See, for a Big Bang I think a beta is necessary. Most people are terrible at self-editing. I was talking about the BB with Kij the other day, and I suggested recruiting a pool of betas and cheerleaders next year, and then assigning them to writers, as you would artists. That way you'd have someone with you, all the way through. It's terrible to write 20,000+ words and then find that your basic premise is deeply flawed, you know? I also think that a lot of fanwriters are far, far too self-indulgent, and they need that check; they need someone to tell them that their id is showing and they're hurting their story. (Not that I've never been guilty of this. :D)
Since you don't really get much of anyone's time if you aren't a BNF (sad but true), I offered to pinch hit as a beta.
I had freakydarling beta a couple of my Avengers stories, but other than that my comics stuff has been self-edited because it really was hard to find a beta. I wouldn't put that down to BNF-favouring, so much as reluctance to work with an unknown quantity. But idk, as usual, I've stuck to the sidelines, and may have missed a lot of internecine fighting. ;)
I remember asking someone to beta for me (even submitted a story for her perusal) and she said no.
Yikes. Well, if you write 616 and your usual beta isn't available, I'm preemptively volunteering.
Most of my negative experiences in comics fandom have been in discussion comms tbh. I've had a pretty easy time of it with my stories. Postive fb and welcoming people. Maybe I'm just not involved enough?
I've had a pretty easy time of it with my stories. Postive fb and welcoming people. Maybe I'm just not involved enough?
Hmm, no. Like I said, when I came to comics fandom, my first fanfic was an Ultimates fic, so, I probably got off on the wrong foot that way. People didn't really start reading my stuff until about six stories down the road, but then my stuff was mostly Utimates, in a fandom that at the time, treated the universe with a bit of a hairy eye. It didn't help that the BNFs didn't like the property at the time. Ah, me...
was talking about the BB with Kij the other day, and I suggested recruiting a pool of betas and cheerleaders next year, and then assigning them to writers, as you would artists. That way you'd have someone with you, all the way through. It's terrible to write 20,000+ words and then find that your basic premise is deeply flawed, you know? I also think that a lot of fanwriters are far, far too self-indulgent, and they need that check; they need someone to tell them that their id is showing and they're hurting their story. (Not that I've never been guilty of this. :D)
Hmmm, it depends. From what I gather, it seems the mod just wants betas to do a basic grammar, spell check and wiki (I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm misrepresenting intent), and I can't to beta like that. If people want that sort of beta, it's called wikipedia and Microsoft word. When I beta, I tend to take it seriously, and give the fic the works. I refuse to put my name on a story that I think is subpar. At the end of the day, it's my fanfic brand, you know (ooo-er, listen to me...)? As well as my time. I take neither of those lightly (especially the latter).
However, I can understand why a 'beta' just for spell check and grammar and factcheck might be reasonable. Considering the spot of bother I had with a writing team and one member of the team was unhappy with my concrit (and the moderator got wind of it), but at the end of the day... what goes on between a beta and a writer stays with a beta and a writer. I do take the process seriously, and I do expect the writer to do so as well, or else we're just wasting each other's time.
There are a LOT of people in the fandom who lurk, so yeah, it would be a good way for them to get involved if they don't want to do fic, et al. I do know I found myself beta'ing for people because well... they just couldn't find people to look over fic.
But yes, a good beta should be someone to tell you if a fic is indulgent, or if you should just dump it and start over.
I don't know if I'm involved with the fandom per se, I've been told time and time again that I'm pretty distant. I tell them it's because I'm British.
If I want a read through, I ask for a read through. Which is what a canon/grammar check is. That's not betaing. I mean, you can specialize in grammar/style betaing, but just checking grammar and spelling? Er, no. I like to do long-term betaing, where you're involved in the early stages, posing questions and poking holes in the premise, and then around through all the drafts, polishing the story into something awesome. But there are very few people in this fandom who want that.
That said, if someone's in a bind and they need a quick read through, I'll do it for them. But I don't want to be listed as having betaed.
I don't know if I'm involved with the fandom per se, I've been told time and time again that I'm pretty distant. I tell them it's because I'm British.
If I want a read through, I ask for a read through. Which is what a canon/grammar check is. That's not betaing. I mean, you can specialize in grammar/style betaing, but just checking grammar and spelling? Er, no.
I agree, but from what I've gathered (although I do hope the mod comes around to our way of thinking) this might be the case.
Because I'm retarded, what's a 'cheerleader' anyway? How is she different from a beta? Because I tend to encourage as well as con crit, you know?
