Betas - not the fishes

Madison · Nov 6, 2007

I've officially decided I need a beta. No one but my sister has read my work, and it's time to throw it out there.

So where do I find a beta? I've looked in the conference room here, but haven't really found anyone I feel comfortable with...I'd like creds, etc., so that I know the person is legit, knows what they're talking about. Any suggestions?

thanks much

dragoon_elf · Nov 6, 2007

i'd love to read your work and provide my honest opinion. i'm writing a novel myself.

arodriguez · Nov 6, 2007

well, isn't it enough for anyone to want to read it?
Don't you want everyone to read it? You want them to buy it, right? i would get as many readers as possible and go with teh consensus, if a majority of your readers seem confounded by a particular prose you have written, creds or not, you need to revise.
-just my 2 dollars (inflation)

Teige Benson · Nov 6, 2007

I understand wanting to feel comfortable but it's the creds I'm not sure of.

Find people who read whatever genre your writing in and let them read it. They'll be a good judge of how your writing stacks up.

Good luck.

Matt Lipp · Nov 6, 2007

I can read the first few chapters to get a feel of it. I'm mired in schoolwork so my contributions are limited, but I'm more than happy to give you a detailed response within a week. Just PM me for an e-mail.

ORION · Nov 6, 2007

I always prefer a reader to a writer. Most of my betas do not write.
My qualifications include breathing...

Hummingbird · Nov 7, 2007

But the fish are so cute... If you managed to teach one of them to read you'd have a Beta beta reader.

Then people would ask you if they could be a beta reader and you could say, "Nope. I've got a tankfull at home."
Yeah.. that was random.

Betas - not the fishes

Madison

summertime...

dragoon_elf

arodriguez

Renegade

Teige Benson

Live. Dream. Write.

Matt Lipp

ORION

Sailed away years ago

Hummingbird

Pen, Paper, Prepared. ...Write!