Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
I believe betareading goes a long way in making any story better. I've been writing for a long time, been reading for even longer (I lurked on Fictionpress when it was first created), and I've beta-ed for others before this function got introduced. Somehow I got tricked into it. Luckily, I've found beta-ing to be something I enjoy greatly.
If you want to get a sense of the way I currently write, or would like to know about my previous beta-ing experience, feel free to contact me for that.
My betareading style? I don't change a thing /for/ you. Instead, I point out everything I think needs correcting and then hand it off to you. Sometimes I will give a thorough overview at the end, sometimes not. I tend to lean toward the technical side of things - I will hound you about grammar and things like word choice, but I'm a huge believer in individual style and will adapt to what you're willing to take from me. Oh, I also don't know when to shut up, as you can see from the length of this bio.
Beta-ing will be done either through Word documents (via email) or Fictionpress' DocX function. It's your choice. I'm open to any form of communication: AIM, MSN, email, facebook, PM. Whichever you feel most comfortable with is fine with me.
I expect people to be open to constructive criticism and to be courteous (please; you don't have to be professional or anything - actually, that kind of thing intimidates me - just maintain some decorum), and also to tell me when I over-step or get carried away. You should also take writing/reading seriously - for me, it's something that is incredibly fun, but it's also something beautiful. Everyone pours themselves into their writing and/or reading, to different extents, and you should be able to recognize and respect that.
Also, know what you want from me! Informing me of your own strengths and weaknesses (or what you perceive them to be) allows me to adjust more quickly to you and your writing. And, finally, I do expect you to have a certain capacity for the written English language. I'm more than happy to teach you things you may not know that I do, but instruction is difficult to give over the internet (and I'm not volunteering to /teach/ you English). So, please, be honest about the level at which you write at. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
Technical aspects - grammar, spelling, etc. Developing style. Word choice. Catching things like redundancy and awkward lines. Subtlety and symbolization. Characterization - the importance of development, consistency, and having a firm idea of what/who a character is and why. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
If I'm busy, I can't always beta a chapter right away. I do prioritize many things over beta-ing (I /will/, however, tell you if this is the case; if you contact me, I will always, always respond ASAP). My grasp of pacing can be shaky. I'm not that detail-oriented; if you don't keep me on track, there's a good chance I won't be watching your consistency too carefully. Descriptions of setting aren't a strong point with me. I often over-write. Sometimes, I can be a perfectionist - I'm something of a compulsive rewriter. Concerning my own work, I'm very, very critical. And - I'm not sure if this is more of a weakness or a strength - I have a tendency to point out what's wrong without always telling you how to fix it. But, hey, how else will you learn? ;) |
Preferred: types of entries I prefer over others
The more I like reading what I beta, the better a job I'll do. Really. My favourite genres to read are Romance (if there's absolutely no romance, you should probably try someone else - or be pretty damn good), Fantasy, and Humour. I also enjoy Action/Adventure stories. Um. Horror and Young Adult fics are also good. Eh. I'm open to all genres. Except essays. I get enough of those in school.
Content is not an issue. I'll read anything.
If the story has strong characters, there's a good chance I'll like it. Also, I have a fondness for open endings and sad endings, that still have a little happiness in them. If that makes sense.
Oh, and I adore poetry. Of any kind. |
Would Rather Not: types of entries I do not want to beta for
I'd really rather not beta mystery stories, mainly because I'm terrible at figuring those out so I wouldn't be much help at telling you if you've given away too much or not. Again, if the story has no romance (and I mean NO romance: not even implied or potential romance), I'm not interested. Other than that - you've got nothing to lose by asking ^^ |
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