#elliewritesstories

[writblrpositivity]

@elliewritesstories

[sawyersscribbles]

How to Be (and Find) A Good Beta Reader

Over the past month or so, I’ve been beta reading for @the-bookdevourer for their WIP “Spell Weaver”. So far, I’m having so much fun reading such amazing writing, and it’s so incredible to actually be in contact with such talented people!

BUT (and there’s a big but here) I haven’t always been that good of a beta reader. I’m trying to do better, but I’m learning a lot from being a beta, and hope to learn a lot more in the future. So, here are a couple things I’ve learned to look out for:

1. Show Their Mistakes

It’s one thing to say that something in someone’s writing is wrong, but that doesn’t really help the author. Simply being a critic isn’t going to help them out, especially if you just write words like “rephrase” or “this doesn’t work”. I found myself doing that a couple times, but it’s a definite no-no! 

If you see a character that seems out of place and want to show it, say something like “I don’t think he would really be mean to her. I read him as more of a character who relates to hardships rather than put others down for them”. Instead of just saying “That doesn’t sound like him”, I show exactly where the writer went wrong, and told them why you thought that.

2. Read In Sections

While beta reading, I often only have time for a certain part of a chapter rather than reading it in its entirety. This can lead to some confusion when you get back into reading, which makes it both harder for the writer to understand if the writing is actually confusing or it’s just you, and it makes your life more difficult to read it. What I learned to do was to find a good breaking point within the chapter and set that as my mark. That way, I know where I left off, and the writer can know for sure that it’s not just me being sloppy.

3. Read Between the Lines

The most important thing you need to remember as a beta reader is to do your job well, and in a timely manner. You’re not just reading someone’s work because you want a free book, you’re reading it so that they can better understand their mistakes in their writing and improve from them as a result. Try not to leave too much space in between comments, and actually give the writer something to work off of.

Finding a Good Beta Reader

As important as it is to be a good beta reader yourself, it’s just as important to find a good one. Most writers put their beta readers through a google form, which is important in determining who they are and what they’re interested in, but that’s not all you can do:

1. Let Them Read A Chapter

Something I’ve seen some writers on tumblr do is to share one chapter of their WIP with a potential beta to see how they’ll edit it. This is a great way to see what they’re like as an editor and see if their editing style matches up with your writing This is a great way to find a fit and weed out any candidates who don’t seem to be working with you

2. Make A Google Form

Now about that form. Sometimes it’s hard to determine what exactly to put on your form, so other than the basic name and other fields, as a general outline, here are a couple things you might want to include on your form:

Have they edited before?

What is their favorite type of genre to read?

How would they do about editing a friend’s work as opposed to a stranger’s?

How many of their own pieces have they edited themselves?

In their own words, how can they improve themselves as a writer?

What are their strong suits in editing?

Bonus Round: Find Someone Kind!

It’s very easy to get fooled by someone who has an impressive resume, but the most important requirement of any beta reader is how they treat your writing. Never, ever get a reader who will treat your writing as not worthy or childish, even if they seem like the perfect candidate for the job.

And that’s about it! Editing is an exciting time in the progress of a WIP, but it’s definitely important to do it right. Good luck, and happy writing (and editing)!

[endlesshourglass]

I bet you really love autumn, with all the sweater and tea and leaves and stuff :0

YEESSS ok this is 100% true!! Autumn is my favorite season, October is my favorite month (and I’m sad about it ending, not just bc I’m nervous about NaNo ahahaha), and I LOVE the fall aesthetic. Tea and colorful leaves and sweaters and pumpkins and apples yay!!!

Make assumptions about me and i’ll say if they’re true or not

[kiaradimari]

So earlier today I made an offer to @eternalwritingstudent to create an image of one of her OC’s.  She had a toss-up between two that she was tempted to see and gave me the option between which one I thought might be eaiser to do. 

lol I couldn’t choose either and wanted the challenge.   So her OC’s got to cross over from her two WIP’s into one image for tonight. I only hope that I got at least close to what she envisioned.   If it so pleases, may I introduce Vilanna from Soul of Iddia and Valric from Thief :) 

I know I promised by Monday night latest, but I apparently managed to find a bit extra time tonight lol.  Surprise? (I’m sorry if the tribal facial tatoo didn’t come out as you envisioned… It was kind of a test for me ^_^”)

[endlesshourglass]

Ooh what are some headcanons of yours about your characters that won’t make it into the final cut of the WIP but are still valid?

If I have a headcanon about my own character… is that canon? Lol

Hmm well I have this theory that Blair is allergic to strawberries, but she doesn’t tell anyone. I don’t know why. She just doesn’t. So Ingrid goes to get them a snack and brings up some fruit and guess what. There are strawberries. And they are getting all over the other fruits. So Blair can’t eat any of them but she still doesn’t say anything, she just says she isn’t hungry. But Ingrid knows. So she gets them a different snack and then they cuddle together in front of the fire. 

[endlesshourglass]

1, 12, 17, 30?

Hey thanks for the ask!!!

1: How tall or short do you wish you were?

Already answered here! :D

12: Do you prefer tea, coffee, or cocoa?

I really love all three, but because I’m an addict, I’m going to have to go with coffee haha!

17: If you had to change your name, what would you change it to?

Hmm I’ve never really thought of this? I’ve always liked my name lol. I used to want to spell Allyson like most people spell it (Allison or Alison) but I’ve grown to like the unique way it’s spelt? So hmm I’ve always liked my middle name, Shea. Maybe I’d go by that? It’s pretty (even if it is a butter lol)!

30: Favorite movie?

This is SO HARD but I have to go with Up. It’s such a heartwarming story and the first five minutes make me cry every time!

Ask Game

[endlesshourglass]

hellooo!! I'm here to scream in your inbox now!! So I don't know much about your projects, tell me a bit about them! I saw in the tags (yes I read the tags) something called EH, what's that? What's it about, who are the characters?

Hellooo!!! Yes welcome to my inbox!!! I’m so happy to have you! Take a seat, have some coffee :D

I have to be completely honest… I’m feeling hella lazy right now, so I’m just going to casually throw the WIP page for The Endless Hourglass (the mythical EH you saw in the tags) right HERE.

As for a basic summary (which is me blabbing lol):

EH takes place in the Golden Kingdom, which is a society where some people have magic (Magicians) and some people don’t. Magicians have higher status than normal citizens. The two main main characters are Trent and Blair – two best friends who are also Magicians. Blair’s power is a bit complicated, but it involves sensing magic, while Trent has the ability to freeze time. The plot of EH follows Trent and Blair as they become more involved with the palace and get swept up in a coup to overthrow the king (who is not a Magician). Meanwhile, there is war looming on the horizon with the neighboring Empire of Three Swords. Trent keeps using his powers and Blair keeps having to deal with the consequences. So, what happens when Trent goes too far? (Hint: the plot of EH happens lol). 

Thank you for your interest!! I hope to see you back here again soon :D

[endlesshourglass]

Which OC would dress as a food?

Hmm I think Roselle would dress as a candy of some sort, like something sweet! I already said its canon that Adrien would dress like a banana lol, or maybe coffee or a pastry of some kind!

Send me a halloween costume and I’ll tell you which OC would wear it!