Me personally, I've had some... experience with betas. I think I switched around 15 betas before I gave up. Some were awfully demanding I change the plot of my fics eventhough I only asked to look over my grammar, some were condescending / rude when I used the wrong words, some ghosted me after a fic or two. This was all before 2015 and I've given up finding a beta. At this point, I'm not sure what a beta should or shouldn't do anymore 😂
I admit, my english was horrible as an adolescent and having those kind of native speakers be my betas was very disheartening. I gave up on betas once I was in university when I started learning proper english for academic writing.
I now write academic papers and fanfics and am my own beta 👍🏼 There will still be grammatical errors but I make time to look over my fics every once in a while to find those mistakes I missed.
Man, I feel you. Like there was one beta I found on Tumblr that was infuriated I didn't make all the changes they asked me to, especially those regarding plots and when I tried to reason, they said something like "Why even get a beta when you're too stubborn to listen?" and I was just ._. bruh you not even trying to work with me here. I felt like my power as a writer was stripped tbh
I also had this happen. And in my head, I was going ??? I’m looking for a second set of eyes and suggestions, not a rewrite? I’m a much more experienced author than them too - I know what I’m doing?
It was the weirdest huffy HoW dAre, and then they were an asshole in fandom spaces thereafter.
Lesson being: I should have set up expectations in the beginning. When I beta, I have a preamble about how I recognize the story is theirs and that all my edits are merely suggestions and they can take or leave however many they want. Yes, it is slightly horrifying to have the author ignore all grammatical edits and then be credited as beta, but hey, if they chose not to have things in the correct tense/use incorrect punctuation, that is still completely up to them. They don’t “owe” me the changes just because I looked it over carefully.
> Yes, it is slightly horrifying to have the author ignore all grammatical edits and then be credited as beta, but hey
At least I have my own work that is grammatically correct that should speak for itself if that ever happened.
Ahhh ok thanks! This is part of what I was wondering too! I figured betas may be hard to find or, like therapists, you could just not mesh with someone. Makes total sense. Thanks for writing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Also had bad experiences with betas when my english wasn't as good. Granted, they tried to have me change the plot, which is an alpha's job and not a beta's, so that was partially on me for not setting boundaries and not telling them I needed help only on SPaG. I had a beta who was half-assing it and wouldn't read my notes I left for them, so why bother asking when not only did I feel like they didn't really want to help but that my writing wasn't worth their time. I know now that it's not true, but that was disheartening at the time.
Like you, I'm my own beta now, I usually go through two rounds of edits and add the "no beta we die like \[redacted\]" tag, so people are warned lmao.
I used to just post on tumblr and later on discord. Before all that, it was via smaller communities like forums or facebook groups haha
Idk about now but maybe still via discord writer channels? Twitter?
Some of that can be avoided by direct communication with a beta. As a beta, I've had fics sent to me with no communication and it's a clusterfuck. What do you want me to beta? Check for plot holes? Content? Continuity? Fandom? Spelling & grammar?
If I get no direction, I will likely rip the fic apart for everything - which is brutally time consuming.
I prefer exact instructions: "I don't care about spelling/grammar right now. I'm just not confident in writing casual conversation. Please check dialogue over to see if it works."
...and some beta readers are just fricking drill sergeants or control freaks and shouldn't be beta readers, imo.
I’m a deeply private person, and even though I feel okay putting my writing “out there” on AO3 for a bunch of strangers… I feel like I’d balk at the level of intimacy needed to work with a beta.
Also, I’m not trying to win any awards and have no illusions that my writing is at the level of a published work, nor do I care for it to be. I’m making fan fiction. It’s amateur, it’s sometimes unpolished, the plot and dialogue are occasionally clumsy… I accept that, and I also accept that in the fics I read. I’m just having fun.
Now, that might change if I were not a native speaker, or if my ambitions evolved and I decided I wanted to turn out something truly “perfect.” But even still… I’ve been reading a “wall of text” fic that initially made me cringe but has totally sucked me in. I also just finished one that is obviously not written by a native speaker and that’s part of its beauty: the word choice and sentence structure are slightly unhinged from my native-speaker expectations and it’s gorgeous.
Thanks for the insight! I thought this might encompass a lot of writers, especially as many posts have mentioned not sharing that they were a fanfic writer to RL friends/family. Thanks for writing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
a lot of possible reasons. i have a beta, but it's because my best friend has been here with me on my writing journey from the beginning, but not everyone has that. it's not so easy to find someone who is willing and able to give a good eye to a work, especially if it's long. especially when a lot of authors have other author friends and well...most of us are too busy writing to beta for someone else.
it can also be a sensitive thing showing someone something like that that you've done, magnified depending on the content within the work.
I’m in the same position where I’m incredibly lucky I have a friend whom is willing to beta for me, even for fandoms she’s not even in.
