Perfect Imagination

How do I accept or decline a project?

To accept or decline a project please go to your assignment log and click on the title of the relevant project. You will then be given a text box in which to type your message and the option to accept or decline. Pressing "Submit" will deliver your response to the writer's email address.

How do I create a new profile?

Go to "Your Account" and select the "Add a Profile" link before selecting the category for which you wish to add a profile.

How do I select more than one genre/ship/strength?

Hold down the CTRL key (or the "apple" key on a Mac) as you click to select multiple options.

How long can I remain inactive?

Completley inactive accounts, where no profiles are listed on the active beta reader lists, will be maintained for twelve weeks. After this time has lapsed those accounts will be deleted.

How long do I have to accept or decline a project?

You have seven days to accept or decline a project. If this time lapses the overdue project will be deleted from your log, and your account will be set to "inactive" status. Any other preliminaries pending a decision will remain in the log.

How many beta profiles can I have listed on the site?

You can have one profile per category listed on the site. However, do remember that as a beta reader it is your responsibility not to over-stretch yourself with regards work load.

I have accepted a project. What happens now?

The author will have been informed of your acceptance and will send the files to your email account for beta reading. Please edit the files before returning them to your writer. It is important to maintain an open line of communication between yourself and the writer. Please inform them of any delays that you anticipate, and confirm that their files have been received.

I have been inactivated because I did not reply to a preliminary. What do I do?

You will need to contact the administrators with regards the overdue preliminaries before your account can be reactivated.

I think one of my projects has been abandoned. What should I do?

If you click on the title of the project you believe is abandoned and go to the "Options" section you will see an "Abandoned project?" link. By clicking on it you will send an automatically generated email to the writer asking for an update. If you receive no reply within two weeks then you can mark the project as complete.

If I am removed from the directory is my accreditation certificate maintained?

Unfortunately we cannot maintain accreditation certificates for individuals who have left the directory.

Is there a minimum number of profiles that I must have listed on the site?

Yes. You must have a profile in at lest one fandom. People who pass the test but do not list a profile are deleted on a regular basis.

Is there any reflection of dominance in the order of participants in the ships?

No. If you will only read a ship where one character is dominant in the relationship then please mention this in the "ship notes" section.

What do I need to know in order to beta read in the "Other Fandom" category?

As long as you have passed the test you should have the knowledge required to beta read in the "Other Fandom" category. The point of this category is to list beta readers who can provide a general editing service to any written piece. A beta reader in this category is not expected to have any prior knowledge of characterisation or canon events, and writers are warned of this fact.

What does each rating mean?

The rating system at Perfect Imagination is based off of the movie rating system used in the United States of America. Please visit the MPAA for more information.

What is beta style?

Beta style is the manner in which an individual will beta read a story. Please go to the definitions page for more information.

What is the "Other Fandom" category?

"Other Fandom" is a listing of all the beta readers who are willing to offer technical advice (I.E. grammar and spelling, point of view and flow) on any written piece. A beta reader listed in "Other Fandom" will not have knowledge of the fandom to help with canon or characterisation unless otherwise stated in their profile.

What is the accreditation certificate?

When you pass the Perfect Imagination entry test you will receive a certificate and serial number as proof of your achievements. These can be posted on blogs and forums, and writers can check their validity on the Perfect Imagination site.

What is the author update feature?

Author update allows you to contact all your authors in one email, therefore giving you a quick and easy way to update all your authors on your progress. Please see the assignment page help for more information.

What is turnaround time?

Turnaround time is the average amount of time you usually take to beta read and return to the author a 4000 word piece. If you are unsure please provide an estimate, as this will give the writer some idea of what to expect.

What should I put in the "beta experience" field?

Any relevant editing experience that you have. For example, reading over your own work or editing a friend's fanfiction within that designated fandom. If you can provide the title and author name then this is often beneficial. The more information you put into your profile in the free text fields, the more closely potential projects will match your criteria.

What should I put in the "ship notes" field?

Any relevant information pertaining to the 'ships that you will beta read. For example, if you select an ambiguous category, such as other male/other male this is the place to specify the relationship you had in mind.

What should I put in the "strength notes" field?

If you wish to clarify where your particular strengths as a beta reader lie then this is the field to place this information. For example, if you can help Spanish writers with their English piece.

What should I put in the additional comments field?

Any information that you think is relevant to potential writers can go in this field. It also provides an opportunity to clarify what you will and will not beta read. For example "I will not beta read mpreg."

What should I select in the length field?

Please choose the total length of a piece you are happy to beta read. The higher to word count you select, the greater the range of projects you will receive.

When should I mark a project as complete?

If you have finished beta reading the project, or you and your writer have agreed to cease working together then please mark a project as complete.

Where do I find my assignments?

Every time a new preliminary is sent to you, you will receive a copy via email. There will be a link to your assignment page in the email body. To access your assignment log from the main page please go to "Your Account" and, from there, to the "Assignment Log".

Why can I only select up to a certain rating, (e.g. PG-13) in the rating field?

The system limits the rating of what you may beta read based on your age given by your date of birth. Please do not attempt to over-ride this by changing your date of birth. Doing so is in breach of our terms of service and will be punished with an immediate ban.

You used to offer accreditation without being listed in the directory. Why has this closed, and will it be opened again?

When the site expanded into a multi-fandom resource we closed down seperate accreditation permanantly. This was because we do not have the resources to maintain a seperate database, or to conduct so much testing.

Only beta readers who are listed in the directory will receive an accreditation certificate.