Collaboration forum rules

[big soft moose]

These rules are additional to the normal forum rules, which also apply here

1)No commercial services: This means no advertising services for hire, no offers to edit or proof or whatever for money, and no soliciting services for hire. Also no kickstarters, go fund mes, patreons etc. This is where we help each other with our projects, not where we sell to each other.

2) Agreements made off site are not the concern of the site or its staff. If someone is breaking the rules in this actual forum report them as usual. But if Medium Density Caribou agrees to help Baby Billy write five sermons but only helps with four...not our issue.

3)This is for writing projects only, no recruiting to football teams, betting pools, guys to help you move house, or anything else non writing related

4) For the protection of all concerned this forum is limited to age 18+ . Likewise it is limited to members (20 posts) and up.

Lastly while its not a rule per se, if you are embarking on a project more complicated than a bit of beta or arc reading, like for example co authoring a novel together, we strongly suggest you see a competent attorney and get a contract drawn up, just as good fences make good neighbours, clear expectations make good partnerships.

 

[big soft moose]

to demystify some common terms for those new to collaborating with their peers

Alpha Reader : This is a person who reads your work a chapter or section at a time and provides feedback as you go along. Often but not always this will be agreed as an exchange where they read yours and you read theirs.

Beta Reader: This is the same except they generally wait until you have written the whole first draft, or at any rate a large chunk of it before providing feedback

Sensitivity Reader: Someone who alpha or beta reads with a particular eye to a subject matter in which they are an expert making sure you have not engaged in offensive stereotypes or cultural appropriation.

Fact Checker: Like a sensitivity reader but on factual things like making sure you have historical details, clothing details, firearms details or whatever correct, again the key is that they are a subject matter expert

Proof reader: this is someone who reads your final proof before publication and picks up (and often corrects) typos, spelling errors and grammatical issues

ARC team: This is a group of people who receive advanced reader copies, the purpose is to generate early reviews and a general buzz around the book. Note that although it is a breach of Amazon's terms of service to be paid/rewarded to give a good review ARCs are okay so long as the reviews are honest

CoWriter/Co author: Someone who writes the book with you either as a two or as part of a larger group, there are various models but the important thing is that everyone is clear from the start on who does what, who pays for what, and how any eventual royalties are split.

Copywriter: Nothing to do with copyright, this is someone who writes or helps you write your advertising and marketing copy, for example your book's Amazon sales page