Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
I beta-read because it gives me a chance to improve stories I love. The feeling I get watching a good story fail because of incorrect spelling or grammar is similar to the feeling one gets when hearing nails on chalkboard or silverware scraping on dishes. While I focus on spelling and grammar since I consider those to be the absolute basics of a good beta, I also like commenting on places where the story could be improved, i.e. better descriptions or stretching an event out instead of "Bam, here's some OP God-Like power." (Unfortunately, I do believe myself somewhat included in that last example.) This includes criticism, because while I will try to be as inoffensive as possible, I will also be as honest as possible so people who get offended and work themselves up in indignation at any perceived insults on my part instead of speaking things over logically should look elsewhere for a beta. Yes, this means that if you have valid criticism of my skills I will have no problem taking it to heart, but I don't do insults and feuds. I like having a constant line of communication, either text or Skype, to discuss matter, iron out problems as they occur and draw upon the writers opinion instead of just sending files back and forth. Otherwise, I will attempt to keep my profile short and concise since, while I do not know of others preferences, I dislike lengthy rambles that could be summed up in a few sentences. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I have spent so much time reading during my youth that I have an instinctive grasp of the prose one would find in literature. I also like communicating with the writer since I believe the writers opinion to be important. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
I tend to focus on something so much that I over-think it and get gibberish. I also don't use my thesaurus often to replace words with those that fit better because when I do, I tend to go overboard and it ends up sounding like a thesis paper. I am also not very good at the whole -chan and -san thing. I know them, I can use them, but it just makes the story feel clunky if its used every time someone says a name so I tend to be sporadic with them. |
Preferred: types of stories I prefer over others
I would like to beta stories that focus on humor, adventure, science fiction, fantasy, video games and anime. Length, whether an epic or a one-shot, is immaterial to me. I specially like stories that have conquest, harems and non-idiotic characters. |
Would Rather Not: I do not beta for these stories
While I am not homophobic, I am a straight male, which means I have no interest in yaoi. I dislike angst, unless its followed by a satisfying and bloody reckoning. While I enjoy romance, I dislike stories that focus on it to the exclusion of all else and end up sounding like soap-operas. Among the examples of what is not my cup of tea are Twilight, My Little Pony, Glee, Supernatural, Hetalia, etc. I really dislike the whole "NarutoI want to be Hokage-I will earn my abusers respect-Datebayo/Believe it! x 9999" and "Harry PotterDumbledore manipulated me and made my life a living hell so I would kill myself and he could keep his hands free, but I forgive him because I am not Dark-killing them makes me as evil as they are-I forgive the Dursleys for their abuse because they're my family-Ron is my friend, even though he has stabbed me in the back repeatedly" stupidity. I firmly believe Naruto should grow a brain, build a harem and either abandon Konoha (since he has far more reasons, and far more valid ones as well, than Sasuke to do so) or raze it to the ground, just as I firmly believe Dumbledore is evil and there is no way Harry would turn out as such a puppet and pus-er... weakling, without outside magical influences. Basically, I dislike idiotic characters, unless its done so for the express purpose of being humorous or satirical. |
