Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
Tell me about yourself via PM; such as your name, writing style, preferences, and why you'd like for me of all betas to beta your work. Email me whatever you wish me to read and critique. I can't promise I'll get back to you the following day because I've got college, work, and editing my own stories to worry about -- but I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!
I love to read and write. I'm a whore for feedback, so I understand other young authors' desire to write better; and I'm more than willing to help in every way I can. I will read just about anything suggested to me. If requested, I'll critique it creatively, or I'll critique your creativity -- whichever I feel the need to address.
I expect anyone who requests my editor's eye to have thoroughly proofread their own work a couple times and made the necessary changes. If it becomes obvious after the first several sentences that you haven't, however, I'll immediately send back your manuscript with a note on where you need the most obvious improvements, and then politely refuse to further edit any of your works until I've seen some real effort on your part.
My beta style is pretty laid-back. I'll make the basic corrections with spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and some formatting, and include a foot-note on where I made the changes and why (even if it's obvious). Fragmenting doesn't bother me as much as it might other editors, so you may want a second consultation with another beta before posting your story and/or poem. Cliche plots also don't bother me, as long as they're generally well-written. I'll happily suggest ideas on plot twists and such if you get stuck. If specifically requested, I may write a scene or two you can choose to write off of, if you're really, really, really stuck. I will NOT write entire chapters for you. I'm not a very vigorous motivator, though, so you're on your own for keeping up with updates. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I have a good eye for spotting other peoples' spelling and/or punctuation mistakes. I usually have good instincts for sentence and/or paragraph structure. When we come to the inspirational aspect, I excel at thinking up plot twists, and I'm not too shabby at helping make a character and/or situation more relative to the target audience. Oh, and I'm also a human thesaurus. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
Run-on sentences, fragmenting, and over-the-top dramatization are my three worst failings. I tend to overlook most run-on sentences because, for me, they sometimes add more to a description than they take away. Same goes for fragmenting, either in descriptions or in dialog. As for over-dramatized plots; whereas they may bother some readers, I find that the more drama showboated, the more interesting the characters/plot. You may want a second opinion from someone else on whether your effuse of drama is "too much." |
Preferred: types of entries I prefer over others
I love everything to do with romance. Romantic comedies are my crack. Horror, mystery, and thrillers are also great. And action/adventure. Some fantasy, sci-fi and supernatural stories never hurt anybody, either. Even Manga has its appeal. Poetry; while I suck at writing it, I love to read it. |
Would Rather Not: types of entries I do not want to beta for
Historical. I can't read anything plotted before the 20th century. I just can't. I've tried, but even the really, really, really well-written historical stories, with authors with the best of intentions, cannot hold my attention for more than the first paragraph. If I have to research something to double-check your facts... -- Let's just say my best friend is Bullshit. You can explain it to me, and I'll nod and look as if I'm listening, but in my head I'll actually be drawing mustaches on famous works of art or something just as ridiculous. Same for mythology. Plays, fables, biographies, spiritual and westerns also bore me to tears. And I simply don't understand haikus. |
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