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Author Topic: What are beta readers?  (Read 21083 times)

Offline Craig1974

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What are beta readers?
« on: October 13, 2008, 12:52:36 AM »
?

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Warden John

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2008, 01:00:47 AM »
Lucky people that get to read books before they're released to the public, with the intent of finding what (tenative) public opinion will be.
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Offline Fox

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2008, 01:10:30 AM »
I think the real question is: How can I become one?

Do you want bribes? (Considers: JB is internationally successful author.  I am college freshmen. Strikes bribes, at least cash ones from the list)

How about a kidney?  I've got this extra one that I really don't need.

I'll be your best friend.  You can come to my birthday party.  I'll make you various cakes and pies.
Please. Please please please.
 ;D

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Warden John

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2008, 01:11:19 AM »
Quote from: Fox on October 13, 2008, 01:10:30 AM
I think the real question is: How can I become one?

Do you want bribes? (Considers: JB is internationally successful author.  I am college freshmen. Strikes bribes, at least cash ones from the list)

How about a kidney?  I've got this extra one that I really don't need.

I'll be your best friend.  You can come to my birthday party.  I'll make you various cakes and pies.
Please. Please please please.
 ;D



You need to appeal to Priscellie, I think.
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Offline Fox

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2008, 01:12:50 AM »
Quote from: TBAR Marcone on October 13, 2008, 01:11:19 AM
You need to appeal to Priscellie, I think.

I would, but I seriously doubt it would work. 

Would it?
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Warden John

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2008, 01:15:20 AM »
Quote from: Fox on October 13, 2008, 01:12:50 AM
I would, but I seriously doubt it would work. 

Would it?

Ya never know.
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Offline Mickey Finn

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2008, 01:20:26 AM »
Pris is a late comer, she has no ability to approve them. ;)

It is entirely in Jim's hands.
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Offline Mickey Finn

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2008, 01:25:07 AM »
Quote from: TBAR Marcone on October 13, 2008, 01:00:47 AM
Lucky people that get to read books before they're released to the public, with the intent of finding what (tenative) public opinion will be.

Close, but more accurately, we are like beta testers. Most authors have a small circle that reads their work, to find any contradictions, holes, logic flaws, missing text (as in, the author thought he did something, but never actually stated it), etc. Jim has taken this, with Iago's help, to new heights. It's brilliant.

Also, bear something in mind...while we read the chapters before you guys, YOU get to read them at your own pace. You don't have to stop at the end of every chapter and wait.
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We are not nouns. We are VERBS. -Stephen Fry
The Universe is made of stories, not of atoms. -Muriel Rukeyser

Podcast: http://thegentlemennerds.com/

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"All The Pretty Little Horses" http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W8FE3FS 
"Sign of the Times" http://tinyurl.com/DirtyMagick

Warden John

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2008, 01:26:32 AM »
Quote from: Mickey Finn on October 13, 2008, 01:25:07 AM
Close, but more accurately, we are like beta testers. Most authors have a small circle that reads their work, to find any contradictions, holes, logic flaws, missing text (as in, the author thought he did something, but never actually stated it), etc. Jim has taken this, with Iago's help, to new heights. It's brilliant.

Also, bear something in mind...while we read the chapters before you guys, YOU get to read them at your own pace. You don't have to stop at the end of every chapter and wait.

That just adds to the suspense.  You're still lucky.....
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Offline Fox

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2008, 01:27:21 AM »
and I doubt there is any shortage of loyal fans willing to volunteer for this job.
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Warden John

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2008, 01:31:50 AM »
Quote from: Fox on October 13, 2008, 01:27:21 AM
and I doubt there is any shortage of loyal fans willing to volunteer for this job.

You and me among them
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Offline El Diablo

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #11 on: October 13, 2008, 01:53:09 AM »
Actually, I don't envy them.

I was furious about the length of time it took For Stephen King to actually finish the little cliffhanger ending of "The Waste Lands". It would be far worse to have to wait to get chapters that could change from JB.
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Offline Fox

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #12 on: October 13, 2008, 01:56:03 AM »
Well Jim Butcher is way more consistant with the Dresden Files than Stephen King was with the Dark Tower.
JB's books are coming out yearly, Stephen King's Dark Tower was spread across his whole career.
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Offline El Diablo

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #13 on: October 13, 2008, 02:02:45 AM »
Quote from: Fox on October 13, 2008, 01:56:03 AM
Well Jim Butcher is way more consistant with the Dresden Files than Stephen King was with the Dark Tower.
JB's books are coming out yearly, Stephen King's Dark Tower was spread across his whole career.

Huh?

Dark tower came in  halfway thru his career and had a long hiatus (I think it was when he went nuts after his incident with the drunk driver) . He then powered out the rest of the story fairly quickly, and closed it with a really stupid ending.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2008, 02:09:06 AM by El Diablo »
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Offline El Diablo

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Re: What are beta readers?
« Reply #14 on: October 13, 2008, 02:08:32 AM »
real quick look up

1975 was his first book salems lot


The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (1982)
The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three (1987)
The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991)
(six fricking year hiatus)
The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997)
(accident)
The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003)
The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004)
The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004)

So I was wrong about the accident stopping production, we had a six year wait after the cliffhanger for whatever reason.


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