#buckygreyjoy

[bedlamsbard]

hi! just a question: how did you find a good and reliable beta?

I have had, I think, four or five long term betas in my life, and a couple others I’ve asked to take a look at scenes or chapters.  In my case, it’s almost always been people that I’ve known for a while by the time I start asking if they want to beta, and I don’t really remember how those relationships got started.  I think it was mostly a case of talking to people online about the fandom and eventually getting into a place where I’m bouncing stuff off them or where we’re cowriting, which is what happened with my Narnia betas.  All my betas have been people who read my fic before I started getting it betaed.

Up until fairly recently, I didn’t actually use a beta on chaptered stories as a matter of course -- I didn’t use a beta for Wake, I don’t think any of the O&R stories had a beta; @thatgirlnevershutsup used to look at individual chapters of Dust for me.  In cases where it was required for challenges or exchanges that I use a beta, I had a couple of go-tos that I trusted to look the story over before I sent it off, and those were people I’d met through those above-mentioned routes.  Gambit was the first story where I actually started with a beta, and IIRC, I think I was complaining on Twitter and @jkthinkythoughts and I started talking about the worldbuilding for the Gambitverse, and it just spiraled from there.  (We do go back to my Narnia days, though.)

For Backbone, I know I was putting stuff idly out on Tumblr when it was still just the vague agents of the Empire concept, and eventually put out an open call to see if anyone wanted to talk to me about it via e-mail.  I think I got...six takers?  At that point it was just worldbuilding, and I was talking to several people, but a lot of those discussions petered off after one or two fairly shallow exchanges that weren’t what I was looking for.  @xenadd and I started doing in-depth discussions about world-building via e-mail, and I eventually started pushing concepts at her.  And then even more eventually went, “hey, I am starting writing this thing as a chaptered story, do you want to look at chapters before I post them? ...this is basically a beta request, I should probably come out and say that.”  (This is actually how we met; I don’t think we were talking before.)

So that’s...as much as I remember, which isn’t very much.  I am mostly looking for plot and characterization betas, which means that whoever it is needs to be willing to follow my train of thought (and I’m worse in e-mail or in RL than I am in blog posts, because I jump around kind of wildly), as well as have pretty similar ideas of characterization, narrative, and theme as me when it comes to the canon, as well as having pretty close to the same priorities.  (There are a couple people I’ll occasionally ask to take a look at individual scenes, but wouldn’t ask to do full stories for that reason.)  Ideally we’ll also have about the same level of canon knowledge.  (Not a concern in some fandoms; sometimes a concern in SW because...SW is a lot.)  Because I write really long-form, they also have to be willing to live with that story for over a year.  (I’ve never had to switch betas mid-stride, and when faced with the possibility I’ve always said that I’ll just finish the story out without a beta in that case.)  I don’t use a SPAG beta, so I always say that upfront.  Though, like, obviously I hope for my betas to point out any typos or really weirdly phrased stuff; it’s just not the top priority.  This may be an unpopular opinion.  (I got majorly traumatized the first time I used a SPAG beta, about eight years ago, because she essentially kept telling me to change my entire prose style, and as a result (coupled with a few other cases) I specifically tell people I’m looking for plot and not SPAG, but plot is always my major concern anyway.)

I don’t think this is very helpful?  But it’s my experience.

[suzukiblu]

buckygreyjoy replied to your post:I wish you would write the fic where Obi-wan...

speaking from personal experience, much MUCH WORSE. horrified crying in the distance about Obi-wan Kenobi’s horrible life taking a turn for the even worse.

on the other hand, though: borderline feral ripped af Dark Side Obi-Wan Kenobi in black leather while Anakin desperately tries to get through to him before one of them has to kill the other.

LIKE, I’M JUST SAYING. 

[words-writ-in-starlight]

Hamilton and Jedi padawan!Laurens in the middle of the Space Revolutionary War and afterwards, possibly SCREAMING AT JEFFERSON in the middle of a Senate session.

Okay so during the Space Revolutionary War, here’s a few things that DEFINITELY happen.

First of all, Hamilton and Laurens and Lafayette and Mulligan are all involved about a year and a half earlier than they were in actual-facts history, which only matters because PINING.  So Laurens spends about a year Dealing with Hamilton, not least because he’s the only person who ever has any success managing him (after the third time Washington finds Hamilton passed out at a table after two days of work, he officially adds Hamilton Wrangling to Laurens’ list of padawan duties).  And this is made difficult because Hamilton is of the opinion that vows of non-attachment are stupid and also Laurens has a bad habit of Attaching all over the place, so he Suffers.

