Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
Me I enjoy a good story written well, something that very classically "makes sense" for the writer's sensibilities as well as the character's, if you take the point. In other words, you the writer have, obviously, a large pool from which you can draw. Characters, plot, pacing, narrative style, even the hats your people wear, it's all in your hands. But you know all this already. Simplicity is the key, simplicity that leads to a reading style/pace that's easy to follow in terms of visual and spatial layout, and not too complex thematically. We're not going for Rand or Hemingway here, we're not uncovering secrets of the universe. We're writing our favorite characters, and since they're our favorites writing them should come as naturally as breathing or anything else. So be comfortable writing your characters as you want to. Have fun hybridizing particular parts of the character and continuity you want, if you want-and if you want to stick to an ascribed period, that's cool too. I only ask for two things, which Creative Writing 101 will echo invariably: rule number one is to write what you know: crime fiction, superheroes, big explosions, whatever. Chances are, if you're good at it and comfortable with whatever it is you're writing, the details and organic narrative flowthrough will come naturally. You might have precise and timely style of Crichton, or the succinct waxing of King, or the adverb-heavy and conventionalities of Cussler, or even the elegiac and folksy run-ons of Keillor (of which I'm a fan). That's okay! Do what makes you comfortable. But. Since we're working with other people's creations, source adherence is a big thing as well. Batman should be written like Batman-try not to channel the Loeb or Morrison Batman-respect what others have done but you should never have to be constrained from exploring a character just because someone else already has: we're amateur writers, but we've got vision, and it might just be as worthy a vision as anyone else has come up with. Put another way: you're the master of your particular story, make the character work for you, and recall that since you're the author you have rather utter control over the universe in which your story occurs. Within reason. This, at the end of all things, is the fine line we all have to walk: what's good, what's a clencher, what works and doesn't, and so on and so forth.Respect the character, that's the most you'll find I can give you: my sort of infamous grammatical stickler-ism notwithstanding (and there's a lot of that). Batman should be Batman, Holmes is hard to mess up, and Forrest Gump is what he is. I'm not going to tell you to dispel whatever notions you have on these characters, because its nice to dream. We're all fine writers, and we're all trying to help each other become better. End of the day, that's all that matters, and that's the least I can give you: the tools to refine, strengthen and carry on the craft, and maybe pay it forward too. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
Three concerns:Grammar/syntax, character/source adherence, crafting a realistic and engaging story. It's one thing to have someone die, it's quite another to have them die magnificently or tragically. Language and five-star-command of the language can make or break crucial plot points, and mastering vocabulary, while still retaining simplicity, is essential to this. Narrative style, I feel, should speak to the author's register of language and intelligence, but not lose the point in verbose linguistic wanderings (case in point, my own writings here!) or extended monologues/elegies. I'm concerned greatly with structure and scenery and narrative that 'makes sense' in terms of context. In other words, what does a given story and the way in which the author's constructed it tell us about the character? Sure it's fanfic and we're all dipping into a well-sourced pool here, but I want to read a story that does three things: 1) pops in an organic way (ie, not only from some 'life-changing event that'll change lives forever'!), 2) gets me to like (or hate!) someone, 3) makes sense within the character's larger established history. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
Sometimes I don't always catch spelling errors-this happens if a story doesn't grab my attention for one reason or another. Sometimes I gloss over stories if I've been staring at them too long. Sometimes I won't quite understand why a character will do something within a story, so I'll make a comment that comes off as outright editorialising, value judgment, and altering the author's original intent. The shorthand here, then, is that I tend to make the stories conform to what I think they should be, and in my own stories I have a knack for relentlessly precise stage directions as if it's a teleplay or the like-and this doesn't work, I've found. More often than not the story tends to take on a life wholly different from my outlines, and I'm coming to see that that's okay. But I encourage you to peruse any of my stories, and decide for yourself. :) |
Preferred: types of stories I prefer over others
Crime, sci-fi, comics, movies, TV, books |
Would Rather Not: I do not beta for these stories
Manga/anime, |
