Post by boogum on Feb 14, 2016 9:45:02 GMT
Beta Profile/Bio:
Describe who you are as a beta-reader, your beta-reading style, and/or expectations of anyone that wishes to acquire your services.
First, I should probably say that I'm pretty limited at the moment in regards to what I can offer as a beta-reader. I can't take on large projects, but I can beta for the odd one-shot or stories that are under ten chapters. Your best bet is to consider me a pinch-hitter beta.
Other than that, my actual beta-reading style is to use track changes and inserted comments on your document to let you know what I think needs to be fixed, etc. I am picky when it comes to pacing and characterisation. I will let you know if I feel the story is being rushed or if a character is behaving a bit 'off'. That said, I am open-minded when it comes to interpretations of characters (particularly for AU fics) and will adjust my 'OOC radar' according to the backgrounds you have given your characters.
I also make a good sounding board and will offer suggestions and ideas if needed - especially if you've got a complicated plot and want to figure out how to make it simple and easy for you to write. I will let you know if something doesn't make sense and will help you to avoid plot holes. Really, I just want to make your writing as polished and clear as possible, but I will never go all Betazilla on you and try to take over your story.
My Strengths:
Honesty is not boasting. Name areas of beta-reading/writing you excel at. Everyone has a different perspective of the world and skills.
I am good at spotting typos, repetition, and grammatical mistakes. I care about the flow of writing and will push you to smooth out any structural, dialogue or transition issues. Basically, I will make you work. If you want to half-arse your story, I'm probably not the beta-reader for you.
My Weaknesses:
Perfection is the pursuit of perfection. Talk about your weaknesses as a beta-reader/writer.
1) Smut. I don't like to read it and tend to just gloss over those sections, so obviously I will never make a good smut beta. You will either need to find someone else to beta those sections for you, trust your own judgement, or just find a different beta entirely.
2) Fact-checking. I might look up something for you if it stands out to me as wrong, but mostly I will ask you to do the research or will just assume that you are correct in whatever you have written.
3) You've probably noticed I use UK spelling. I'll admit that British English is easier for me, but I've beta-read for plenty of stories that use American English and grammar, so it's not that much of an issue. You just might have to deal with the odd "I don't understand what this means" comment when you use unfamiliar idioms.
Preferred:
Are there some type of stories you would prefer to beta over others?
I'm really not fussed. My own DCMK stories tend to be on the nonsensical side, but I'll read anything if it's interesting enough to get my attention. If I had to choose, though, I guess I prefer canon-pairings or "general" fiction. Romance can irk me depending on how it is written, so yeah. I'll pass on anything that looks like it could come straight out of a soppy teen novel.
Not My Cup Of Tea:
Are there some type of stories you would not beta-read?
I don't do smut, incest, or explicit slash/femme-slash. I have no interest in poetry.
Résumé
If you have beta read before, what work of writing was it? Link to the piece if it's posted online.
Oh, gosh, I don't even know where to start. I write/read for multiple fandoms (and have been doing so for over a decade), so I have beta-read for a lot people. I haven't done anything in a while, though, and I'm too lazy to try find a link to one of the stories right now (cause I can't remember the titles, haha). Just trust me that I know what I'm doing.
Fandoms Offered
Are there any particular fandoms that you can beta for?
DCMK, Avatar: the Last Airbender, Dragon Ball Z, Fairy Tail, Harry Potter.
Describe who you are as a beta-reader, your beta-reading style, and/or expectations of anyone that wishes to acquire your services.
First, I should probably say that I'm pretty limited at the moment in regards to what I can offer as a beta-reader. I can't take on large projects, but I can beta for the odd one-shot or stories that are under ten chapters. Your best bet is to consider me a pinch-hitter beta.
Other than that, my actual beta-reading style is to use track changes and inserted comments on your document to let you know what I think needs to be fixed, etc. I am picky when it comes to pacing and characterisation. I will let you know if I feel the story is being rushed or if a character is behaving a bit 'off'. That said, I am open-minded when it comes to interpretations of characters (particularly for AU fics) and will adjust my 'OOC radar' according to the backgrounds you have given your characters.
I also make a good sounding board and will offer suggestions and ideas if needed - especially if you've got a complicated plot and want to figure out how to make it simple and easy for you to write. I will let you know if something doesn't make sense and will help you to avoid plot holes. Really, I just want to make your writing as polished and clear as possible, but I will never go all Betazilla on you and try to take over your story.
My Strengths:
Honesty is not boasting. Name areas of beta-reading/writing you excel at. Everyone has a different perspective of the world and skills.
I am good at spotting typos, repetition, and grammatical mistakes. I care about the flow of writing and will push you to smooth out any structural, dialogue or transition issues. Basically, I will make you work. If you want to half-arse your story, I'm probably not the beta-reader for you.
My Weaknesses:
Perfection is the pursuit of perfection. Talk about your weaknesses as a beta-reader/writer.
1) Smut. I don't like to read it and tend to just gloss over those sections, so obviously I will never make a good smut beta. You will either need to find someone else to beta those sections for you, trust your own judgement, or just find a different beta entirely.
2) Fact-checking. I might look up something for you if it stands out to me as wrong, but mostly I will ask you to do the research or will just assume that you are correct in whatever you have written.
3) You've probably noticed I use UK spelling. I'll admit that British English is easier for me, but I've beta-read for plenty of stories that use American English and grammar, so it's not that much of an issue. You just might have to deal with the odd "I don't understand what this means" comment when you use unfamiliar idioms.
Preferred:
Are there some type of stories you would prefer to beta over others?
I'm really not fussed. My own DCMK stories tend to be on the nonsensical side, but I'll read anything if it's interesting enough to get my attention. If I had to choose, though, I guess I prefer canon-pairings or "general" fiction. Romance can irk me depending on how it is written, so yeah. I'll pass on anything that looks like it could come straight out of a soppy teen novel.
Not My Cup Of Tea:
Are there some type of stories you would not beta-read?
I don't do smut, incest, or explicit slash/femme-slash. I have no interest in poetry.
Résumé
If you have beta read before, what work of writing was it? Link to the piece if it's posted online.
Oh, gosh, I don't even know where to start. I write/read for multiple fandoms (and have been doing so for over a decade), so I have beta-read for a lot people. I haven't done anything in a while, though, and I'm too lazy to try find a link to one of the stories right now (cause I can't remember the titles, haha). Just trust me that I know what I'm doing.
Fandoms Offered
Are there any particular fandoms that you can beta for?
DCMK, Avatar: the Last Airbender, Dragon Ball Z, Fairy Tail, Harry Potter.