Riiiiight up until about the eight month mark at which point Laurens is exhausted from whatever they’ve been up to and reels right over until his face is buried in the curve of Hamilton’s neck and his lanky body is pressed up against Hamilton’s smaller form.  He mumbles something about ‘just so tired of not getting to do this’ and that…is pretty much that.  Hamilton is so smug every Jedi in the quadrant can practically taste it.  They’re not great at being subtle, but, like, there’s no evidence and they’re not bad at being subtle either, so really just Lafayette really KNOWS, and Laurens feels.  So.  Guilty.  But Hamilton is like gravity, and the guilt always somehow takes a backseat when the feral Force user kisses him.

There’s a space battle on the edge of the Schuylkill Asteroid Belt, some two years into the war, while they’re hidden on Valley Forge.  Alexander Hamilton is shot down and lost in the belt, according to the comm Lee sends them.  Laurens can’t find him in the Force, can’t feel him anywhere, and, while Laurens isn’t particularly strong with the Force (not like Alex, he thinks wildly, not like Alex who drags his own personal hurricane wherever he goes), the pulse of pain that rips out from him is so intense it leaves the other Jedi and Force-sensitives in Washington’s inner military family gasping.  

“General Washington, sir,” Hamilton pants as he all but onto the bridge of Washington’s ship, charred in places and his escape pod literally falling apart in the landing bay.  There’s a long pause, and he looks around, bemused, at the shocked faces around him.  “Uh, did I miss something?”

That night, Laurens pushes Hamilton down onto his bunk and curls up around him, until his senses are flooded with nothing but him, and the only thing he can sense in the Force is the hurricane, set to the beat of Alex’s heart.

Listening to the frantic Force signature of his student wind down into something exhausted, Washington very quietly gets in contact with a woman by the name of Martha and casually suggests that she look into coming to visit Valley Forge now that he’s in so much trouble with the Council anyway.

(to tune of Non-Stop)  AFTER the War, they went back to the Continental systems.  (Doesn’t really scan, does it.)

So Hamilton’s not married to Eliza in this AU because the Schuyler Sisters are still kicking ALL the ass (WORK), he and Laurens have been a thing for a while now (and Laurens is getting past some of his issues on GWash’s example), and the Jedi Council, let’s be real, is pretty much not okay with any of the Space Revolutionary War.  Not least because Best Jedi Ever George Washington has been happily married for like TEN YEARS NOW and they’re all feeling kind of humiliated.  So the Council fractures right down the middle, and on the one side you have the Traditionalists and on the other side you have…I dunno, Reform Jedi?  Reform Jedi, we’re calling them that.  And the Reform Jedi decide to integrate themselves into the new government of the Continental systems, which have renamed themselves the American systems (because I do what I want), aaaand that’s where TJeffs comes in.  Ex-ambassador to Coruscant from Washington’s home planet.

Jefferson’s Force-sensitive, but not enough to be trained as a Jedi (and yes, he’s bitter), so he meets Hamilton and then things unravel from there.  Their FIRST MEETING involves the debate of “is each planet going to be financially sovereign or not”, and Hamilton’s very logical response is “obviously not, because YOUR planet might be all temperate climates and arable land, but, say, the planet containing our current capital is NOT, each planet needs to be able to depend on each other.”  And Jefferson, Force bless him, opens his counter-argument with something to the effect of “are we going to take recommendations on how to financially manage a unification of systems from a feral Force user from the ass end of the galaxy, what possible use could he be.”

Laurens is literally an entire system away, mopping up some of the last of the mess, and he still feels Hamilton lose his temper.

[suzukiblu]

What's the tag for the Han Solo time travel AU where he goes back in time after Ben kills him (either as an old man or the age he would've been during the clone wars) is found out to be force sensitive and has to stop himself from shooting Anakin whenever he sees the other although he typically fails at that

There is not one! At least, there is not one on my blog. I didn’t bother making a tag because I didn’t really do anything for it and also I really, REALLY did not wanna get sucked into the epic-length meta I was thiiiis close to succumbing to writing. I ONLY HAVE SO MANY SPOONS I AM SORRY. You want @buckygreyjoy for this one. 

[words-writ-in-starlight]

LIST THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF YOUR LAST TEN FICS (AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY PATTERNS)

I’m limiting myself to just fic-fics, not bullet-point-fics, because, like, I put out too much stuff.  Thanks to @buckygreyjoy for tagging me.

