Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
Gender: Malebr /br / Age: 22br / br / A guy with too much time and trivia on his handsbr / br / It's come to a point for me where I can understand the art of fanfiction writing more than any other form of media. The intricacies of how to capture a theme of the original subject matter and add more to it in a fanfiction has nearly become second nature for me. I've taken several college coarses on writing, and aim to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts Writing degree and have applied what I've learned mainly to fanfiction writing. Although, I do hope to write my own original story some day, but I enjoy fanfiction too / br / I've been reading and writing fanfiction for more than five years, and have grown so attached to the form that I often think of the stories to read/write when taking in different forms of media. I go so far as to gain as much information on the subject (if I'm really passionate about it) when I write, and also look for stories that have either a plan or their storytelling lines up with my own / br / It's been a while since I have edited a story, but I always try my best to assist with my friends when they need it. Often times, a story needs a second person just for ideas, or to run ideas by someone. I also have ways of focusing a story, planning it, and how to stick to a story you / br / In terms of addressing a story, I prefer to take in a story at a certain time of day with minimum distractions, which means it may take a while for me to get to something, if I'm not working or have family matters or whatnot. Further, I have anxiety problems in which I may divert to a distraction to alleviate it. This has only been while I write a story, but may pop up when / br / I usually prefer working on Google Docs, since I can add comments or edit something with ease, as well as exchange ideas with a writer. Most of my communication is on Discord (because that's what all my friends use), but I'd be happy to use email, Skype, or websites with PM (like this site). br / If you have any questions, concerns, suggestions, or requests, feel free to send me a message. I always get back to everybody as soon as possible. I pretty much live at my laptop and phone anyway... |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I like to think of myself as an impeccable story teller or idea man. I love the ebb and flow of a story, the intermingling of themes and how they add to a story, and especially character development. I can help keep a story on track and moving, but also know how to pace a story. I've studied (and still studying) on how a good story should be written, such as action sequences or settings, and even know how to use grammar, syntax, and words in such a way to get the message across without dragging down a /br / I've read and written so many OC characters, or blank-slate characters, that I know how to use them wisely and when not to use them at all. Especially when they are the protagonist. I also know how to use traits, weaknesses, strengths, likes, dislikes, and character relations to make OC characters much more fluid and tangible with the source / br / I can spot loopholes or plot holes, so much so that whenever something happens or something is brought up by the characters or story, I always question it to see if it fits. Often times it lowers the quality of a story for me, but if it's handled well it can elevate the story greatly. It's the reason why I have troubles sticking to my written stories, and why I haven't published in a while. There's always a hint of it coming off as wrong, which puts me back to reinterpreting a character or / br / I always do a bit of research for whatever I'm writing (and editing if need be). I never write a story unless I have a good grip with the characters, world, and themes. If there's very little of one or more of these, than that gives me even more to work with. Fanfiction is built off limitations (whether by the audience expectations or the source material itself), and it gives way to many ideas that come to mind to either work around them or build off of / br / I also know how to present a story to a passerby. Most stories are horrible at giving a description, or a good memorable title, or even a decent book cover. Most of it comes down to not wanting to spoil the story and not thinking about it too much. Presentation is just as important as the content, and I know how to handle this to hook a readers attention! This also extends to the hook of a story as well. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
Tend to get hung up on subjects and ideas that I don't like. This mostly stems from my preferences, and I usually try to keep a handle on it, but there may come times when I argue about an idea near non-stop. The idea might be genuinely bad to me, or I don't think readers will like the idea, or it doesn't work with the rest of the story, or maybe I am selfish and think the idea shouldn't /br / I can be unsure about some subjects. I live in Alaska, and in a slightly rural area of the city, so I don't have lots of experiences that can help understand certain subjects. I've taken in a lot of media, and how people interpret/feel about said media, but some things I won't have a good handle on / br / Indecision is also a problem I have. While, as an editor, it ultimately comes down to the writer, I can have second thoughts about an event or character that makes me question if it works or not, to the point where I bring it up anytime it's brought up. |
Preferred: types of stories I prefer over others
Stories that have a fun and/or interesting original character as a protagonist OR stories that come from blank-slate protagonists. As I continue to read and write, I tend to find that a protagonist that is an original character is much more flexible than any of the other characters. This mostly stems from the other characters (usually from the source material) having already been explored by the original media they come from, or from other fanfictions. Blank-slate protagonists are ones that the viewer can mold at their will, i.e. Fallout series, Elder Scrolls series, Persona series, Pokemon series, /br / I also prefer stories with romance, to the point where I actively seek them out. This is more personal than it has to do with professional storytelling, but it's something I always enjoy seeing in a given / br / Stories with adventure, with a variety of genres, are a must! I love the sense of accomplishing a big task or goal with sub-plots, all within a story that visits many places and meets many characters. Stories that also combine drama, comedy, action, romance, and other genres are surprisingly hard to come by (at least in good writing), and I love picking up a story that share these / br / Lastly, a story that shares world building, lore, or background information. Every story is set in a world, and the world shapes the story, whether directly or not. For that reason, I love hearing how certain past events, or social norms, or rules within a world affect how the characters feel or react to different situations. I always feel that many stories with good world building make them far more memorable! |
Would Rather Not: I do not beta for these stories
Can handle near anything with some exceptions: Character death with no point - to kill off someone because "you don't like him/her" is not good story telling; excessive gore - I can handle things like limbs being cut off or disembowelment, but anything more than that I can not handle; certain sexual fetishes - I'm an understanding guy, and I won't judge someone who likes a certain fetish or not, but there are some I will personally avoid (I can go into detail which ones these are if asked); radically changing a characters personality/identity - I don't mind if a certain trait emerges from a character or a hidden preference surfaces, but if the story sets a character as smarter/better/worse than the original version with no reason, then it gets a pass from me (this especially includes Mary Sues/Gary Stus). |
