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Not really caused by any one writer in particular, this is just a list I've been learning over the past year...and who knows, maybe it will make someone else's beta process easier if these are actually listed somewhere. This is also not directed at any beta reader in particular. I love my beta readers *smooch*
Feel free to link.
1) Every beta reader likes for you to use spellcheck at least. Also, doing at least one read through before sending it to your beta reader to catch some typos/inverted words is nice too. We don't expect you to catch every little thing though --- it's very easy to read one's own work and insert in the missing words without noticing it. (I'm probably the world's worst at this.)
2) For the love of the gods, please put a FILLER SPACE LINE between each paragraph. That way the beta reader knows exactly where each paragraph begins instead of endlessly debating it when on paragraph ends w/ a longer sentence and it is sometimes hard to tell. Even if you dislike writing w/ all the spaces, put them in before you send it to the beta reader. Most places you post fanfic anyways either insert this for you...but for the sake of the beta reader, do it yourself anyways.
If you don't put spaces between paragraphs when you post fanfic, you should. It makes for easier online reading and is pretty much the standard. No, novels don't have it, but then again, in novels, paragraphs are indented and the reader doesn't have to contend w/ eye fatigue from screen glare.
3) KNOW THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF DIALOGUE. Examples:
"Please, don't leave me," she begged. ---> do not end the quoted portion with a period when a tag is being added. I don't care if it's a sentence, it is not done. Unless, it is a question. Then it is: "What do you mean?" he asked. Again, even though you end w/ a punctuation mark in the quoted portion, you don't capitalize the tag. Even if your grammar check malfunctions and tells you too.
More complicated dialogues, your beta reader will be happy to explain the mechanics of. But please,adhere to those basic rules (as this is probably 80% of what most fanfic writers use anyways).
4)Don't overuse accents in dialogue or thoughts of a particular character. If you must, use it only in the dialogue alone (except in very specific instances such as a catch phrase the character thinks). If the character is a hick and uses bad grammar, doing so continuously in his thoughts can cause the reader (and the beta reader) to assume that you yourself don't know proper english. Which causes many beta readers to pull their hair out and swear off beta reading ever ever ever ever ever ever ever again. The point of telling a story is to get it to FLOW, not to cause the reader to pause as they try to translate what the character says or thinks.
5)Okay, this is something I was taught. And it's something that has been heard countless times by anyone I've beta-ed for. And generally causes long grammar discussions between me and those writers who grasp grammar well. Basically the rule is: "When in doubt about whether to use a comma, DON'T." Too many commas is by far much worse for the flow of a story than too few. I'm not going to discuss how to use commas here more specifically as it's been done far better than I could ever. If you are interested, look through the writing and grammar sections of my memories.
6)Finally, the important thing to remember, it's your story. Anything a beta reader changes beyond severe grammar problems or spelling errors is up to you whether to include or not. Any beta reader who also writes themselves encounters a time when they want to change almost EVERYTHING in a particular story because it sounds OFF to our ear --- usually, we refrain and assume it's stylistic differences if we can't pinpoint a grammatical reason behind our discomfort. Especially if we've been trying to edit our own work---it's incredibly hard for me to edit my own stuff at the same time i'm trying to beta for someone (invariably, this is what can cause long delays by me).
Everyone has their own style and it's important that a beta reader not impose their own on the beta-ee. However, there are times to listen when the beta reader changes --- if english isn't your native language or you speak several fluently but are trying to write in primarily one, then sometimes your syntax can be incorrect even if your grammar is correct. When this happens and the beta reader fixes it, you'll see a lot of sentences where pieces have simply been moved. Don't feel bad about -- we aren't saying you are a bad writer. We're just trying to make it so that the story will 'flow' for your readers without them stopping and wondering why a sentence or phrase sounded 'odd'.
7)No two beta readers are the same. Just as writers have different levels of talent at different aspects of writing, the same is true for beta readers. Everyone can catch spelling and typos for you, which is what a basic beta calls for. If you want more than that, well, you are going to have to search for beta readers that are capable of doing what you feel you need. I typically have a conversation w/ anyone I beta for about what they want me to do and what I'm capable of doing. I'm very up front about the fact that I can catch basic grammar things, but everything else grammar I do by "sound and feel" because I can't always vocalize the rules I follow. If you want more than instinct, you need a reader for whom grammar is less instinct and they can tell you exactly what you are doing wrong (or you can go and pick up a grammar book at barnes and noble).
If you want help on style, plot, characterization, etc, you need to ask because most beta readers recognize that people have different interpretations of shows and characters.
Okay, that's all I can think of at the moment. If anyone else thinks I've missed something huge, list it in the comments and I'll edit this (as well as credit you if you like).
And no, this list by no means implies that I will beta for you if you ask. I don't have the time to beta for everyone who would ask and I've long ago started being choosy about who I will beta for. There are communities to go to to solicit beta readers at. And as you build a readership, someone will generally start to offer if they feel that your fic will profit from a beta reader (or another beta reader who brings different abilities to the table).