1) “This guy needs to chill out,” Chat Noir said, shooting a smirk at Ladybug to see her nose crinkle up.  Her look of fond distaste was the highlight of his day, every day, the kind of friendly teasing Adrien had always wished for as a little boy. The only thing better was when she actually shot a joke back at him, leaving a warm weight in his chest and a smile on his face.  --from this untitled canon Miraculous Ladybug fic 

2) Enjolras is a wished-for child, and he’s told as much every day by his mother, who bought his life with a few drops of blood on white silk in a gold embroidery hoop.  From the minute he learns to talk, he’s as fair as the sun and as sharp as her needle, and his country adores their young prince with their whole heart.  His mother Queen Lamarque is a good ruler and her Prince Consort is nice enough so all is well, and Enjolras grows up believing passionately in the rights of the people.  His tutors despair of him as a monarch but are delighted with him as a politician—it’s very strange for everyone.  --from this untitled Snow White AU Les Mis fic

3)  The message from Lee was greeted by a long beat of silence.  --from to see our glory, a canon-era Hamilton fic about Schuylkill, continued here

4) Eponine is ten, with parents who hate her and a little brother she’s terrified for, when she gets hit in the chest with a pebble.  Some other kid tossed it and it’s pouring rain and they probably didn’t even see her, but she goes down like she’s been shot.  --from a flower at my feet, a reincarnation AU Les Mis fic

5)  “Excuse me, sir, are you awake?”  The voice was feminine, warm and husky and stern, with a distinctive curl to the words, slack on the r and sharp over the vowels. New York City, then.  Home.  --from this as-yet-unpublished Winter Soldier AU Hamilton fic

6)  The landslide didn’t take him by surprise.  It was hard to take an earthbender by surprise, and harder when that earthbender had spent ten years mostly fending for himself.  So Grantaire was well out of the path of the falling rocks before they started to slip, and fully intended to let nature take its course.  The rocks were large, but they could be cleared easily, and he was trying to make this village last more than a season, which meant not doing things like diverting massive rockslides.  --from things we lost in the fire, an Avatar AU Les Mis fic

7) She isn’t a Skywalker—or maybe she is.  She can’t remember, so does it matter?  She is herself.  --from Shattered Glass and Sandstorms, a First Oder Rey Star Wars AU

8) John hadn’t slept heavily since coming to Valley Forge—the ill ease of a Southern boy exposed to the bitter nip of a Pennsylvania winter for the first time—but he was getting better at it.  The tiny hut was better than the tent, and their status as aides de camp of the general himself meant that they were only two to a hut.  It meant there was barely space to walk between the slapdash cots and the writing desk they shared and the two chairs. Alexander—who had insisted on the familiar address within scant days of meeting John, all sharp-edged smile and warm dark eyes—had a slightly easier time of it, as he wasn’t forced to stand with his head bowed whenever he drew too near a wall, but not much.  --from this untitled canon-era Hamilton fic

9) “This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had–”  --from this untitled Steve/Sam/Bucky friendship MCU fic

10) “Oh m’God, who’s cooking, that is amazing,” Rogue called as she swept into the mansion and was hit by a wall of smoky-sweet warmth spilling from the kitchen.  “Is that jambalaya?  Am I gonna have to do extra Danger Room sessions or somethin’ for that?” --from this untitled Rogue/Remy X-Men fic

Honestly? The first thought that comes to mind is “I write too much Les Mis fic for someone who’s never read the book all the way through” but fuck it, I do what I want.  Otherwise, I notice that I like to start with either a declarative statement (see 2, 3, 4, 6, 7) or someone doing something, preferably talking (see 1, 5, 9, 10), and heavy description as a cold open (8) is pretty uncommon.  Um, yeah, that’s what I got.  

In case anyone’s curious, I’m really proud of the First Order Rey one and I love the X-Men so y’all should feel free to hit me up for that.  Also, guess who has two thumbs and is a huge AmRev nerd?  *points at self*  So yeah, for all your gay canon-era Hamilton needs.

I don’t even fucking know who to tag, just.  Whoever.  It’s kind of cathartic going through old writing, you should do it if you’ve had a long day.

[suzukiblu]

ok I saw that role reversal AU and now I am Intrigued. what does tiny baby padawan Anakin do with Obi-wan? does he like, happily gravitate to the poor guy? ask him questions about Tattooine? what happens when Maul shows up, does Qui-gon still end up stabbed?

Friend believe me I would love to tell you but I KNOW it would turn into a whole big AU and I am already SMOTHERED in those, so at least for now this one is gonna stay tabled. Sorry! 

[suzukiblu]

HEY do you mind if I write, like, Han Solo Worst Time Traveler Ever? bc this might have bitten me. v badly.

Friend, PLEASE DO and also please tag me in it so I can read it. >> 

[suzukiblu]

hello I am here to tell you about Worst Time Traveller Han Solo, possibly post-TFA, grumpily rolling through the Clone Wars and accidentally earning a Reputation for knowing, strangely, exactly where to invest his money and what to do when confronted with Completely Unexpected Events. also, for some reason, he keeps running into baby-Vader a lot. STOP SHOOTING AT ME, yells Anakin, possibly just before they find themselves in another hot mess. sorry, force of habit, says Han.

also, at least once, somebody’s like “ok dude you’re a bit TOO accurate with your blaster shots as Anakin keeps complaining, lemme take your midichlorian count” “midi WHAT NOW” “I mean, you’re clearly Force-sensitive” “NO I’M NOT IT’S LUCK.”