Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related Willing Beta Readers looking for work!

I've noticed several people, in the Care and Feeding of BRs thread, stating that they're willing to beta for writers who are looking for BRs. But it occurred to me that these offers might get lost in the midst of that thread. So I've started this new one in the hope that those kind FoLCs, and perhaps others who've been wondering about BRing, might post here advertising their services.

For someone who hasn't done it before, the first question on your mind might be: What do I need to be a BR?

The most important thing to have is a love of fanfic. That's it, really. Spelling, grammar, punctuation - well, that helps, but only really if the writer you BR for specifies that s/he needs help with that. When I work with a BR, what I want from her/him is these things:

• Reactions: how does the story make you feel? Are you getting what you want from the story? From the characters' actions? From the plot? Does anything not make sense?
• Criticisms: does it make sense? Have I explained everything? Are my characters in character - and if they're acting out of character, have I explained why? Is it just plain stupid? Does the dialogue sound right? Is there a better way to say something than I've said it?
• Suggestions: do you have ideas about what could happen next? Or how something that's already happened could happen better? Or how I could link aspects of the story together?
• Sometimes I want to brainstorm: I might feel that I've written myself into a corner and I want to discuss ideas as to how to escape. But finding those ideas isn't the BR's job - if s/he comes up with solutions that's a real bonus. Simply being able to discuss the creative process helps.
• Spelling, grammar etc: way down the list! Sure, if my BR finds a typo or a misplaced semi-colon, I want to know. But it's much more about the ideas.

How does the process work? Any way you and your author want it to. Some writers prefer to send a complete story; others send chunks - completed chapters or even just however many pages they have written at that point, whether or not they end at a proper finishing-point. As Yvonne said, perhaps they don't even end at the end of a sentence! Some writers want to discuss complete plot outlines before sending any story drafts; others prefer to keep their BRs in the dark as their story develops.

As to the mechanics of communication, there's email, there's IRC, there's chat programmes. Almost as many arrangements as there are BR relationships!

Someone in the other thread mentioned that it's helpful if authors looking for BRs say something about their story and what they want from their BR. Excellent idea! It's also very helpful if volunteering BRs specify what sort of stories they like and what they consider their skills and interests to be - kmar did that.

So how about it, would-be BRs? Post here, and then wait for eager, grateful writers to contact you - and enjoy all the lovely fic which will come pouring in!


Wendy

I've been trying to find time to compose something like this all day. LOL. GMTA, Wendy, and thanks for saving me the trouble.

I've seen official beta reader lists in several fandoms and often wondered if it's something FoLCdom might want to adopt. It may seem like a small shift from having somewhere where beta readers post to volunteer rather than the usual format of authors posting to ask for a beta. But I think it's a shift of emphasis that could work much better.

As Wendy says, the lists I've seen have betas setting out what they're prepared to take on. That they have time to beta short stories, but not longer ones. That they'll beta anything, apart from deathfic, nfic, next gen fic...whatever. And authors can then see which betas might offer them what they need and send their story to them, accordingly.

Just one thing to add:

I think the importance of grammar and typos being checked by a beta might vary depending on the author. For an ESL author, for example, it might be of primary importance, above ideas and suggestions. What an author needs in a beta reader is probably as varied as authors are. So it would probably be helpful for beta readers posting here to volunteer if they also set out that they're prepared to take on that task, too. Especially as it's often the nuts and bolts of correcting grammar and typos that take the bulk of a beta's time.

LabRat

I had a one-time beta reader experience and really enjoyed it. But, you should have seen me! Falling all over myself, offering impressions on one hand and cringing when I nitpicked something else because I hoped that I wouldn't offend. So then I was hesitant to respond to other requests on the boards since I wasn't really sure what the ground rules were.

I think a list of betas is a great idea along with the parameters they'd be willing to work within. So with that I offer my services..I'm pretty much open to most L&C scenarios except, I think, death fics (luckily I don't run into too many of these). Length is not an issue, but I'd like to have some idea as to the time commitment. I don't care how you want to send me the story or how much you want to reveal, but I would like to have a good idea of what you expect. As Sherry said in the other thread..a 'clarity of purpose' What is my role? How critical do you want me to be? When do you want me to get back to you? Etc.