Cheerleaders. I picked this up from some HP fests that do this. Basically they're people who sub in for your friends when you're in a BB or an anon fest. They chat with you, help you work through story angst and problems, and push you to get your story in on time, but they aren't responsible for editing. What they get out of the deal is reading the Big Bang as a WIP, and input on how the story turns out.
I think they're an awesome idea in a big anon fest, where you can't necessarily rely on your usual support network. And they have the added benefit of forging new relationships. Usually the writer-cheerleader pairs turn out to be friends, after the fest.
And just think, if you're writing a huge story, and you're under the gun, imagine having a beta and a cheerleader on your side. If you're feeling like shit because of some problem your beta has pointed out, you can take it to your cheerleader and get perked up, and the writer-beta relationship isn't soured. *And* no one else needs to know that feathers were ruffled.
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Re: No I didn't hang out at FAP
Since you don't really get much of anyone's time if you aren't a BNF (sad but true), I offered to pinch hit as a beta.
I had
I remember asking someone to beta for me (even submitted a story for her perusal) and she said no.
Yikes. Well, if you write 616 and your usual beta isn't available, I'm preemptively volunteering.
Most of my negative experiences in comics fandom have been in discussion comms tbh. I've had a pretty easy time of it with my stories. Postive fb and welcoming people. Maybe I'm just not involved enough?
Hmm... I dunno.
Hmm, no. Like I said, when I came to comics fandom, my first fanfic was an Ultimates fic, so, I probably got off on the wrong foot that way. People didn't really start reading my stuff until about six stories down the road, but then my stuff was mostly Utimates, in a fandom that at the time, treated the universe with a bit of a hairy eye. It didn't help that the BNFs didn't like the property at the time. Ah, me...
was talking about the BB with Kij the other day, and I suggested recruiting a pool of betas and cheerleaders next year, and then assigning them to writers, as you would artists. That way you'd have someone with you, all the way through. It's terrible to write 20,000+ words and then find that your basic premise is deeply flawed, you know? I also think that a lot of fanwriters are far, far too self-indulgent, and they need that check; they need someone to tell them that their id is showing and they're hurting their story. (Not that I've never been guilty of this. :D)
Hmmm, it depends. From what I gather, it seems the mod just wants betas to do a basic grammar, spell check and wiki (I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm misrepresenting intent), and I can't to beta like that. If people want that sort of beta, it's called wikipedia and Microsoft word. When I beta, I tend to take it seriously, and give the fic the works. I refuse to put my name on a story that I think is subpar. At the end of the day, it's my fanfic brand, you know (ooo-er, listen to me...)? As well as my time. I take neither of those lightly (especially the latter).
However, I can understand why a 'beta' just for spell check and grammar and factcheck might be reasonable. Considering the spot of bother I had with a writing team and one member of the team was unhappy with my concrit (and the moderator got wind of it), but at the end of the day... what goes on between a beta and a writer stays with a beta and a writer. I do take the process seriously, and I do expect the writer to do so as well, or else we're just wasting each other's time.
There are a LOT of people in the fandom who lurk, so yeah, it would be a good way for them to get involved if they don't want to do fic, et al. I do know I found myself beta'ing for people because well... they just couldn't find people to look over fic.
But yes, a good beta should be someone to tell you if a fic is indulgent, or if you should just dump it and start over.
I don't know if I'm involved with the fandom per se, I've been told time and time again that I'm pretty distant. I tell them it's because I'm British.
Re: Hmm... I dunno.
That said, if someone's in a bind and they need a quick read through, I'll do it for them. But I don't want to be listed as having betaed.
I don't know if I'm involved with the fandom per se, I've been told time and time again that I'm pretty distant. I tell them it's because I'm British.
:D
Yes, this.
I agree, but from what I've gathered (although I do hope the mod comes around to our way of thinking) this might be the case.
Because I'm retarded, what's a 'cheerleader' anyway? How is she different from a beta? Because I tend to encourage as well as con crit, you know?
Re: Yes, this.
I think they're an awesome idea in a big anon fest, where you can't necessarily rely on your usual support network. And they have the added benefit of forging new relationships. Usually the writer-cheerleader pairs turn out to be friends, after the fest.
And just think, if you're writing a huge story, and you're under the gun, imagine having a beta and a cheerleader on your side. If you're feeling like shit because of some problem your beta has pointed out, you can take it to your cheerleader and get perked up, and the writer-beta relationship isn't soured. *And* no one else needs to know that feathers were ruffled.