Beta Bio: general description as a beta reader
Hello and well met, stranger! My name is Vix, and if you're looking me up as a potential Beta Reader I'm sure I'll soon get to know yours as well~ I could tell you plenty about myself, but if you'd like to know the little details, you can pick plenty up on my profile. The most important thing is: can I help you? And that's for -you- to decide. So, that being said! There are a few things you should know about me that might help you decide that~
- [I am a seasoned Role Player.] This means literacy and multi-character delights galore! My record of characters played at once in a single RP is 10. Each with multiple-page post lengths and a full range of different personalities. No cutting corners here, because this is one of my passions.
- [I am a full time Plotter, not to be confused with a Conspiracy Theorist.] I spend almost all my time (even when in class, working, or interacting with my friends and family) thinking up plot ideas for RPs, fanfics, or just to amuse myself and my besties. I love coming up with plot twists, seeing how characters would interact in various situations, what would happen if certain characters were thrown together and what kind of chaos would ensue~ Basically, if you want to come up with plot ideas, I'm your gal. I can spend the rest of my life doing this, and I'll be the happiest person ALIVE. -Laughs- Guaranteed!
- [I am a College Student and I Work.] This means the usual, "Oh my gosh, where does the time -go-?" Sometimes I'm really busy, but if you bring me a delicious piece of writing, story idea, or even just a fragmented concept, you can bet your belly button that I'll be mulling it over even when I'm SUPPOSED to be working on other things. Basically, free overtime. -Chuckles- I am dedicated to my work, and I -do- consider your fanfics as part of my job. When you choose me, and I agree to work with you, we'll become partners. Now this DOES NOT MEAN I will take credit for your work. Rather, it means I will work to be your support, through thick and thin.
- [I am a Real Life Tseng.] For those of you who know FFVII's Leader of the Turks figure, you can figure out what that means. For the rest of you, here are a few of the essential details: 1) I always have my phone on me. 2) Love organization and neatness. 3) Am a perfectionist to the point of ridiculousness. 4) Got connections, yeah~ ;D 5) Love FFVII. Specifically the Turks. Yes. I'm biased. We ALL are! 6) I am logical, perceptive, and level-headed. You need someone like me? You've got me. For the right price. (Aka, gimme good fanfiction fodder! Check the Preferred section below!)
Anything else that I haven't mentioned you'll figure out through working with me, or if you want, simply ask! I have absolutely no problem with preliminary interviews if you wanna see how I am and if I'm the type of person you want to work with. So drop me a PM and let's get to know each other! n_n |
My Strengths: beta, writing, or reading strengths
- [Detail Oriented.] This is a double-edged sword, but essential to how I work as a Beta. I nit-pick, comb over everything, and I do it multiple times. This goes hand-in-hand with my first Weakness below, thus why I call it double-edged. However, this does not mean I do not pay attention to the overall picture of a story. Rather, I take in both the big picture and the smaller details, ensuring that the material I Beta reaches as close to a whole work rather than one with gaps in random places.
- [Excellent Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling.] This goes hand-in-hand with my first Strength. Because English was not my first language, I learned it young, and have since found a great passion for it, you can be assured that these will be things I search for avidly. Mistakes are as much a blemish to me as they are to many serious writers. And if you're not fully reassured of my seriousness in this matter, here is the decision clincher: I write even as you see here in all of my text messages and IMs. For those of you who will be working with me closely through those mediums once I become your Beta, you will get to know this well.
- [Tenses and Speaker's Voice.] When it comes to consistency in present and past tense, along with first, second, and third person writing, this is a skill I have almost perfect use of. I can notice and fix wherever an author goes from first to third (sometimes even second) person in their writing, almost every time, in order to ensure a fic runs smoothly in one voice and tense. Depending on how the author wants the fic written, in any of the above tenses and speaker's voices, this should never be a problem. I also can work on stories with multiple voices within a chapter, no problem!
- [Easy to Reach.] Email, IM, Texts, PMs: all of these are mediums I use frequently. Texts and IMs are the easiest, because I can use my phone for both, and as was stated above I almost always have mine on me. Phone calls, however, while still -possible- future options for authors whom I have worked with for a fair amount of time, are not to be expected, as even then many complications would arise considering my busy schedule. Otherwise, I'll probably be your best friend (and quite possibly even a nuisance to you) if you expect me to interact a lot with you about your fics, something which I personally feel will be the most beneficial to both you as the Author and me as your Beta. This is all up for discussion, so feel free to ask! |
My Weaknesses: beta, writing, or reading weaknesses
- [Slow to Return Stories.] First and foremost, yes, this will partially be due to being busy with my own life. However, more so than even that, it will be very important for me to take my time in Betaing your stories so that I can make sure not to miss anything. I -do- miss things! Even with several read-throughs, I still can miss a word here or there that ends up being incorrect. But in order to minimize the chance of me handing back to you an incomplete or badly reviewed story, I will usually ask (at the most!) up to Two Weeks' time (depending on the length of the story or real life situations) in order to read over your work. And during that time, you -can- expect me to be in contact with you about your work, in order to make sure that I've got -your- desires for the story I'm Betaing in mind when I work through it.
