of the activity... the ones doing the work.

I'd love to hear what you think would make the site more appealing to beta readers to make the site better! :)
 

BradCarsten

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Bookmarked.

I don't mind using my facebook/google logins, because then at least I know my information is secured on googles servers instead of some small 3rd party site. I'm tired of having to change passwords because a site didn't keep their security plugins up to date, or forgot to encrypt their passwords. So long as they only get to see my public profile, and don't ask for other permissions, like posting on my behalf, I'm happy. If I don't know the site, then I just use my 2nd "spam" google account instead.
 

shadowsminder

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Hi! I'm considering signing up within my Twitter account. Can you explainhow these permissions are used by Critique Connect?

This application will be able to:

Read Tweets from your timeline.
See who you follow, and follow new people.
Update your profile.
Post Tweets for you.
 

A La Vanille

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Hi! I'm considering signing up within my Twitter account. Can you explainhow these permissions are used by Critique Connect?

Hey there, that's not totally accurate. All it does really is take your name from your Twitter profile (and Facebook and Google if you choose that route) and uses that as your starting name on Critique Connect. I've updated the permissions to reflect that. Now it should say:

This application will be able to:

Read Tweets from your timeline.
See who you follow.
Will not be able to:


Follow new people.
Update your profile.
Post Tweets for you.
Access your direct messages.
See your email address.
See your Twitter password.

Thanks for bringing to my attention! Going to confirm the other logins have read-only permission since the only thing they do really is get your name, they don't post anything.
 

A La Vanille

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Making a post to announce that traditional email/password log in is now live so you don't have to use a social media platform anymore!!! Let me know if you see anything wonky going on with it! If you've already visited the site before you may have to hard refresh to see the changes. Thanks all for your feedback :)
 

D. E. Wyatt

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E-mail login is glitched.

I signed up successfully and validated my email address. However when I log out and try to log back in I get this error:

SiteError.PNG


I verified the password, and have even reset it.
 

A La Vanille

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E-mail login is glitched.

I signed up successfully and validated my email address. However when I log out and try to log back in I get this error:

SiteError.PNG


I verified the password, and have even reset it.

Thanks for bringing to my attention. Going to PM you.
 
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