Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
To Whomever reads this and is looking for a beta-reader:
NOTE AS 2009: Please first read the note on beta-reading at my main profile before reading this this profile.
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I've been in the Lord of the Rings fandom for approximately three years now. I first started with the movies before moving on to the books. I've read fanfiction for those three years, and written two and half years.
I usually have ample time for beta-ing. I work primarily in Tolkien-based fandoms. See my other profile (http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1257971/Tegril1) for anything else I might beta.
You have my word that as a beta, I will not insult, flame, or use sarcasm against you or your fic(s), but will make every intention to help improve and better a story.
No refunds, though. If you're not happy, give your reasons/complaints, but not your insults. Beta-reading takes time, and I would appreciate feedback, and a "thank you" if you think I've done well.
Beta-reading style (numbered in succession):
1. Grammar, spelling, technical stuff. Typos.
2. Style and flow of story
3. Believability
4. Canon
5. Final
6. Sending back
I currently use Word 2008 for most corrections, but since it doesn't catch everything, I do look over a paper after using it. All files are acceptable.
Though FF.Net has the DocX function, I don't prefer to use it. I prefer e-mailing.
Corrections and Notes are written with red. If you hate red; I can always use another color. :) |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
Tolkien canon:
I've read the Silmarillion at least twenty times, The Hobbit five, and The Lord of the Rings at least seven. Other books include reading Morgoth's Ring two/three times, The Children of Húrin four, The Lays of Beleriand, The Book of Lost Tales Vol 1, and part of The Return of the Shadow.
Other books about Tolkien and his works that I've read at least one or twice are:
Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter
Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth by Bradley J. Birzer
Understanding the Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism
The Road to Middle-Earth and Tolkien: Author of the Century, both by T.A. Shippey
Meditations in Middle-Earth
The J.R.R. Tolkien Handbook : A Comprehensive Guide to His Life, Writings, and World of Middle-Earth by Colin Duriez
The Atlas of Middle-Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad
The New Tolkien Companion by J.E.A. Tyler
Tolkien and the Critics: Essays on J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings by Neil David Isaacs.
But don't come to me for Elvish help. I can read/write/speak some, and I'm able to tell you the difference between Elvish and Grelvish and give you simple advice or translate a couple of phrases, but for extensive help with either Sindarin or Quenya, google Merin Essi Ar Quenteli. This applies to any other Tolkien languages, such as Dwarvish, Andûnaic, Black Speech, etc.
Other Tolkien information can be found here: http://tolkien.slimy.com/
Other:
I can correct spelling, grammar, stylistic problems, OOCness, descriptions, dialogue, redundancies, etc. I have MS Word 2003, dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia at my fingertips. I like to nitpick. :) I can tell the difference between a Mary-Sue and a well-rounded character. First person and third person POVs are fine. 2 person fics are not allowed on FF.Net.
I can either be very critical, or only slightly critical. Name which one you prefer. But I won't flame. Flaming is insulting the author, not the work, and I'm not that sort of person.
I'm a quick reader, so usually if I beta something, usually the most you have to wait is a week. The shorter, the faster. Maybe even within the hour at times. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
I sometimes leave for long periods of time, but I DO NOT leave unexpectedly. I usually send out a message to everyone I beta for before leaving. (If I leave unexpectedly for a long time and do not come back, it means I died. Yes. Meaning that day will not happen for a very, very long time. I hope.)
I can e-mail, but I won't IM. It takes up too much of my time.
Hobbit/Shire stories—I’m not good with the culture of the hobbits, despite the fact that they were Tolkien’s creation and crucial to Middle-earth. Fellowship stories are fine, but hobbit-centric stories are not my strong point.
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As a writer:
I'm a bad updater.
I'm sporadic.
I procrastinate. But my updated stories/chapters are usually quite long, and I usually finish something I start.
I miss things in my own stories. But that's why I myself have people beta-read my things.
Commas are my weakness. So are present tense. My friend, Roses of Sharon, is the expert on tenses.
I'm not perfect--no one is--but I do know my strengths and weaknesses in writing. |
Preferred: types of entries I prefer over others
Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Family, Friendship, Action/Adventure, Drama, and Suspense genres are my favorite, but I can do all other genres, too. I have a high tolerance level for many things such as blood, violence, etc.
I will accept beta-ing a romance after an evaluation on my part.
Oneshots, drabbles, poetry, short stories, novel lengths, can do. I prefer book-based fics, but I will also do movie-based ones, or a mixture of both. I own the Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy, Extended Edition.
Ratings K--M are fine.
Characters I prefer:
My favorites are all in my profile, but I can do all other LOTR/Silmarillion characters, too (except hobbits). Elves and Men (Canon or OC) are the preferred race.
Anything goes except--- |
Would Rather Not: types of entries I do not want to beta for
1. Slash, yaoi, yuri, or incest (Whether it be implied, light, or heavy, I won't do it).
2. Lemons/Limes.
3. Mary-Sues (Meaning no canon character/OC).
4. PWP (smut, no plot) stories. I like to keep my mind OUT of the gutter.
5. BDSM or Dom/Sum stories (stories in which characters are tortured/beaten/kidnapped, etc are fine, as long as there are no sexual overtones involved). I don't believe that pain equals pleasure, or that pain should be involved in intimate acts.
6. Graphic rape scenes in stories. Non-con is tolerated, but if you're going to write a rape scene in minute detail, I refuse to beta it.
7. Stories with too many careless mistakes (They are a headache. I've done it a few times, and each time leaves me feeling drained). However, if you're an ESL, I don't mind.
8. Stories that are too grim, or the character death is unreasonable.
9. Ridiculous AUs, such LOTR the High School Version.
10. Humorous stories that are not humorous, or have too many "inside jokes" that no one but the author and his/her friends can understand.
11. Stories which portray evil Thranduil (Who beats his son and locks him up), Denethor (who hates Faramir and abuses him), or Elrond (who hates Aragorn because he likes Arwen).
12. Crazy pairings, like a hobbit with an elf, or an Ent with an elf.
15. Discipline fics. There aren't too many of these, but they still exist, and I disapprove of them. A kid needs discipline, true, but is there a need to expound on that fact? And when the child become an adult, it means they've matured, and there's no need for discipline (In these stories, characters are terribly OOC and childish).
15. Aragorn/Éowyn, Legolas/Éowyn. The only odd pairing I will do is Legolas/Arwen.
16. Bestiality. *turns green* Please, no.
(*shakes head* The things people think up these days...)
I realize I may be picky, what with all my likes and dislikes. But if I do beta, I'm committed 100% to helping you improve.
I owe the right to either accept or decline a request. If I decline, I have nothing personal against you.
Signed,
Calenlass Greenleaf, aka Tegril |
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