Feel free to link.
1) Every beta reader likes for you to use spellcheck at least. Also, doing at least one read through before sending it to your beta reader to catch some typos/inverted words is nice too. We don't expect you to catch every little thing though --- it's very easy to read one's own work and insert in the missing words without noticing it. (I'm probably the world's worst at this.)
2) For the love of the gods, please put a FILLER SPACE LINE between each paragraph. That way the beta reader knows exactly where each paragraph begins instead of endlessly debating it when on paragraph ends w/ a longer sentence and it is sometimes hard to tell. Even if you dislike writing w/ all the spaces, put them in before you send it to the beta reader. Most places you post fanfic anyways either insert this for you...but for the sake of the beta reader, do it yourself anyways.
If you don't put spaces between paragraphs when you post fanfic, you should. It makes for easier online reading and is pretty much the standard. No, novels don't have it, but then again, in novels, paragraphs are indented and the reader doesn't have to contend w/ eye fatigue from screen glare.
3) KNOW THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF DIALOGUE. Examples:
"Please, don't leave me," she begged. ---> do not end the quoted portion with a period when a tag is being added. I don't care if it's a sentence, it is not done. Unless, it is a question. Then it is: "What do you mean?" he asked. Again, even though you end w/ a punctuation mark in the quoted portion, you don't capitalize the tag. Even if your grammar check malfunctions and tells you too.
More complicated dialogues, your beta reader will be happy to explain the mechanics of. But please,adhere to those basic rules (as this is probably 80% of what most fanfic writers use anyways).
4)Don't overuse accents in dialogue or thoughts of a particular character. If you must, use it only in the dialogue alone (except in very specific instances such as a catch phrase the character thinks). If the character is a hick and uses bad grammar, doing so continuously in his thoughts can cause the reader (and the beta reader) to assume that you yourself don't know proper english. Which causes many beta readers to pull their hair out and swear off beta reading ever ever ever ever ever ever ever again. The point of telling a story is to get it to FLOW, not to cause the reader to pause as they try to translate what the character says or thinks.
5)Okay, this is something I was taught. And it's something that has been heard countless times by anyone I've beta-ed for. And generally causes long grammar discussions between me and those writers who grasp grammar well. Basically the rule is: "When in doubt about whether to use a comma, DON'T." Too many commas is by far much worse for the flow of a story than too few. I'm not going to discuss how to use commas here more specifically as it's been done far better than I could ever. If you are interested, look through the writing and grammar sections of my memories.
6)Finally, the important thing to remember, it's your story. Anything a beta reader changes beyond severe grammar problems or spelling errors is up to you whether to include or not. Any beta reader who also writes themselves encounters a time when they want to change almost EVERYTHING in a particular story because it sounds OFF to our ear --- usually, we refrain and assume it's stylistic differences if we can't pinpoint a grammatical reason behind our discomfort. Especially if we've been trying to edit our own work---it's incredibly hard for me to edit my own stuff at the same time i'm trying to beta for someone (invariably, this is what can cause long delays by me).
Everyone has their own style and it's important that a beta reader not impose their own on the beta-ee. However, there are times to listen when the beta reader changes --- if english isn't your native language or you speak several fluently but are trying to write in primarily one, then sometimes your syntax can be incorrect even if your grammar is correct. When this happens and the beta reader fixes it, you'll see a lot of sentences where pieces have simply been moved. Don't feel bad about -- we aren't saying you are a bad writer. We're just trying to make it so that the story will 'flow' for your readers without them stopping and wondering why a sentence or phrase sounded 'odd'.
7)No two beta readers are the same. Just as writers have different levels of talent at different aspects of writing, the same is true for beta readers. Everyone can catch spelling and typos for you, which is what a basic beta calls for. If you want more than that, well, you are going to have to search for beta readers that are capable of doing what you feel you need. I typically have a conversation w/ anyone I beta for about what they want me to do and what I'm capable of doing. I'm very up front about the fact that I can catch basic grammar things, but everything else grammar I do by "sound and feel" because I can't always vocalize the rules I follow. If you want more than instinct, you need a reader for whom grammar is less instinct and they can tell you exactly what you are doing wrong (or you can go and pick up a grammar book at barnes and noble).
If you want help on style, plot, characterization, etc, you need to ask because most beta readers recognize that people have different interpretations of shows and characters.
Okay, that's all I can think of at the moment. If anyone else thinks I've missed something huge, list it in the comments and I'll edit this (as well as credit you if you like).
And no, this list by no means implies that I will beta for you if you ask. I don't have the time to beta for everyone who would ask and I've long ago started being choosy about who I will beta for. There are communities to go to to solicit beta readers at. And as you build a readership, someone will generally start to offer if they feel that your fic will profit from a beta reader (or another beta reader who brings different abilities to the table).
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