Oh and if you want references, email me!

~Liz

Beta-reader, well-seasoned. Some tarnish from dealing with persistent Whams and dangling participles. Otherwise good condition. Has learned the hard way to spot plagiarism from any distance (so don't even try....Sorry, inside, black humor.) References supplied.

Prefers to receive Microsoft Word and use comments and track changes features.

Update: 4/06 I don't have the time that I used to, so I'd better not commit to long stories or they'll take forever (Sorry Ray!) But short stories in need of BR, copy edits, punctuation and grammar etc. are still fine.

Sherry
sfmurphy@marykay.com

As I said I'm willing to Beta Read. I'm not the best writer but I did have a teacher once give me a B+ for my ideas. We had to look at 2 paintings and write about what we saw. I had great ideas just didn't write enough. I'm willing to read anything although there are some story lines that are not my favorites.

Not Favorite Story Lines:
1. Luthor - kill him and let him stay dead in my book.
2. Tempus - same for him.
3. The Imp - Mxy(whatever) is annoying.
4. Really don't like deathfics. If I want to be depressed I'll pick up a newspaper. Also they make me cry.
5. Hate Tank Endings.

Favorite Story Lines:
1. Premarriage post revelation or post marriage for that matter.
2. Adventures together.
3. Adventures together that include the other characters as well - even Cat Grant.
4. Enjoy the NFic Stories as well.
5. Enjoy many of the Alt World Stories
6. Premarriage, prerevelation but dating stories. Just not crazy about the period Lois was treating Clark so bad.

Have dictionary installed on my computer. Pretty good at spelling not real good with punctuation. And am I a fanfic fan. As I said I have it all saved to zip disks and CD's.

Can reach me at woomar1954@aol.com please put something in the attention line so I make sure I open the email. Been known to delete emails if not sure who or what it is about. Don't want to get any bugs.

Kmar (or KaCee)
woomar1954@aol.com

Hi,
I'm willing to BETA read for someone. My strengths seem to be finding spelling errors and spotting continuity errors. So I can either do nitty-gritty fix-ups or I can just give you a general idea of things to improve -- whichever you like, just be sure to tell me what you expect. I also have all the episodes on tape and they've been watched numerous times, so if you need to find out if something you're writing jives with the show, I can probably help you there.

I prefer shorter stories (80k and below, and I'm using archive standards for that. That's not 80,000 words, that's 80 kilobytes of diskspace! Hehe I think that amounts to 30-40 pages. I can go a little higher, too, if you really, really need a BETA reader.)

I especially enjoy comedies and next gen/early years fics. I also like vignettes, elseworlds, and SOME drama, SOME angst, SOMEtimes. I generally don't like deathfics or overly-angsty stories. And I don't read nfic at all.

I've just updated my profile to include my email address; you can contact me there if you like.

I'm always willing to beta for people, and I usually manage to get back to the author within three days (or send a nice apology saying why I can't do it sooner).

I like reading all stories, though I prefer pre-coupledom stories just because there's more conflict between Lois and Clark.

When I'm beta-ing, my responses usually tend to be more feedback on the plot, characterisation and the feel of the story, rather than nitpicking over spelling and grammar (though I'll always point out anything I spot that needs fixing).
I don't mind taking on the role of grammar-nazi for someone who doesn't have English as their first language though.
*smiles*

Just so long as the author lets me know what they expect from me as a beta-reader, I don't mind helping them out.

My email address is in my profile.

Grammar Nazi?

LabRat

IRC? Never heard of it. Where is it?

Too bad I don't have one. I have mountains of them to BR'ing.

Well,
I’m willing to BR.

If RL gets to hectic I’ll let you know.

As an ESL I’m pretty good with plot lines and spelling (don’t you just love Word’s automatic spell checker? ).

I’m not really good with punctuation but I’m willing to learn.

I’ll read any story as long as the characterization is good.

Bring it on!

Avia
(Contact details in profile)

A couple of entries back I said I would Beta Read. Still will. Any story as long as you don't KILL OFF the main characters - I hate those.

Wanted to post this update because I have BOTH
WORD and WORD PERFECT 10.

