Me as a beta reader. Hmm... I am tedious, plot and character driven, nuance-loving, fluffy and downright silly at times. I like to read stories that have substance, deep characters, a little bit of off-the-wall-humor and a deep, complicated plot. I studied psychology in my younger years, so I love the chance to psycho-analyze a character. If you ever need that, I'm your woman!My style is pretty different from most people in that all my changes are done in one of two ways-- using Word2007's reviewing software (this requires my writer to have 2007 and know how to use the software, and direct e-mail contact with the writer), or by using the same method by hand. This is more time consuming for both the writer and I, so I usually spend around 2 hours on a 5000 word chapter. It can take me a week to do a beta reading, because of the in-depth of my detail.
Example:
Original work
Lisa glanced done at teh peace of paper on the ground. "The sky is falling" it read. Oh, well, that's nice, she supposed. "I wonder is Ice Cream goes on sail when the word ends." she mused. Her friend walked up to her. "Hey Lisa"
Beta'd work (as the writer would see it)
Lisa glanced done at the (spelling changed from 'teh') piece (peace, piece, there's a difference) of paper on the ground. "The sky is falling," (added a comma after 'falling', grammar and syntex) it read. Oh, well, that's nice, she supposed. "I wonder, does (typo, and word choice correction here) ice cream (no capitalization) goes on sale (wrong word. Sale and sail) when the world ends." she mused.
Her friend walked up to her. "Hey Lisa." (New paragraph for a new speaker, and punctuation at the end of the sentence.)
The parenthesis and the place where the change is made are typically bolded. Of course, this is an example. I have high standards as to whom I will beta-read for, so if someone had actually submitted that to me, I would probably turn them down.
Speaking of standards... As a beta reader, I feel that it is not my duty to act as an elementary school English teacher. Therefore, possible writers must meet a certain standard before I will accept them. However, even if you feel you do not meet all the standards, feel free to still ask. The worst I'll do is politely turn you down.
Standards
1) Competency in basic grammar and writing etiquette. That means no chatspeak, no useless mid-chapter ANs (actually, no mid chapter ANs period. Make a footnote instead), and the basic rules of punctuation and grammar are followed, even if mistakes are evident.
2) Maturity and responsibility in writing. Characterizations and plot developments display understanding of basic universal concepts, balance, and the alchemy of writing. This excludes Mary Sues, unexplained plot bunnies/holes, and character bashing (especially in archtypes. Unless it's a parody, don't make all your cheerleaders dumb blonds and the emo kids are cool.
3) A plot I'm interested in. The best way to do this is to tell me your plot/plans. I probably won't say no, since what I love most is a good read, but I do prefer unique stories and twists on old cliches.
How to request me for a beta:
Send me an e-mail or PM telling me a bit about yourself and the story you want to do. What do you want me to do as your beta? Finally, send me an example of your writing so that I can check the above requirements.
I look forward to working with you!
