Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
I tend to adapt my style to the requirements of whoever asks me to read something. If I know the person is particularly worried about a certain character, or their spelling or the way the plot moves, I will use my attention accordingly. I get specially worked up over things like punctuation and spelling.
As far as style goes, I'm not usually very harsh, because I think everyone needs to find their own style, and while I might point something out if it really put me off the work in question and I think it would do the same to others I normally feel this is up to the author to pass judgement on.
I'm very hot on realism, which may seem strange from a writer/reader who mainly concentrates on Fantasy and Sci/fi, but they're actually very compatible traits. They only way to stop Fantasy from becoming ridiculous is to make sure that the behaviour of your characters and the way you create your setting are completely plausible. Terry Pratchett is a fantastic example; while the situations and plots of his books are one hundred percent Fantasy, he is also a master of human psychology and it is no difficulty to believe that his characters behave the way they do.
I'm now looking at the number of characters I have left available and wondering desperately what else I have to say for myself. What can I say about my expectations of others? Well, I consider myself quite a patient person, so I'll happily take requests from someone who has real, serious difficulties with things like spelling and punctuation as long as they don't mind me pointing these things out to them relentlessly. I don't want requests from anyone who'll snark at me for pointing out the same mistake every time it appears. I also don't expect people to ask anyone to Beta for them, including myself, if they can't accept the criticism. I think it's extremely important for every writer to remember that just because someone criticises your work they are not criticising you. Writer's need to be mature, in this respect, and realise that even people who you may regard as inferior writers have something to contribute as readers. I know I'm not the best writer in the world, or the best on this site, or the best in my genres on this site, or anything of the kind. But everyone has a valid perspective. And no one deserves hostility for voicing an opinion, especially when it's been requested. |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
I'm an avid reader and writer of Fantasy in particular so my experience lies mostly in that direction, but I am willing to read any type of story.
I have been on several creative writing courses and had my work torn into very small pieces before my eyes on a number of occasions, so I think by now I have picked up a number of very useful general pointers on matters such as word economy and vivid description. My strengths are description and characteristation, I'm told, though maybe others reading my work would disagree.
My punctuation isn't faultless, certainly from a stylistic point of view, but I know most of the rules and can usually see where they should be employed. It's something I often find myself correcting in other people's work. Things like using the right tense (or at least choosing one and sticking to it) tend to come up a lot, and I am constantly surprised by how many people don't know where to use commas or semi-colons. |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
My main weakness seems to be plot, so far, but I think I am better at recognising the strengths/flaws of the plots in my reading than I am in my own writing. I will offer as much of an opinion as I can on this subject, but cannot promise to solve all problems with it because I have problems of my own in this area.
I also have a tendancy to cleave to the longer, more complex sentences - as some of you may have noticed from this profile. I try to keep this in check, but anyone taking my advice should not hesitate to tell me that they liked that sentence short and simple and that I am trying to overcomplicate matters. |
Preferred: types of entries I prefer over others
Fantasy, gay/lesbian fiction, historical fiction; I'm always on the look out for comedy, but usually in addition to one or more of the previous genres rather than modern day, realistic comedy. |
Would Rather Not: types of entries I do not want to beta for
I'm not sure if Betareading would be likely to cover this, anyway, but I would really prefer not to be asked to Beta poetry; I enjoy reading it, but I don't consider myself at all qualified to comment on the writing of it. I almost never do it myself and don't think I could really help people with it; though if all you want is an overview of how it reads, or something, like that, then of course I would happily contribute.
As far as genre goes, I tend to avoid things like crime fiction, but that is not to say I would outright refuse it.
In terms of contraversial subjects, there is not much that I will not read. I'm all for free speech; just because I don't share or approve of a view point doesn't mean I won't read it. Religion, atheism, abortion, LGBT issues, self-harm, suicide, sadism, masochism... Gods, know I've written enough of those myself from time to time. I'll take a look at any of it, but I won't necessarily comment extrensively on the content. |
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