Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
I have a decent amount of beta-reading experience and experience writing my own work. My style as a beta-reader is intensive, I look at not just grammar, spelling, and typing errors, but also word choice, sentence structure and order, understandability of the text, characterization and portrayal of characters and situations, overall plot and adherence to a story's internal logic. I am very critical and have been known to chop up whole paragraphs, rearranging things, replacing words and cutting others if I feel it will improve the style and understandability of the writing to do so. I do not add my own text to the story, only reorganize or enhance what is there, though if I believe that adding more than a few words, or changing the text or what is happening in the plot would benefit it, I will suggest that the writer do so themselves so the writing and ideas stay fully their own, though they may override this suggestion. After all, it's their story.br /br /br / Expectations I have of anyone who wants my services, is to have a thorough grasp of how to actually write English. I'm here to catch errors and make suggestions for improvement, not teach you grammar. The text must be correctly punctuated and as free of errors as the writer can reasonably make it. If you haven't read it over at least three times, don't bother sending it to me. I also expect the writer to make an effort to learn as they go. If I tell you that you've used the word softly 25 times in a 3,000 word chapter (which is ridiculous), and then give you a few synonyms that you can alternate to eliminate this problem, then the next chapter you send me better have significantly fewer 'softly's in it. I don't expect it to be perfect, but I expect you to have tried. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I consider myself a very good writer with a strong grasp of the mechanics of language and story-telling and believe that makes me a very good beta. I have had problems myself where my betas have not been quite at my level which means that, even though I appreciate their help, they really can't help me with anything but catching obvious typing errors. I would notice grammar errors when I read it over again later that they didn't catch, not because they hadn't been diligently trying, but because their sensitivity and understanding of grammar was not at such a level that they were aware of the incongruity. I believe it is always better to have a beta of similar or greater ability than your own and I think for most writers, I can help you out there.br /br /br / I also pride myself on being able to assist in brain-storming and improving the overall style, plot, and characters as a whole. Most specifically, I'm the cure for what ails your Mary-Sue character and story. I can spot one a mile away and help you find ways to fix it, though in all honesty it can be a lot of work. It's not true that every OC is a Mary-Sue and your character IS salvageable. Probably. Spotting plot holes, errors in the logic of the story and characters acting, well, out-of-character are also things I'm really good at. And I won't leave you out to dry after spotting the gaping holes, I'll help you find ways to repair them. I often find that people believe they need a certain thing in their story that actually makes no sense in the context of that story: for instance a usually docile character suddenly throwing a fit for practically no reason in order to set up some later plot point. Once you point out the inconsistency, the writer thinks that means their story is doomed. However after working out some alternative with me that is more consistent with the character or situation, they are usually surprised how easy it was to sidestep that 'integral scene' and how the new plot positively enhances their story. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
Weaknesses I have are being very critical. I am not purposefully mean, but neither am I for the faint of heart. If you don't have the confidence to take a pretty large dose of constructive criticism, then it really is best if you take another beta. While I believe I could really help you improve your work, people have been known to grow discouraged once they realize all the flaws in their plot and stop writing the story. I would much rather you write a flawed story with someone else betaing it, then not write at all. Everyone has written plain bad stories, even me, and writing a flawed story will help you gain more experience then not writing anything at all. Most of my expertise was not gained through a helpful beta like I can be to you, but by my own experience of trial and error and reading. Without me, I know you will still improve; I just think I can help you do it faster.br /br /br / Another weakness is I can't leave what I believe to be an issue in the story alone. If you think your story is perfect and want someone to just fix the type-os, and make no other suggestions beyond that, then move along, there are tons of people that can do just that. I'm not saying your story ISN'T perfect, it might very well be, but in the case it isn't, I don't want anyone getting insulted if I tell them their character is a mary-sue and needs a serious reality check. I don't want to read that story, and I honestly can't. If you are not willing to take my suggestions to heart and at least consider changing your story if I suggest that you do so, then once again the lecture about betaing with someone else as stated above applies. Because seriously, I can't stand mary-sues. I don't want to read them. And if a full on blatant mary-sue story is what you want to write, go for it-with a different beta. |
Preferred: types of stories I prefer over others
Honestly, I'd prefer a very experienced writer to beta. All of the plot suggesting and whatnot I have described above is a lot of work and I'd rather not have to do it, but if an intermediate writer wants a little help and is willing to take into consideration what I suggest, then I will help them make their story the best that it can be.br /br /br / Preferences in terms of actual stories, I prefer T rating or M ratings. I just enjoy those stories more, and think they usually have more interesting plots. I'm fine with yaoi/slash, yuri/femslash and het (in fact I love yaoi, so if that's what you write, then I'm your girl ^^). I'm okay with explicit material (in fact I likes it ^^). I like AU plots especially where characters are living in present day earth (not "Naruto is dropped on earth from Konoha!" but say "Naruto goes to Konoha High with Sasuke and Sakura and are regular kids, not ninja," that sort of thing), though they aren't a requirement. I also like romance and stories that eventually finish with a happy ending. |
Would Rather Not: I do not beta for these stories
ABSOLUTELY NO: time-travel stories, body-swapping stories, "me and my friends are dropped into the [insert book/cartoon/anime here] world!" stories, "[insert name here] is dropped into earth!" stories, crossover stories, Mpreg stories (the dynamics of it are just impossible and that really bothers me), stories where everyone dies at the end (too depressing for me), horror fics (I don't like zombies or anything where people get mutilated beyond all hope of recovery!), Twilight rip-off vampire and werewolf stories (Twilight is shit to begin with, don't emulate it), rip offs period (something like a Bleach version of Beauty and the Beast or something would be okay, but practically Twilight with Rukia as Bella and Ichigo and Renji as Edward and Jacob is a hell-no-go. God I'm surprised that hasn't been done already), 100 word drabbles, stories with chapters under 1,000 words each, songfics, badly written and ill conceived stories where the author barely took any time to think it through before spewing out some garbage onto a word doc (consider your stories for a few days and where you expect it to go before you decide to post the first chapter)br /br /br / THINGS YOU'D HAVE TO SELL ME ON: crack pairings, incest, teacher-student pairings, rape (unless it's Ichigo and Shirosaki, or just Ichigo and anyone ^^), "what if?" stories, stories that supplant one of the characters in a canon or fanon pairing for an OC, and stories that revolve around an OC (I'm not saying I won't do them, but you'll have to make a case for it and let me help you). |
