Beat writing is often a contributor's fist exposure to working with the Fedora project. It is fun, because the beat writer gets to learn about the new things coming up in the next release of Fedora. It is relatively simple, technically, since most of the work is done in the wiki, but also since the work is done in the wiki, it is out in the open and easy to get input from more experienced contributors.
Selecting a beat
Beat writers sign up for beats on the Documentation beats page. The list of beats is carried over from the previous release. If there is a need for a new beat it can easily be added. Each release of Fedora has a different flavor, and in some releases there may be no significant updates to a beat. In other releases there may be some significant changes for which there was no beat in the previous release.
Collecting Data
Many beats have a developer contact listed. This can be a good way to get some insight into what is happening in that area. However, each release of Fedora updates thousands of packages. Chances are no one individual is aware of all that is happening, even in a particular area, so additional research is required.
Feature Pages
The major features for a release must each produce a feature page. These are then vetted for inclusion in the next release of Fedora. The Features page contains links to features being considered in upcoming release of Fedora. Each of those pages will have a listing of accepted and proposed features.