Dear Beta readers. I have 2 old stories on the nfic archive that make me cringe when I see the mistakes. I also have timeline issues. They were both beta read but they need to be redone. I like the ideas and the passion in the stories but if anyone would be willing to reread and help correct the timeline problems and some type errors that still exhist, I would appreciate it. If you wish to look and see what would be involved, the stories are "Early to Bed" and "Another Place in time" by me, Laurach. They have been bugging me for a long time but with all the wonderful writers we have in this fandom I just never felt worthy. If someone with free time and a good sense of timeline for L n C nfic would like to practice on these, I would appreciate it. I had Lab Rat beta for me for TV or not TV, so I know that one is fine. Wanda and Robin helped me with the last one so that one is OK also. Anyway, they are on the nfic archive. Feel free to rip into them. Thanks, Laura
my e mail is lcme239@optonline.net

I'm currently working with two authors on stories but I have some spare time to beta read. I am detail oriented and I can help with continuity issues. I am not real experienced with grammar and punctuation but am willing to help if that is required. I don't just rely on Word's spell checker as that can get you in trouble with correctly spelled words used in the wrong context.

I am very open with regards to story lines. My only restriction is New Krypton stories where Lois doesn't wait for Clark, I won't read those. I also have STRONG opinions on first season Lois and her behavior so if your story deals with that please be prepared for a vigorous debate, other than that I love them all, especially long stories.

I have also worked with an author who's native language was not English and helped her "translate" her story so I am open to that as well.

I try to respond to an author within 24-48 hours unless it is over a weekend when it may be longer and also it depends on the length of the section being sent.

Any questions you may have please email me, my address is in my profile.

Thanks,

Ray

I'm willing to beta read anything now because I've got a lot of time on my hands with summer holidays at the moment feel free to email anything to me

Okay... off topic, but I just had to share...

I did a double take and then laughed at myself... thinking... "It's winter. Isn't it?"

Sara

Sara, if I'm not mistaken, now is summer time in Australia. Different hemisphere, Aussies are now experiencing the equivalent of our Northern Hemisphere 'July'...so summer holidays.

Carole

I know. That's why I laughed at myself.

Sara

Hem. Knew I was good at making a fool of myself!

Next time I'll start with the meaning of 'double take'.

(/me fetch a dic nearby)

Riiiight. *cough*

Maybe I should give long week-end break a try. Yeah, long WE's growing on me.

Sounds good, indeed.

Carole

Well I doubt I'd be much help as a beta reader, yet. I'm easing my way back into the fandom but will volonteer if I ever manage to fill in the holes in my knowledge. I am not good at Spelling or Grammar (Yes I was told by a TA once that "You don't belong at a university") I cried my eyes out. My english skills however were good enough to score me a 90% in Senior English (I was lucky I got to chose the style of the written part, so I chose Narative). So I think I'm just okay, somewhere in there. I don't tend to catch a lot of things unless they are obvious.

The thing I can do is, reaction, let you know how a peice or section makes me feel. I'm MOST familiar with season 1. Season 2 and Season 3 moderately and Season 4 I missed most of because my sister joined me at private boarding school that year, and my parents couldn't (or wouldn't) program the VCR for me. :-(

That and I really LOVE reading stuff by Dr Klein et al explaining anything to do with Genetics, be it of Superman, or anyone else for that matter.

Now that I have a mission in mind I'll be watching more of my old LnC tapes, and reading more Fic so I have a feeling in the new year i'll be a more useful resource.

Katie (Songbird)

I'm looking for a BR to look over several of my stories...some are LnC and others are non LnC...One being Smallville, and then another being a movie sequel. Recently, my muse had been bugging me to write again, so I've kind of re-jumped into the pool.

The thing is...I have a lot going on, so if you're the type who needs to take your time with this (and doesn't like deadlines) then I'm probably the person for you. I can only send you things when I have them...considering a lot of my stories are RPGs...(the only exception being my movie sequel at the moment.) A lot of my stories tend to be NC-17 as well, but I also make a PG-13 verison of them if I feel like it's warranted.

Anyway, if interested, please email me at LoisLane9397@aol.com

One can kind of see themselves as a "stand-by BR," so anyone interested please apply. I'll really appreciate it.

Thanks,
-Alexis