How do i go about getting a beta? Should i even worry about it? I did one story without a beta and am playing with the idea of another one, but i am not sure if a beta is a good idea or not nor do i know how to go about getting one or how the beta thing even works so help an explainations would be appreciated.
Thanks and blessed be.

Yes, you should absolutely get a beta. Preferably one that is brutal. I selected one of ff's list of beta readers.

So where can i look to find one?

Just posting in the forum here is a great way to get a beta, but you might want to clarify what it is you need help with. Are looking for someone who will just double check your stories for grammar/spelling errors? Or are you looking for someone to bounce ideas off of and can help you make sure your stories flow well?

I just need grammer/spelling and general feedback. I think. My first story was Maidens Mended and i was told in a review that my grammer and spelling was off. i was hoping to avoid this goof up again.

I would suggest running your ficlet through a spell-check if it's multi-chaptered before you post, that will take care of most spelling/grammar errors, although you need to set the English language to be edited in it to your own country of origin. For example you'd be best to set your spell-checker to US-English if you live in the US, or UK-English if you live in the UK, and so on, depending on where you live in the world.

Secondly when you get someone to beta your ficlet, you really need to ask them which English language they know, since for example US - English uses different spelling for words than UK - English, so you don't want your beta saying your spelling is wrong when they used US - English and you use UK - English.

For example in US - English they tend to drop the 'u' in certain words like 'Labour' becomes 'Labor', and words like 'Aeon' become 'Eon'.

Here's a good site example of US vs UK spellings of some English words.
US vs UK spellings.

Additionally you should really define what you want your beta to do. Do you want them to just read for plotholes, for spelling and grammar errors, or for punctuation? The beta won't catch everything in the chapter or ficlet, they're only human.

Thirdly, I would suggest that you start proofreading your own work before you post too, even if it is a chapter or a drabble. It'll help you to better understand your own writing, find the areas you need help with like spelling, and make you more familiar with your own writing style. I know it can be a pain, but as a writer you won't develop if you're terrified of reading your own stuff. A good excercise in your own patience is to proof your own work before you send it to a beta too, and making a list of things you've noticed to help them figure out what exactly you want them to do.

Remember that a beta is giving up their free-time to help you, so it's only polite to make things a bit easier for them. If they're a good friend, they likely won't mind you bouncing ideas off of their noggins to help you improve and or even to extend your ficlet or chapter to be posted.

I don't use betas myself since I write rarely now, and I proofread extensively myself, so it kind of negates the purpose of using a beta. But for others I applaude the author and beta for being so brave to have their work critiqued by another. It's very courageous.

~ Pyre

Pyreite wrote:
Secondly when you get someone to beta your ficlet, you really need to ask them which English language they know, since for example US - English uses different spelling for words than UK - English, so you don't want your beta saying your spelling is wrong when they used US - English and you use UK - English.

For example in US - English they tend to drop the 'u' in certain words like 'Labour' becomes 'Labor', and words like 'Aeon' become 'Eon'.

~ Pyre

Just for the record Canadians tend to spell a mix of US and UK, however both are correct there is nothing wrong with the spellings its just a random English language thing.

I vote you look for a Canadian beta!

Canadians rock!

(BTW I'm a Canadian which is why all the national pride)

Kirai wrote:

Just for the record Canadians tend to spell a mix of US and UK, however both are correct there is nothing wrong with the spellings its just a random English language thing.

I vote you look for a Canadian beta!

Canadians rock!

(BTW I'm a Canadian which is why all the national pride)

XD Actually Canadian's do rock! My favourite voice actress of all time is Canadian i.e. the illustrious Jennifer Hale, who voiced my favourite game character, Shepard, followed by Lenore Zann (whose Australian), who voiced Rouge in the original Xmen series that played on TV in the early 1990s.

Just plain awesome.

~ Pyre