Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
Well, my name is Tabitha Slate (in case that wasn't terribly obvious), and I have been 'unofficially' betareading for years. This is the first time I will be officially offering my services, as my Winter break from university is drawing nearer. I'm twenty-one years old and a double-major in Theatre and Creative Writing, so I've plenty of experience with editing and tactfully giving constructive criticism.I've been a Harry Pott-head since I was seven years old, when my dad would come home from his long stints oversees and read me whichever book his mates had loaned him for the trip home until I fell asleep. (It just so happened that one of those books was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.) These days, I have an extensive, and almost obsessive, knowledge of the children's series and have never once lost a trivia match. But don't worry. I've read more than just Harry Potter. I am also the author of Damaged Goods, a fanfiction that seems to be trending these days. For a preview of my writing style, please take a look. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I couldn't be a Creative Writing major in University if I didn't possess literary prowess, but I have also been told by many that I'm one of the most skilled editors they have ever had the pleasure to deal with. Some editors come off as passive aggressive, or they try to change your story - I won't do that. My English skills lie in grammar, imagery, and dialogue. If you've read Damaged Goods, you know that I tend to be a bit flowery with my language, but for you, this means would would have a human-Thesaurus as a beta-reader. I'm also exceptionally skilled in keeping characters canon, or aligning plots to better fit the established series while still remaining works of creativity. That is the mark of a truly great fanfiction, if you ask me. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
Though I type fairly quickly, the creativity spews much more slowly - and my accuracy while I type isn't nearly as precise as I would like it to be. I'm dyslexic, and will often type 'front' when I mean 'from,' 'me' when I mean 'be,' or 'quiet' when I mean 'quite.' Naturally, I tend to miss similar mistakes in others' work, unless I'm picking through it with a fine-toothed comb. |
Preferred: types of stories I prefer over others
I tend to enjoy darker fanfictions the most, but that most certainly doesn't mean that I will not beta some 'fluff' for you. In the context of Harry Potter, I prefer to read canon pairings - but, of course, there are exceptions. I will read and edit nearly anything, but I will thoroughly enjoy any of the follow: Tom Riddle/Walburga Black, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black, Sirius Black/Marlene McKinnon, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin (c'mon, we all have a soft-spot for it!), Remus Lupin/Severus Snape, Remus Lupin/Lily Evans, James Potter/Lily Evans, Severus Snape/Lily Evans, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy/Ginny Weasley*, Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom/Hannah Abbott, Neville Longbottom/Ginny Weasley, and Dean Thomas/Ginny Weasley. I have indicated with a star (*) my favourite pairing, but anything above is more than suitable. I also have extensive knowledge of Lord of the Rings, A Song of Ice and Fire, and so many plays that I could not even begin to count. (Theatre-major, remember?) Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions about my preferences - there is plenty more than I have basic knowledge of (such as The Vampire Diaries) and would be more than willing to read. |
Would Rather Not: I do not beta for these stories
Please don't send me a Dra-mione fic, a Twilight fic (unless it's intentionally ironic - those can be fun), or things that allude to incest outside of the scope of the actual story. (There is quite a bit of incest in A Song of Ice and Fire, I know. And because it is a significant plot-point, I would be glad to read it.) |
