Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
I adore reading, and love helping via editing anytime! I tend to do better with bringing out someone else's style than working with my own...some call it lazy, I call it intrapersonally retarded. It serves to help with editing, though, so I adore it. I can be harsh or kind, whichever works best for you...I know, sensitivity makes it more difficult, but not impossible, to accept critiques. I find that sort of challenge wonderful, though I am very thorough with edits when it comes to grammar, spelling, continuity, and dialogue believability. If you'd like to have an optimist who loves getting in the head of your characters for a Beta, I'm totally your gal. Just so long as you don't need me more than twice a week on a messenger service (etc.)...I always e-mail within 24 hours unless otherwise occupied (you'd be informed), so updates could be as often or rarely as you'd like. Sound groovy? _ Yay! |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I am no linguistic or verbal genius, but I am especially good with character continuity and dialogue editing, from experience, but I tend to pick up on word choice, spelling, punctuation, and grammar stuff as well. If you feel stuck about where your plot could go, since I've been there many times, I am usually a great person to both ask for ideas and bounce random concepts off of...sometimes you just need someone to speak/type at randomly until your brain sparks and, whether it was even something you mentioned, you suddenly know what it is you're going to do. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
I am a hardcore perfectionist, even with the weaknesses of my own writing (when I edit, the page has more edits than original story). I tend to overwork when editing, accepting that the person I'm editing for will want to see multiple problems and remedies...I like to think of it as over-detailed and overworking, but in the end it provides more options and scope for the imagination. Also, as an editor, I have to feel strongly about a piece to care...usually, not a problem, but if I have little knowledge of the characters and their background, it's difficult. Oh, and if you run away screaming from the canon-verse of a story, it better be pretty darn good...or I'm usually pretty darn harsh about getting into it. I like out-of-character casts as much as anyone, but it has to be worthwhile and plausible. _ |
Preferred: types of stories I prefer over others
I do better with humor, suspense, angst and romance as a rule, mostly from having written/read more of this variety with my friends and peers...but I'm open as far as subjects go. I would prefer mostly fiction from Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Disney Films/Books, Wuthering Heights (Book), Phantom of the Opera (Book), or any of the Anne of Green Gables Series...as I am VERY familiar with these texts/films. Anything else you think I might enjoy reading, you can always run it by me...I have tastes all over the map, so it's certainly worth a try! |
Would Rather Not: I do not beta for these stories
I don't do gore. It's difficult to read, near impossible to write well, and it's not an interest. I also prefer to stay away from heavily sex-based stories...more because I'm awkward with approaching it as an author OR editor than because the subject is odd. I also am usually a fan of a book before the movie...so while I would Beta a Twilight fanfic, it would have to be book-based, not film-based. And the only thing I really hate: no Peggy Sues. As in, please don't just invent some random chick character to live vicariously through...just so you can kinda "get with" your fav male character. They do it a lot in Harry Potter fanfics, and it's getting ridonculous. _ |
