[Viv]

Twice today in various settings, I've seen people express interest in a story based on who betaed it. In one instance, someone even said that the story was in the beta's style.

I'm thinking that's not quite right. This is more of what I think a beta should be responsible for:

1. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation have been checked and repaired, if necessary.

2. Style has been made consistent (not changed!). For instance, a beta might suggest avoiding overuse of the verb "to be," tagging direct quotes so we know who's speaking, and keeping a consistent point of view.

3. Some flow suggestions have been made, and major characterization has been discussed (usually I just point out what works and what doesn't with regard to characterization, and the writer can go from there).

4. Common pitfalls of ficwriting have been noted for future avoidance (i.e., "shimmering orb" eyes, color-changing eyes or hair, Tolkien elves sleeping all the damn time, Starbuck snuffling like a girl over the state of her love life, and such).

5. Story has been read for canon consistency or consistency within its own AU.

What do y'all think a beta's for?

[Haleth]

I've got to agree, Viv. Why in the world would someone want to read a story because of the beta reader? From what you're describing, it sounds like the beta reader rewrote the entire story in their own style.

It's an easy mistake for an inexperienced beta reader to make. **cough cough...voice of experience here **

[DarkElfChilde]

Beta's are there to help those who are new and not new at writing stories. To help edit out mistakes in spelling and grammar you didn't spot yourself, and suggest what to keep and not keep in your story you've written. Also, a supporter to help you keep going with your story, even though you might not want to. To me, reviews aren't enough to keep me going.

[NeumeIndil]

Personally I'd take "This sounds like (Insert Beta's Name Here)'s story" as an insult from either side of the situation (as an author or a beta). When I beta, I'm looking for clarity, grammatical errors, mistakes in canon or character agreement (like the hair changing color mentioned above etc.), and pointing out what I as a reader may not have understood or thought was different with the knowledge I have of the story. If I'm the beta on a story that garners that kind of compliment(?), I've just been told I overplayed my hand and coerced the writer into changing her storyline to fit my tastes. As a writer, a comment like that would mean I've been weak and lead in a direction that is not necessarily my own, that I haven't been true to the story as it's coming to me.

What good is writing if it's only going to be a replica of someone else's work? That's not creation, that's repetition.

Now, that aside, if someone likes a particular beta's taste in stories, I can see checking out a story that she/he worked on in an editorial capacity. Most betas won't take on work that they don't enjoy reading in the first place, so someone with similar tastes might well enjoy those pieces regardless of the link to the beta. Following the beta might only be the way he/she gets to the story in cases of authors who don't self promote or otherwise publicize their work.

[Alassante]

I haven't had this experience personally but I've heard some horror stories of writers who got back stories that were basically re-written by the beta. If you're a new writer or even if you just have some insecurities, I could see where a forceful heavy handed beta could basically rewrite the fic. Its sad but I'm sure it happens alot.

[dolarabee]

[Alassante]

I don't think its a case of them being too afraid to write their own Do. I think the opposite is true - they assume their writing is so much superior that they can do it better. Its more of a control issue. Its easy to read something and see where you'd change this or that even if its the best fiction writers - how many of us havent' said 'Oh JK Rowling SHOULD have done this or that'? A beta that actually becomes that heavy handed is taking control and making the story the way they want it rather than the way the author wrote it. I have had betas make suggestions in plot or suggested rewriting a big chuck of a paragraph and/or a chapter. But the comments are phrased as a suggestion with an explanation of why. Like for example I've had a bad problem lately with POV and betas have suggested me changing a section to make the whole piece from one POV instead of making it confusing by the two different POVs. But they did explain WHY and gave an example rather than re-writing the whole thing for me. I guess its an experienced writer that always has the knowledge that any suggestion from a beta is just that - a suggestion - and also knows when a beta is overstepping their bounds on what is beta'ing and what is re-writing it for you.

But in all fairness, since betas do this on a volunteer basis, some of them might not know what is the right way to beta either. It could be a case of they learned from bad beta too.

I'm just glad I have good betas

[dolarabee]

[NancyBrooke]