Needabeta FAQ!
Wondering what this is about, or how it works? This FAQ is for you!
What is a Beta?Here’s what’s Fanlore says about Betas. The short answer is: someone who looks over your work to check for consistency, grammar, formatting, canon-compliance, who can brainstorm with you, and/or cheer you on! For more in-depth understanding, here's @theirprofoundbond's recap (Tumblr and AO3)
What is Needabeta? It’s a tool to facilitate connection between Betas and Writers. Writers can search the Beta File, find potential Betas, get in touch, and if the Beta volunteer is available and interested Writers can discuss their needs.
How do I find a Beta? Head over to the Beta File and do a search (ctrl+F for instance) ! You can then type in your needs in the search box: the Witcher, Dragon Age, a language… and see who comes up, what their Beta skills are, their languages, squicks, and how to get in touch! The more recent signups are at the bottom of the sheet; the first column will let you know when the Beta signed up. Warning: it is going to be less manageable on a phone screen due to the sheer amount of information. It’s a big spreadsheet :-) Here is how you can use filters. Tips: searching for “all” or “any” can help you find people who are okay with betaing in any fandom, and some fandoms have different names: Avengers / MCU / Marvel Cinematic Universe... We do not publish individual requests for Betas. That’s what the Beta File is for ^_^
Do I need to be on Tumblr? Nope! Asks are open to anyone, anons included.
How do i sign up to be a Beta Volunteer? You can fill out our form! You can say what you’re comfortable with and what you will not work on, what fandoms you’re okay with (it can be any fandom!), what your skills are... Signing up doesn’t mean you have to accept any Beta ask, simply that you’re open to the possibility.
Are you still active? Yes ;-) the point of the blog is not to flood anyone’s dash; it is simply there as an easy home for the Beta File and Beta Form, as well as a way to get in touch with the admins.
I need to modify my info on the Beta File / delete my info... Send us an ask with two identifying elements: for instance, the row number, your fannish name used in the row… to make sure we modify the correct row! Without two identifying elements, we will not make the modifications: we do not want to modify / delete the wrong row! You can also choose to have it entirely deleted and then resubmit via the Beta Form if there are a lot of changes. This is fine :-) Anon asks are replied to publicly on the blog (no other option!), and asks coming from a Tumblr blog get a private answer.
Why can’t I edit my entry myself? Because we know that it’s easy to mess up a spreadsheet, even when you know how to use one. However, we reply to asks very quickly!
I can’t see all the information in a cell! That’s because there is a lot of information, in which case we change the formatting so it’s not making all the row unreadable. The information is still in the cell, as long as you click on it. (more details here and here)
Is this only for fanfiction or also for profic? Some Beta volunteers are okay with betaing original work. See our more detailed answer here!
Should I pay my Beta? This blog is mostly geared towards fanworks, and while gifts can never go wrong and don’t have to be monetary it is, generally speaking, not considered something one pays for in fandom. If you’re looking for professional editing, Needabeta is not the tool you need. See our more detailed answer here!
How can I know my Beta / Writer is of legal age? You can’t, and we can’t either. We all have to operate on the good faith of everyone; whether it’s a question in the form or when you’re privately talking to your potential Beta, we can’t guarantee all parties are telling the truth. Legal age also means different things in different places for different activities. You can, however, give your age when filling in the form and/or when communicating with your Beta or Writer! See our more detailed answers here, here, and here!
I’m organizing an exchange / fanweek... and my event needs Betas, can you reblog? Sure! You can @needabeta us or leave a submission. You are also welcome to reblog this FAQ, or that post, or this post!
Oh my, the Beta File is overwhelming... How can I find a Beta? > Ctrl+F will not work on every computer; on Apple it's a different shortcut, for instance. You can also, on Google Sheets, use Edit > Search and Replace; you won't be able to replace anything, don't worry, but it will lead you to specific cells. You can then use the Tab key or the little up and down arrows in the search box to find specific Betas for a fandom, see if they fit your needs, when they signed up initially, and how to contact them. Bear in mind that you can have people entering both Supernatural (147 as of the time of writing this post) and SPN (4), for example. Many also list Any, All / Most fandoms, Just ask if they're open to more than those listed. We regularly have asks to edit fandom lists!
> Another option is putting your mouse over the top of a column, where you have the letter, and looking for the little arrow to filter and sort the data; this will be useful for specific columns: if you're looking for someone comfortable with mature content (column H), willing to work on a WIP (G), or cool with original work (J).
> More advanced but very useful to search is: Data > Filter View > Create New Filter View. You can Edit the range to select all the spreadsheet (as of the time this is being written: A5:J931) or simply select the whole spreadsheet first, and then find the little green arrow near the top of the column. Click on it, use "filter by condition" then "select by text" and type your request, and the the sheet will be resorted according to your request. We advise you to play with this to your heart's content and try all the options and even other filters - you can't break the Beta File if you're not admin, and it won't affect other users' view! You can also see another explanation in Help > type Filter, and you'll have Google's own how-to regarding their use!
We’ll add to this FAQ if needed.
It looks like information is cut off from some entries Sadly, the Google Sheet does not automatically wrap cells, so we have to go in and do that manually. For more information, see this post.
