VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: [1], 2 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 10:59:15 06/19/02 Wed
Author: Kelso
Subject: Re: Beta readers (aka fanfic 101)
In reply to: Auntie Diluvian 's message, "Re: Beta readers (aka fanfic 101)" on 09:01:04 06/19/02 Wed

>>One last thing: If you DON'T use a beta reader, I
>>suggest you don't advertise that fact to the world. I
>>always cringe when an author writes in the notes,
>>"BTW, I didn't use a beta reader. Sorry for any
>>mistakes." I wonder why they advertise the fact that
>>they didn't get help, instead of just saying nothing.
>
>I can't agree with this; I usually appreciate it when
>an author warns me. That way when I run across a
>glaring error I don't start tearing my hair out &
>ranting, "What was their beta *thinking*?!"


Hmmm. Interesting view. I see it practically the opposite way. A statement like "no beta on this one" usually leaves me thinking, the author didn't bother to get help, is almost "bragging" about it by unnecessarily pointing it out, and seems to think the fact that a beta reader wasn't used somehow grants her some leeway if she screwed up on anything. Anyway, I always assume that if the author doesn't thank a beta reader in the story notes, one wasn't used. Whenever I see an additional statement to that effect, I'm wary of reading the story.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> [> [> [> Re: Beta readers (aka fanfic 101) -- Auntie Diluvian, 16:22:50 06/19/02 Wed


>Hmmm. Interesting view. I see it practically the
>opposite way. A statement like "no beta on this one"
>usually leaves me thinking, the author didn't bother
>to get help, is almost "bragging" about it by
>unnecessarily pointing it out, and seems to think the
>fact that a beta reader wasn't used somehow grants her
>some leeway if she screwed up on anything. Anyway, I
>always assume that if the author doesn't thank a beta
>reader in the story notes, one wasn't used. Whenever I
>see an additional statement to that effect, I'm wary
>of reading the story.

Oh, I'm generally wary too, since I presume the fic will be riddled with typos. But I know it can be hard to get someone to beta for you & I see the 'no beta' disclaimer as an apology for posting a potentially flawed fic. Guess I'm coming from a polar opposite viewpoint.


[ Edit | View ]


[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.