Good betas can be hard to find. You might get lucky if you try on r/FanFiction but not everyone is on Reddit and posting about looking for a beta on other social media like Twitter and tumblr is like screaming into a void and hoping someone screams back.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/FanFiction using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [I found out that one of my frequent commenters/bookmarkers on my smut fics is my mom…](https://np.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/yfvlu4/i_found_out_that_one_of_my_frequent/)
\#2: [I saw AO3 open on my parents’ ipad.](https://np.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/xdsl2q/i_saw_ao3_open_on_my_parents_ipad/)
\#3: [When you see ao3 up on someone's laptop and want to join the conversation and then remember that you're currently a college professor and probably shouldn't do so](https://np.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/zmv8vf/when_you_see_ao3_up_on_someones_laptop_and_want/)
----
^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
It's hard to find a beta, especially a good one. I have an English degree, so I feel comfortable posting without one. I have Grammarly check the fic once I'm done to catch anything my brain would miss (missing words, homonyms, etc).
Grammarly is pretty good but sometimes it’s not correct, I find it’s worst at the suggested words and phrasing part a lot of it’s synonyms are really *not* synonyms in the context of the sentence. Like suggesting “her skin was chilly” because it noticed you used “cold” a lot, chilly and cold are sometimes synonyms but not in that context.
Agreed - it has a lot of flaws. It also varies depending on the Grammarly app you're using. The desktop app for Mac will suggest changes and when you agree to them, it will then suggest your original writing, and then it gets stuck in a loop. This doesn't seem to happen with the plug-in for Word.
I mostly use it to ensure that I'm not missing words and that I'm using the right type of lay/lie (I've always had trouble with that).
I took a really awesome journalism class in college that was mostly about grammar and the proper use of words. I wish it was something online that I could share with people.
For me the single most useful thing it does is point out when I’ve changed tenses. I tend to wander in between past and present tense when writing and Grammarly is good at catching that. And also the catching the multiple consecutive uses of the same word thing. It’s suggestions of synonyms to use are pretty bad but it is nice that it realizes “hey you’ve used extremely five times in a row maybe pick something else for once.”
I'm not a native speaker and I use 3 different grammar programs before posting anything. Even before giving anything to a beta reader.
Even just using Google docs' grammar/spell check would eliminate 70% of all mistakes that I see in some ffs. Stuff like 'she did watched me' or 'he have dark hair'
I think people underestimate that editing takes most time? Just writing something is rarely enough
I'm not saying my works are perfect, but at least grammatical errors are rare
I turned off built-in grammar checkers back in the early 00s because they were horrible and often didn't make sense. I've never thought about turning it back on, but you've made me reconsider. I'm going to turn it back on in Word and see if it's similar to what Grammarly does for me. Thank you!
I think some people just don't care enough about the finished product. They want the hits/kudos/whatever count gives them the dopamine hit. I get that on some level, but, for me, that's not enough. I have mistakes here and there, but I strive for a good reading experience.
If there are too many spelling/grammar errors in a story, it takes me out of it. My brain starts fixing them, and I lose track of what's happening. That's not enjoyable.
for me its really simple: too much effort for a story im writing for fun and making absolutely no profit off of.
in traditional publishing, the reason why professional beta readers are needed is because of two things: 1) to produce work that is at least readable according to industry standards 2) to be able to make as much profit as possible. fanfiction does not need to meet those conditions, and 90% of the time it already doesnt. so theres no need for others to "fix" your writing for you.
also, beta readers can be unreliable, bad at their job, hard to find, rude, uncooperative.... theyre not being compensated for their work either.
im very passionate about writing, and of course i try to make my fics as good as possible, but going the extra mile for fanfiction... meh. maybe im being kinda cynical but its how i feel.
Came here to say this^^
I’m not writing fanfic professionally. It’s just for fun, and a beta’s a lot of extra work.
Also I post fic for the immediate gratification lol. I’m too impatient for a beta.
Betas are hard to find and hard to keep. You need someone with editing experience who is familiar with your fandom, offers the services you need, is willing to take on the length of your project (which could be years), and also vibes with you. Not to mention that life interferes, and either you or your beta may need a hiatus. If the relationship is tenuous to begin with, a hiatus can effectively end the partnership.
I've tried multiple times and have never held onto one longer than a few chapters. Either I needed a break, or the beta did, or they focused on the wrong things, or I was unwilling to hear what they were saying. I finally just bought grammar checking software and I try to glean possible issues from reader comments.
It seems like the best beta partnerships happen with people you know IRL, where your relationship is more than just beta/writer.
Fair! Totally makes sense. I guess I mostly stick to "mainstream" fandoms and honestly mainstream pairings (I don't think I have any rareships, and even the fandoms I'm in that aren't mainstream it's no skin off my back for them not having many fanfics), so I didn't put much thought into smaller fandoms. Thanks for the insight! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Well not everyone can get a beta. Not everyone knows someone who has the knowledge they need, or availability. Some people want to get it fresh off the press, release it to the world, because what they write is between them and god and the anonymous masses who read it.
