We're at the time of the year where big fandom events like Back to Middle-earth Month and Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang begin to appear on the calendar. And we've welcomed lots of new members in the past several months. Put those together, and there are probably a few people wondering, "I've written something; now where do I find someone to beta-read my story?"

Beta-reading is a fandom practice that involves a reader giving feedback on a story before it is posted publicly. "Giving feedback" is intentionally vague because beta-reading looks different for every author and reader. Some dig deep into the workings of a story, others focus on a specific area like dialogue or characterization, and still others copyedit and catch all those there/their/they're-type mistakes.

If you're looking for a beta, we can help. We have a beta directory on our site where writers can search for betas who specialize in what they most need for a story, whether that's someone to help with pacing and plot or someone who knows a ton about the Second Age. If you belong to our Discord server, we also have a #beta-finder channel there, which is especially useful when you end up pinch-hitting for an exchange and need someone fast.

If you want to help writers get their stories into shape, consider adding yourself to our beta directory! Anyone with an SWG membership can do so. Go to your profile and click the Beta Profile tab at the top. Note the checkbox "Activate This Profile" at the bottom; if you need to go on hiatus and don't want people to contact you, just uncheck this box, and you will be removed from the list without losing your profile data. When you're ready to be put back on, just recheck the box.

Finally, as the News below shows, we have some upcoming dates and events! First, the "abstract gallery" of Mereth Aderthad presentations will be made available in a week for people considering creating a fanwork for the event. If you want to know when the abstract gallery opens and have not added your name to our interest form, make sure you do! Fanworks sign-ups will open February 15.

We also have an instadrabbling session coming up on February 15 at 18:00/6PM UTC (find this in my timezone). The session will focus on Maedhros and Maglor's relationship, timed just before Maedhros & Maglor Week that begins the next day. (We are not affiliated with Maedhros & Maglor Week.) You can learn more about the instadrabbling session here and join our Discord here.