this is the money dog, repost in the next 24 hours and money will come your way!!
ehh what the hell
OH MY GOD SO NO FUCKIN BULLSHIT I SWEAR To GOD. I reblogged this an hour ago and IM NOT Lying My Tax Refund which I did in late march popped into my Bank Account, and it was a Decent sized amount……
WHAT THE FUCK Is THIS MAGIC!??!?!?! Im trying this again IM NOT BSing hahahaha thats actually pretty cool xD
This is my new favorite hangout spot. I walked here from home with a cup of tea and my watercolor supplies. A floating dock out of the reach of sun or rain floats underneath the marina. And it has friends. 😍
Wow such positive vibes eminating through my screen rn
Over the past month or so, I’ve been beta reading for @the-bookdevourer for their WIP “Spell Weaver”. So far, I’m having so much fun reading such amazing writing, and it’s so incredible to actually be in contact with such talented people!
BUT (and there’s a big but here) I haven’t always been that good of a beta reader. I’m trying to do better, but I’m learning a lot from being a beta, and hope to learn a lot more in the future. So, here are a couple things I’ve learned to look out for:
1. Show Their Mistakes
It’s one thing to say that something in someone’s writing is wrong, but that doesn’t really help the author. Simply being a critic isn’t going to help them out, especially if you just write words like “rephrase” or “this doesn’t work”. I found myself doing that a couple times, but it’s a definite no-no!
If you see a character that seems out of place and want to show it, say something like “I don’t think he would really be mean to her. I read him as more of a character who relates to hardships rather than put others down for them”. Instead of just saying “That doesn’t sound like him”, I show exactly where the writer went wrong, and told them why you thought that.
2. Read In Sections
While beta reading, I often only have time for a certain part of a chapter rather than reading it in its entirety. This can lead to some confusion when you get back into reading, which makes it both harder for the writer to understand if the writing is actually confusing or it’s just you, and it makes your life more difficult to read it. What I learned to do was to find a good breaking point within the chapter and set that as my mark. That way, I know where I left off, and the writer can know for sure that it’s not just me being sloppy.
3. Read Between the Lines
The most important thing you need to remember as a beta reader is to do your job well, and in a timely manner. You’re not just reading someone’s work because you want a free book, you’re reading it so that they can better understand their mistakes in their writing and improve from them as a result. Try not to leave too much space in between comments, and actually give the writer something to work off of.
Finding a Good Beta Reader
As important as it is to be a good beta reader yourself, it’s just as important to find a good one. Most writers put their beta readers through a google form, which is important in determining who they are and what they’re interested in, but that’s not all you can do:
1. Let Them Read A Chapter
Something I’ve seen some writers on tumblr do is to share one chapter of their WIP with a potential beta to see how they’ll edit it. This is a great way to see what they’re like as an editor and see if their editing style matches up with your writing This is a great way to find a fit and weed out any candidates who don’t seem to be working with you
2. Make A Google Form
Now about that form. Sometimes it’s hard to determine what exactly to put on your form, so other than the basic name and other fields, as a general outline, here are a couple things you might want to include on your form:
Have they edited before?
What is their favorite type of genre to read?
How would they do about editing a friend’s work as opposed to a stranger’s?
How many of their own pieces have they edited themselves?
In their own words, how can they improve themselves as a writer?
What are their strong suits in editing?
Bonus Round: Find Someone Kind!
It’s very easy to get fooled by someone who has an impressive resume, but the most important requirement of any beta reader is how they treat your writing. Never, ever get a reader who will treat your writing as not worthy or childish, even if they seem like the perfect candidate for the job.
And that’s about it! Editing is an exciting time in the progress of a WIP, but it’s definitely important to do it right. Good luck, and happy writing (and editing)!
