Beta Questions

[cenwolfgirl]

um what ?

[Blaze]

If a writer seeks to establish an alternate history/geography, it had best be presented on a far more solid backdrop than, "is this a geographical error or a different universe?"  The fact that point X is six hours from point Y is not how you do that. 

If a beta says, hey, your facts are wrong and the writer says, that is a plot point to establish --whatever-- then the beta did due diligence.  (Plus, the beta  can snap at the writer's heels if it doesn't ever come up again, or make a lick of difference!)

Human nature makes us not want to say:  Ooops!  Human nature makes us want to say:  I meant to do that!

[The Deposed King]

I beta for several people, and it is up to them to say whether I am a good beta or a bad beta.  That said, this is what I do:

1 -- Is the story worth telling.  This is a hard thing to discuss.  Publishers will determine in a first page if they continue.  So a Beta must be able to be honest enough to say, I don't think this will grab people enough to be publishable.  Then a beta has to go the next distance and tell the author why.  It isn't enough to say:  I don't have an emotional connect with this character.  You must go the next step and say why you don't, and then suggest how it might be remedied.

2 -- Fact checking.  A story based upon a false premise can not ring true.  That said, a good Beta also should check to see if there really is a Rylance Drug Corp in Sheboygan, and if so, the author has to consider changing the name vs being sued for saying they are selling poisons. 

3 -- Spell, syntax, punctuation.  Stories which flip tenses, are full of misspellings run on sentences and poor structure will be circular filed by the publisher.  The author should make a best attempt to present a beta with these in fine form.  A beta will ferret out where the author missed a beat, and point it out.

4 -- I trouble.  The author is not the character,  When the author is too in love with the character and when that shows, it is a sign of I trouble.  Betas should point this out.  (See:  Mary Sue)

5 -- Redundancy redundancy redundancy.  The beta should be certain to let the author know NOT to use the same word over and over and over and -- oh yeah -- over.  If I am distracted by seeing the same word at the beginning of every sentence in a paragraph, or every paragraph on a page?  Let the author know.  Editors and publishers will be less... indulgent.

6 -- You keep using that word.  Sometimes even the best of us gaff on a word.  A beta can suggest a new word.  A better word. 

7 -- Betas do not rewrite in their own image.  NO NO NO!  The beta's duty instead is to get the Author to hone what s/he is writing in the manner that they are writing, Beta's don't recut the diamond, they polish the diamond so it shines.

And that, in my humble opinion is what a beta does.

Yeah this is a pretty good example of what a beta can/should do.  The only thing I'd add right at the moment.  At least for me, when I am reading a work in progress, I tend to get this.

"Oh oh oh!  Are we going this way with the plot or that?  And are we totally going ream these bad guys with all these brand new toys we might just have picked up with our main characters?  I mean its totally there!"

Which of course might just be me.  On the other hand we all have different strenghts and weaknesses.  You need Beta's who are good fits for you.

I think reemphasizing Blaze's point about Beta's helping polish the diamond to make it shine better, not trying to cut a whole new gem is one worth saying again.  As a Beta you aren't there to rewrite the story in your own image or take the story from this point and write it into the future.  No our job when we're Beta's is exactly what she said.  We help the inherent coolness of the scene or character shine through, we help trim off the rough edges and help bring out what the author was trying to create.  We don't plant a new seed beside it and say, oh but this would be an ever so much better plant than that one you have had up till now.

At least that's the goal.  With varying levels of success.




The Deposed King