Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
As an ardent reader and writer myself for many years, I know that providing constructive criticism without destroying confidence or sacrificing honesty is paramount. I am here to help to the best of my ability. I have been writing fanfiction since 2008, editing friends’ stories equally as long, been reading here since 2010 and writing here since 2016 with no signs of stopping anytime soon.I prefer first contact to be made through PM before you show me any writing, where we can meet and get to know a bit about each other first. Let me know your preferences and basically anything that may be important for me to know. Also feel free to ask any questions that may come to mind. Communication is key between author and beta readers. And I expect to be credited somewhere in the story that I beta read the piece, it doesn’t have to be excessive but some acknowledgment would be amazing! Too, I ask for is a bit of patience on your part since this isn’t the only thing I do. Although I am a fast reader, I tend to take my time when editing. I read through it first to simply enjoy it then I read through it again with a critical eye. ( I, as well, don’t mind reading the same chapter over again after I’ve edited it and your made your changes to check them over if you wanted. ) But I do prefer to have a detailed outline of the story, if not something tangible for me to read, when asked to edit. I’m here to help with improving and editing, not writing it. Although I am open to hashing out details to help the plot along, or to get creative juices flowing when writer’s block hits. Again, I will always be honest but encouraging as well. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
When I read, I am meticulous when it comes to a majority of the mechanical details of a story ( e.i. misspelled words, strange verbiage, missing letters, confusing sentences, formatting, etc. ). I have a pretty extensive vocabulary as well, and hate word repetition when it comes to descriptions thus I can guarantee I will spy them and suggest alternatives. I tend to question most everything when reading. I can help figure plot holes out or offer possible insights to elements not yet seen, whether for the characters or for the storyline. I am very keen on keeping characters in-character and ensuring that each characters’ voice is their own. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
I tend to be rather comma happy myself in writing, so I may not see it as something of note. I am very detail oriented, thus I can overuse my fine-tooth comb when editing. Just always be straight forward with me on what you want because I will take your word as you say it.I am a very practical person and a realist, meaning any works that don’t fit within the realm of the fandom has laid out ( e.i. suddenly magically coming back to life when there is no magic setup in the series / film / books ) will receive a suggestion to change it from me. Sometimes I get my tenses confused, I begin in third then accidentally slip into first then back again. It is something I’m working on, so it’s improving, but I may not catch it when reading since I have trouble with it myself for my own writing. |
Preferred: types of stories I prefer over others
I love reading friendship, family, angst, whump, or hurt / comfort , and action / adventure or drama. Even character studies. Those are all my favourite to read. I can handle violence, medical gore, and moderate torture. I actually very much love angst and hurt / comfort. The whole putting the characters through the wringer, whether physically or emotionally, and seeing how they come out of it. I’m not a huge fan of character death though, but I can read it and am happy to edit anything of that sort, so long as you can handle my sobbing comments in between my ones on editing. The only thing is that there has to be a plot or, in the very least, an aim for the writing. Also I need to know the fandom of what I’m reading or else I can’t give an accurate read on it. |
Would Rather Not: I do not beta for these stories
I cannot handle reading romance of any kind if it is the main point of the story. If it’s implied or referenced that’s fine , orientation doesn’t matter to me either ( it can be m/m, f/f, m/f, nb/nb, etc. ) just so long as the story isn’t solely based on romance between two or more characters. I also won’t read anything that has smut of any kind in it. Never. Nor anything with incest of any sort. Above how I say it’s all right to imply relationships, if said relationship is in anyway incestuous, this is the exception to that. I won’t touch anything that has to do with incest. Implying two or more characters have had sex, that’s okay. So long as the details remain in the dark. Not a huge fan of heavy AUs, small ones are okay or messing with canon a little bit is all good, but no ‘modern au’ or ‘college au’, etc. sort of things. It has to be set in canon, or something very close to it. I won’t read self-insert OC stories, or ones that really focus upon an OC as the main character. Minor character OCs are 100% fine. |
