Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
Hey. Yeah, I tend to focus more on style than content, so if you need someone to mostly go over grammar and see the places that are really awkward or confusing, it's me. If you want someone who can help with plot, that's not me. Or characters. Or action scenes.
I leave notes throughout the piece you've sent and, although I prefer actually being able to see the person face-to-face, I don't have that much of a problem with using the Internet.
Generally speaking, I try to get back to you within a few days. However, I'm only human and... well, sometimes I just can't. I try to send an e-mail or something to say it's going to take a while, but I can't even guarentee that sometimes. Sorry, but... that's me.
Your best bet: poetry. Sorry, but it's true. That's where I can focus, not to mention the time thing becomes less of an issue when the length of your piece is, at most, like three pages. Versus stories that don't even get past the exposition in three pages. That's how I roll, ok?
Generally speaking, I'm always in the market for good literature. Genres don't matter to me, because something that's good is good, doesn't matter what it's called, or what people want to call it. It's good, period. So... I suppose I'm saying I reserve the right to say yes or no to applicants.
I like hazelnut, pretty eyes, the smell of old books, and long walks on the beach. Midnight strolls through the woods. Windy days, rain, snow flurries. Purple flowers. Romantics, cynicism, sarcasm, sincerity. Pretending to be in love. I like all these things in poetry. Be original, ok, guys?
Yeah. That's it, I suppose. Later. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I totally rock at grammar-related issues. If you need help with commas, colons, or semi-colons, I'm your man. If you don't know what a semi-colon is, I'm probably your man for that, too. Awkward phrasing and/or total confusion, I can do. Really, I suppose, my strength is the mechanics of writing, perhaps not the actual writing itself.
Another area I can help(ish) in is titles. I can do some good ones. And they're original, not just pulled from the poem/story.
I prefer poetry (it's easier all over than anything that has to have characters), but I can do mildly well on stories. Poetry is definitely a strength. I probably do better on free verse (if you don't have to worry about screwing up someone's syllable count, it's much easier to critique). |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
Plot. Characters. Action. Dialogue. Unless you're really desperate and/or it's not that big of an issue for you, I'm no real help here. Unless it's a short story (nothing multi-chaptered), I can't do plot worth crap. Characters aren't anything I can help with (I have a hard enough time with my own...). Similarly, I feel more comfortable with narration than dialogue and not-action more than action. I know a guy... and he can do action. I can't.
Stories, period, are probably a weakness. But I'll try if you're nice to me. |
Preferred: types of entries I prefer over others
I'd prefer poetry to stories and short stories to novels. Actually, don't send me your novel. It's not going to happen. I'll think about chaptered stories, but don't get your hopes up. Really.
On-the-edge poetry. The kind of free verse that practically isn't really anything but a blurb of words smushed together. Cutting-edge stuff, really. New ideas are nice. Free verse. Irregular line lengths. Any kind of poetry really, that makes my day. Not that you'd be able to recognize that. Interesting titles. The list goes on, alright? I prefer good stuff that doesn't need a lot of work. But I'll accept most anything that doesn't rhyme. |
Would Rather Not: types of entries I do not want to beta for
Anything that rhymes. Most Sci-Fi. Horrible grammar. Disdain for the English language. Repeatedly making the same mistake. Lots of things irritate me. I don't like westerns and a lot of action stories lose plot or character in an effort at making it exciting. Even though I don't do a lot of plot, I still like to be able to read it. No plot = no beta.
In poetry, I can't stand rhyming and I'm not fond of excessive use of strict forms. I despise lack of punctuation in a poem (unless you know the rules intimately, you aren't allowed to break them). Poems that are actually a narrative in disguse aren't really cool either. It's either a poem or a story, ok? There can be a story, there can be a moral, as long as it's still a poem. You can't sacrifice your poem to tell a story. Well, you can, but then it isn't cool. Be cool, alright, kids? |
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