Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
I am a beta, and I've been reading my friends' work informally for years. We honestly didn't think of it as beta-ing until I started doing fanfiction, and, after that, some of them went in. After that, I started meeting people around me, who'd done fanfiction for a while and never told anyone unless they were into it too. I'm the type of beta-reader who will not only edit, but also comment. I try to make sure that I look into the previous chapters of the story/poem, as I do with my own, to make sure that eye colors stay the same or continuity-type things like that. I am a very detail oriented person, and I try to display that in my editing. As for the type of person that I want to edit for, I would like someone open to comments and detail changes. I also want someone who will not completely disregard all the things that I found in favor of what they wanted originally; I'm reading it for a reason. I hope for someone who will bug the crap out of me until I reply. I generally read a lot at night, and I try to reply to things quickly. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
My strengths are spelling, general grammar, continuation of plot, and details. At the moment, I am working on both Spanish and Japanese, so I will hopefully be able to beta in those languages soon. If it is a moderately simplistic Spanish story, I believe I can tackle the project, but English is my first language. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
I'm rather challenged in the area of comma usage, and I'm working on that. I'm also not that great on developing one single thread of plot or theme, but, again, I'm working on that with short drabbles that follow one single strand, and that's also helping my wordiness. |
Preferred: types of stories I prefer over others
I like song-fics, simply because I'm the type of person to try to find the song on YouTube and hear it while I read it. I also like stories with interesting twists or crossovers that you generally don't see because the story would be keep me focused on what I'm doing. Generally, I read romance, humor, and the like, so I think I'd be very comfortable working with stories like that. Also, I feel it's necessary to mention that I do read all kinds of romance (ie. fem-slash/yuri/whatever-you-want-to-call-two+-women, het/heterosexual/straight, and slash/yaoi/any-other-names-for-two-dudes... I would like to say, though, that I would love it if I wasn't the only one in the situation that knew the canon, simply because it makes it easier to understand where the author wants to go. Also, a relatively good knowledge of the characters. No, I don't want you to know what they'd say in every single remotely possible situation in the realm of ever... Knowing what they'd do in situations they've already been put in, and the general gist of their personalities, however, I feel is a must. |
Would Rather Not: I do not beta for these stories
Well, I generally wouldn't like to betaread the types of stories that I don't normally read, mainly because I have a regrettably low tolerance for things of the scary or sick nature. Horror, Angst, Heavy Blood, guts or gore, and things of the like. Otherwise, I am pretty accepting of works, and I am often open to reading new types. I prefer if I know the canon, but I refuse to limit myself to just things I know. I have no problem looking up the canons to different stories or asking people around me to tell me about the stories, so, if you think I might remotely enjoy the canon, send the story in and I'll look it up. Who knows? You might just help me find the new canon to get interested in. |
