Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
At just a few months younger than John Barrowman (clever way of getting around my age), I'm definitely one of the senior writers on the site. An avid reader and writer with a love of language, I've been jokingly referred to as the Grammar Nazi. I'm a home educator of two teenage girls, both of whom repeatedly impress their teachers with their writing skills, garnering the top scores on their essay assignments and creative writing exercises.
My desire as a beta-reader is to help other writers take their brilliant and beautiful ideas and present them in a way that the story is what impacts the reader, not the difficulty they were put through in translating minor errors in punctuation and usage. I am a stickler for details and will happily help with researching canon on pieces that I read as well, offering information which will deepen your characterization whenever possible. I have in the past written and am willing to assist others in writing difficult romantic (including M-rated) and action scenes.
My favorite authors are Stephen King, Peter F. Hamilton, Piers Anthony, H.G. Wells, Dylan Thomas, and Jane Austen. I hope that I have been influenced in some way by each of them. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I am skilled in both grammar and style, having excelled in every English course I have taken, from Advanced Placement courses in high school to college classes in creative writing and writing research. I've been praised in my fanfiction for my adherence to character and my ability to hypothesize plausible backstories and crossover connections. Although its often difficult as a quantum fiction (time travel) writer to manage it, I'm good at continuity, even working a few retcons that were less obvious than those Marvel publishes. I'd definitely list as other strengths dialog, romantic scenes, sex scenes, and action/battle sequences. I'm also pretty good at hooks (opening story/chapter lines) and sinkers (ending lines that make the reader want to tune in for the next post). I'm experienced with writing in several variations of point-of-view, including first person, third person, and third person omniscient, and can transition between them when necessary while writing. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
I have found myself staring with nausea at some of my run-on rambles when doing descriptions. I've also been accused of not making my sentences flowery enough, which would seem to contradict the previous fault. I tend to be a bit of a realist, a true handicap for someone who writes science fiction and fantasy. While I strongly recommend outlines for new writers, I tend to deviate from mine so quickly I no longer bother when writing my own works. |
Preferred: types of entries I prefer over others
I like stories that blend light and dark, humor and drama. I enjoy good yaoi/slash or unexpected straight pairings in romance. Quantum fiction and crossovers are my absolute favorites, but I'm open to just about anything you'd like to share with me, including crossovers that involve fandoms I'm not a member of personally.
My favorite categories are Torchwood, Doctor Who, Iron Man, X-Men, Chuck, Firefly/Serenity, Angel, Final Fantasy (V-VIII), Dyansty Warriors, Shadow Hearts, Mercenaries, Cowboy Bebop, and Outlaw Star. |
Would Rather Not: types of entries I do not want to beta for
While I have no objection to sex, bondage, or violence, I'm not particularly interested in stories that endorse or glorify pedophilia, rape, or sexual exploitation. Not that those elements can't be useful and dramatic within a story, but I personally don't find them appropriate as a gratuitous theme. If your story has those elements, please make sure they have a reason to be in it before you ask me to read it for you. |
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