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writethisfanficHello writers! I hope you are all well!
Discussion question: Do you beta? If you do, how much do you usually do? Just spelling & grammar, or watching out for character & plot inconsistencies, or more? And if you don't, any particular reason?
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Discussion question: Do you beta? If you do, how much do you usually do? Just spelling & grammar, or watching out for character & plot inconsistencies, or more? And if you don't, any particular reason?
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 17:40 (UTC)I don't beta simply because I'm far too busy writing. :) I've done it in the past, and might do it again in the future, but at the moment I'm just too wrapped up in producing my own word count.
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 21:41 (UTC)no subject
Date: Friday, February 17th, 2012 01:15 (UTC)(And I've written another ~950 words since then. Boo-YEAH!)
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Date: Friday, February 17th, 2012 01:53 (UTC)no subject
Date: Friday, February 17th, 2012 13:52 (UTC)(I had plenty of such energy in the days before I was prescribed Concerta for treatment-resistant depression, but it tended to happen much later in the day when I had other things to do. Getting that burst before noon has really made a difference in my output.)
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 17:42 (UTC)Yuujinchou Exchange (due Mar 17 - 1K word min): 578 new words. I finally started in on the scene I've been worrying over. Hopefully now that I've got it started I can just keep going and worry about editing it later (the self-sensor is strong with this one). I also did a pretty thorough edit on what I've drafted so far. With longer oneshots like this, I tend to worry that it's all coherent, to the point where I begin to find it hard to continue writing. I'm trying not to fall into that again here (hint: pokes and prods and pats on the back will be much appreciated!). Current word count: 4,655
Help_Japan (due 18 years ago - 750 word min): No new words. Current word count: 3,666
I beta pretty regularly, and can beat a story up as much or as little as requested. Sometimes someone just wants to see how things look at a macro level (characterization, plot progression), and other times I'm asked to take out the fine tooth comb and find all the comma errors and typos (and for my one buddy, my job is also to Americanize her draft so that the larger part of fandom can understand what the heck she's saying when she gets too heavy on the Brit-speak).
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 18:04 (UTC)I actually just finished my first beta last night. I've edited before, but that's a little different. I'm willing to do it all, on the basis that poking at other people's writing helps me improve my own. Last night's beta was mostly grammar/spelling/etc, but also some characterization and plot stuff, and general writing suggestions. I'm totally up for doing it again.
(And psst, speaking of, I'd love at least two betas for "TSSLoDJW", one who's read "The Mystery of the Runaway Bride" and one who hasn't.)
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 21:40 (UTC)I don't want to take on any fine comb projects until after my Big Bang challenge closes (deadline is March 1st - these few weeks eat my brain as everyone scrambles), but if you need someone to do a macro-level read through I could do that. I know only that Sherlock was a detective and Doctor Who travels in the Tardis. <-- the perfect no-idea-what's-happened-in-canon beta? XD
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 22:03 (UTC)no subject
Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 22:07 (UTC)no subject
Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 22:08 (UTC)no subject
Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 19:38 (UTC)I'm not a beta reader in general, meaning I've never gone around offering to beta. I've had people ask me to look over stuff though, either from authors I know or as a result of comments I've made on fics. How detailed I beta usually depends on what the author is specifically looking for. I've done just spelling/grammar and I've also done the whole nine yards.
In most cases, I tend to be a lot more detailed with authors I already know or have some sort of interaction with. This is probably because I don't have to worry as much about whether they'll take things the wrong way. I can be a pretty critical reader, so outside of grammar and spelling, I don't really offer up too many other concrits unless I know for sure the author wants it.
In some cases, I'm also a bit hesitant about commenting on characterization or plot inconsistencies unless I know more about the fic in question or have read far enough if it's a multi-chapter fic. Sometimes, you just don't know what the author is planning - and whatever part that I may have perceived to be a "problem" could turn out to be intended.
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 21:35 (UTC)no subject
Date: Friday, February 17th, 2012 06:08 (UTC)Initially, I was hoping that I could find a beta and it might help me solve some problems I was having with a WIP I've been working on. I haven't had any luck finding a beta, so that's out... but I also have to admit that I've got issues that I'll probably have to fix internally myself as well, so I figured I've got to attack that at some point.
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Date: Saturday, February 18th, 2012 16:59 (UTC)no subject
Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 19:58 (UTC)I like betaing -- I like it best when I know the fandom, which regrettably cuts down the chances I have to beta. I'll do spag-only if asked to, but in general I'll do everything. I think once in a while people get prickly when they see all the tracked changes & comments, eep. Though I think in a way the more comments I leave, the more promising I think a fic is -- I mean, if I thought it was unfixable or utterly unengaging I'm not sure I would be able to come up w/so much to say about it, if that makes sense.
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 21:34 (UTC)I can only bold so much. Of course the length of fic plays into this as well - I don't tend to look at plot and the like nearly as much in a oneshot as I do multi-chapters; I'm basically playing Devil's Advocate in that scenario, making sure things are as squared away as possible and that the author has a firm grasp of where they're going in future installments.As for receiving tons of notes in a fic. I love it! I like hearing All The Thoughts and making sure I'm good with what I'm about to put out.
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 21:50 (UTC)I've always been a little unsure about betaing. I mean... I can catch some grammar and spelling and word-usage, but since I'm not a native English-speaker I'm never quite sure I'm going to catch it all, so...
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Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 22:54 (UTC)no subject
Date: Friday, February 17th, 2012 01:52 (UTC)no subject
Date: Thursday, February 16th, 2012 22:16 (UTC)no subject
Date: Friday, February 17th, 2012 01:33 (UTC)I don't do any beta work. Instead, I offer feedback. Lots and lots of feedback. I'm surprised my friends haven't drowned in them already.
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Date: Friday, February 17th, 2012 04:22 (UTC)I only offer to beta around Yuletide, ad then I'll look at their structure ad rhythm. SAG isn't may strongest forte,. That's why I seldom beta for others other than the period.
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Date: Friday, February 17th, 2012 08:04 (UTC)I offer to beta and I tend to look over mostly plot, sentence flow (moreso how to word things better, combining sentences together, and get rid of repeated wordage) and characterization. I also tend to offer feedback with much depth as I can. I'm not great on grammar so I don't look through over that much saved for basic stuff.