Well, let's see, me as a beta-reader... I've been asked to beta read a few things, and while I'm not the MOST experienced at it, I'm getting better and like to think I do a fairly decent job. Depending on what I'm betaing, I can be nice, and I can be... rather critical. When it comes to me, though, the harder and more nitpicky I am on the writing, in most cases the better I think it is. I'm really hard on stuff that's written well, just to get authors to kick it up a bit more. Also, the longer I beta for someone, the more comfortable I get with their writing style, and therefore the more I have to say.

My style: I come to pieces that I beta first and foremost as a reader, not as a fellow author. I make notes about what I as a reader would like to see more of, what doesn't feel right, what seems out of place. Then I look at it as a fellow author - what were you trying to do in what I read, and how can you do that while still taking into account what a reader might want to see? I won't knock your personal style around, I know that each author has their own way of going about writing, but I'll simply point out what I as a reader feel could be worked on, and then give thoughts on how that might be accomplished from an author's standpoint. It's a tricky balance, but I do my best.

Expectations: Patience and understanding. I can be a bit slow to beta sometimes, and I do try to be nice, but I also know it may not always come across that way. Criticism is hard to take no matter whether it's nicely said or not, after all... and I can be rather critical when it comes to betaing. Know that it's not because I think your work is terrible - It's because I think there's potential that's not being realized yet.

My own strengths, I would have to say, reside in the area of canon and characterization. I am a VERY strict adherent to canon, I put a lot of background research into my own stories just to make sure I have them within the constraints set by the author. That's not to say I hate AUs, there some very well done ones out there that I absolutely love, but I'm very finicky when it comes to those. I'm certainly one to go to if you're unsure on canon, though.

Characterization... I've been told that this is one of my stronger points several times. Being such a strict adherent to canon, I get to know canon characters rather well. Also, the usage of dialogue, body language and such is something that I think I do a fairly good job with. I think it's the strongest part of my own writing, and if you need help with such things, I'm more than willing to help out.

In my own writing, I can be rather terrible when it comes to just plain ol' description. Setting a scene, describing the setting, stuff like that. I'm way more interested in the characters than what's around them, and that can be a real detriment sometimes. I can set an atmopshere well enough, and I can certainly point out when something feels like it's simply been glossed over or not done in enough detail, but it's not something I can help fix quite as well as dialogue/characterization. I do try my best, though.

C. S. Lewis, plain and simple. I don't care if it's a oneshot, long story, or poetry, I'm open to all forms of it. I prefer K to T ratings, and I'm rather fond of thought-provoking pieces - I /am/ a Christian, after all, and I love seeing pieces that reflect the Christianity of Lewis's works. Fill-in-the-gap type pieces are also a love of mine. Unique is the keyword for me. Yes, I'm a rather well-read Lewis scholar, so I'm willing to look over stuff outside of the Chronicles of Narnia.

Mary Sues... well... I'll look over them, but don't expect me to go easy. Mary Sues bug me, and I'll do all I can to help you de-Sue things, but too many make my head hurt. Also, forget sending me anything slashy or incesty. I won't read it. AUs I don't mind TOO terribly much in certain cases, but you're probably better off finding someone else for those. And anything that deserves higher than a mild T rating... forget that, too. Romance I'm iffy with, as I don't feel it has much of a place in Narnia, except with certain exceptions... I'd look it over, but you're probably better off with another.

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