- [Tendency to Over Complicate Things.] One of my vices is that I have a hard time saying things simply, and though I've tried to simplify my own style of writing so that it does not get too confusing or out of hand, I still tend to complicate writing by trying to include too many details (double-edged sword, once again), or fussing over a single line/word that doesn't seem right to me. When it comes to this, I will usually turn to the author to ask specifically what they intended to get across at that point in the story (whether it be a word, line or paragraph) in order to aid me in clarifying the section. That way I can ensure the story runs smoothly but also true to the author's intent. Also! If I seem to be worrying too much about a certain part, I may need the author to put their foot down and tell me to keep it one way, or give me a suggestion to work with instead so that I can then move on to the rest of the story. |
Preferred: types of entries I prefer over others
- [No Quick Updaters.] As does everyone here on FF.net, I have a lot of responsibilities outside of fanfiction, and that means I can't always make time to take care of stories that are meant to be updated quickly. In that respect, I ask that you please not ask for me to Beta Read anything that is meant to be updated quicker than every 1-2 Weeks.
- [Chaptered or One-Shot.] I have no bias against either! I would happily work with both!
- [Length.] This is where the exception for the above comes in. The longer the fanfic, the more exciting it seems to me! I always like chaptered fics because they offer more opportunity for a story and its characters to develop. However, just as stated above, I'll happily Beta one-shots as well (I myself write a huge amount of them), as long as they're not incredibly short. Let us say anything with at -least- 1,000 Words will be worth some of my time. However, I have the -most- motivation to apply myself towards long stories. This means: Yes. I will ENTHUSIASTICALLY take to fanfics whose chapters are over 10,000 words each! But remember: I'm flexible.
- [Conflict, Development, and Explanation.] This is my three-fold love for any story. If any of the three are present, I will be intrigued even if I find no other reason for wanting to work on/read your fic. Half the time, I'll even cast aside my strict "I do NOT accept illiterate fics!" rule (if I see you've put in effort) if a story has sufficient amounts of any or all of these three. To explain my reasoning a bit better... Conflict: Two or more forces meeting in competition or any kind of relationship other than perfect/smooth, and I'll take to it like roots to earth. Development: This is the joy of writing itself, in my book! To see how situations, conflicts, or characters especially start at one point/in one way and then change over time into (sometimes) something completely different! How exciting! Explanation: When there is no Development to be had, this last will draw me in regardless. Seeing an author take already known situations/characters and then throwing them into a different light, taking a different perspective on them to make it brand new and fresh: that amazes me!
As a final note, these above are the MAIN keys to what I am looking for in works people ask me to Beta. Don't feel intimidated by them. I promise I am not looking for SUPER fics from you in order for them to qualify as stories I will Beta. Keep in mind, however, that I will not waste my time on a story if I feel it's not worth it (mainly, if I don't feel an author has put in enough effort themselves). If I turn down a story and do not offer an explanation, it is usually because the story did not fit into some (or sometimes any) of the above things I'm looking for in a fanfic. Remember, I am flexible! But, within my own rules. |
Would Rather Not: types of entries I do not want to beta for
There is very little that I won't accept as a Beta Reader. When it comes to pairings, for instance, my policy is stated on my profile. I can and will believe in almost any pairing imaginable as long as I am given enough reason for how it is possible, and if the growth between the two characters is stable and logical...for the most part. There -are- some exceptions to this rule, so try me! We might be able to make things work out. Now, you follow that single rule, any pairings you throw my way shouldn't be too hard to deal with, even if I don't like the pairings personally. That being said, I do accept the typical One Night Stand fics. So without further ado, here are the VERY important things that turn me off to a fic:
- [Illiteracy.] If you cannot write full sentences, with generally proper punctuation, spelling, and grammar overall, I will turn down your story flat out. This means no "i luv u 2!114 let's maek BABYS!21lollolol!" No. Absolutely not. If I see this, it's an instant rejection. This does not mean that I will reject you because you have problems with grammar, punctuation, etc. If you need someone to clean up your stories because you know there are mistakes you might miss or have issues with correcting, that is something I understand and will usually overlook to work with you. However, do NOT expect me to be your ABC Spellchecker if I feel you aren't putting in any effort of your own to write properly. If I feel like I'm being played for a sap and you're not holding up your own end of the bargain by putting an -effort- into your writing, then it's no go.
- [Unrealistic Pairings/One Night Stands.] If you're going to give me a fic that is focused ONLY on pairing characters together that have absolutely NO reason/potential to work out, then I won't Beta your story. DON'T GET ME WRONG. I said: One Night Stands are okay! Some of the best pairing fics I've ever read have been One Night Stands. But only if: A) the characters already have some potential to get together, or B) your fic expands on their relationship enough so that I can see the pairing working out. If you just feel like throwing Yuffie and Cid, or Auron and Yuna into a smutfest and not giving me a good reason for it: Forget it. I want MOTIVE and REASON people! That's what makes a pairing fic worth my time. And if you WANT to get an unusual pair together but don't know how to: Ask me! I LOVE unconventional pairings. Let's plot it out! If you're willing to put in the time and effort to work with me on this, then I will as well.
That being said...I have one gripe in all of fanfiction. Don't we all? It may be one of the most popular pairings out there in the FFVII world, but...I cannot -stand- the Cloud/Tifa pairing. I am so strongly against it that I can't ever imagine myself warming up to the pairing...EVER. I literally mean I'll be 90 plus years old, in a rocking chair, ranting and raving about how the worst pairing I've ever HEARD OF (besides possibly Bella/ANYBODY from Twilight [Yay Twilight hate! XD]) was Cloud and Tifa. I have my own reasons for this, and I'll probably be happy to share them with you if you care to ask. But I'm telling you right now, it's going to take something very special for me to even consider a Cloud/Tifa fic. So be warned. If it's the usual nonsense, turn around and go find someone else. Because I absolutely cannot stomach this pairing. |
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