Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
I am a professional writer. I work more in as far as my writings on fictionpress go, but my main concentration is actually novels. I have been a beta for various authors and friends on this site for about 2.5 years, and on other sites and for hard-copies of my friends' writings for going on 6 years now. My format for beta reading is as follows: you email me your chapter(s), I use Word's nifty little function to show edits to the side (though I usually use notes as I have a tendency to want to explain my correction or give a suggestion that I felt was inconsiderate to write into the author's piece), and I email it back to you to browse and take suggestions as you will. Simple as that. But I do need to know if you use .doc or .docx as that makes a difference in how I can format the edit marks. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I am a grammar wiz, always have been--and I have to be or my editor will get on my tail about it. I am especially good with sentence construction and commas/semicolons/hypens/dashes and other separative punctuation. Plot progression, character development, and thought-flow are also aspects I am very good at. English is my primary and only language (unless you count Latin). I have a bank of historical knowledge in regards to dress and culture of different periods in ancient and medieval societies--but I will only use this information if you wish to draw upon it; I will not mess with your piece if you want it a particular way. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
I do tend to focus more on the mechanics than the make-up at times. I also, as described in the profile, do not use fictionpress as the platform for my beta'ing; I require the people for whom I beta to email me their chapter(s), which I in turn edit in Word through the function that allows one to view the edits separately from the text. I also require .doc or .docx--or that I may convert them to such when I edit as .rts and .txt don't allow for the nifty edit function of which I spoke. |
Preferred: types of entries I prefer over others
I prefer ANY form of poetry. I also prefer long-term works, as in ones that are more than five chapters long. I believe that it allows for a more intricate, interesting, and overall enjoyable plot, although this might stem from the fact that I write novels. I prefer any fantasy, especially low-tech fantasy, but if you write well enough, I'll like it regardless. |
Would Rather Not: types of entries I do not want to beta for
I don't like smut. However, this is not to say that I do not enjoy romance between any combination of genders, especially the ones that develop the relationship over the course of a number of chapters instead of far too rapidly for the plot. This is also not to say that I do not enjoy intimacy or even M-rated scenes. It's just the flat-out graphic and implausible that get to me, ESPECIALLY when basic concepts of writing and thought-flow are ignored. |
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