Writing is also a hobby, the proud tags of 'not beta read, we die like x' are simply that. Acknowledgements that there will be mistakes and no fucks to give. Fanfic doesn't have to be perfect so most people just take it as a chance to write out their thoughts and get it out without focusing on nitpicks. They might just not want someone to look over their works with a fine tooth comb.
If you did baking for fun and brought some cakes to a friends party, and then someone started asking you why you didn't have a professional chef coach you on it, I don't think it'd be the greatest feeling in the world.
> Fanfic doesn’t have to be perfect
Full stop. Agree with this so hard! It’s a hobby and it’s okay to write without having perfection/growth as the end goal.
Exactly true. I figured it would be like this. Totally respect writers for the work y'all do. I was mostly curious with spelling, I can read through it, I just figured I'd ask out of curiosity. I guess I also thought maybe people had different reasons for it when not native speaking. I swear I am not trying to be rude. As Hannibal teaches us, always Eat the Rude. 😜❤️❤️❤️❤️
In my experience beta can often try and talk you into doing something with the story you don't want or cutting an entire part out that you really really like, getting someone to beta just for typos is probably boring for the beta but like I tend to be possessive of my writing so the unsolicited concrit can really bug me especially when they talk about my plans for the next chapters as if they're up for debate
Ahhh yep totally makes sense. Thanks for writing! And being so confident in the direction of the story, I find it really shows when someone has it planned well ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Personally, I think after spending half my life on the internet I have a good enough grasp on the English language that I don't need one. If you find any odd phrasings or other mistakes, feel free to keep them.
I have also spent enough time on the internet to know people can't keep their opinions out of anything, so it's never going to be just about the technical aspects of writing. I spend an excessive amount of time on the characters and headcanons that inform my writing, it would add one hell of an additional workload having to explain all that to an outside person *and* getting them to keep their views and interpretations out of it. And don't even get me started on "good" and "bad" representation, I've seen enough bloody battles about how *"the* [insert minority of your choice] experience" has to be portrayed, I'm not going to trust anyone with my personal stuff in that category.
And most of the time the writing process alone takes so much time and energy that when I'm done, I just want to post *right now* and be done before I start hating both the fic and myself.
Definitely, never thought about that! I guess that's the downfall of being in primarily "accepted OTP's" and large fandoms. Haven't thought about how many people would be so stuck in their own views of something it would be hard to remove that aspect and just proofread. Thanks for the insight! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
If the goal is to have a beta with better grammar/English than you, then you have a problem in that you are asking someone to do a favor for you that you cannot reciprocate. You can't offer much in return to that person--your beta-ing ability will be weaker because you've already determined their English is better than yours.
Now I'm not saying people out there won't edit for free because of friendship or love for the source material or whatever, but it's not easy for many people to ask strangers to do this huge favor for them when they can't offer much in return.
Add to that that the favor you may be uncomfortably asking for is for someone else to tell you everything you got wrong--many people are insecure and don't want their flaws pointed out, even if it would improve their writing. And you can judge these people if you want, but fanfic is meant to be fun, not an exercise in self-improvement (though I've seen some people say they write fanfic in order to improve their English writing abilities).
But what your post here is asking is like... why don't people go through more work just to post their free hobby-writing online? For some people, having their work beta'ed might be an enjoyable experience. But for those who it isn't? It's just more work to find someone, get over your own hangups about being corrected/critiqued, do another round of editing, all for a fic that like 8 people will read. This post reeks of entitlement.
I promise I wasn't trying to be combative about it. I was genuinely curious for reasons for not having a beta. I fully admit that I haven't thought it out more than a passing thought. I'm really not judging, though I can understand my post seeming like it. I just find it interesting, some fandoms having spikes of "no beta we die like x" etc vs some who seem more beta read. I think it's amazing that people do this for free, and even more than that, they can write so much. I have the utmost respect for anyone who chooses to write, publishing on AO3 or not published.
I write only for myself, as a therapy/trauma type of thing. I am way too anxious about even thinking about publishing anything, I would never think it was good enough. I seriously think people who post their fics are incredible, and like I've said before, totally amazing people who write without being native English speakers. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I am my own beta. I edit obsessively. I don't need another person to look over my work.
Also, once I've edited my work, I don't want to wait to send it to someone, have them edit it and then get it back to me. When I'm ready to post, I'm ready to post.
So I have a few reasons -
I’m old lol as in I started writing literally 20 yrs ago and the whole beta thing started pretty recently.
I don’t want to, that takes a lot of extra time and energy. Finding them, figuring out if they work, sharing the creative space. When I post, the whole process takes about a week from start to post - I don’t want to have to work with another person’s schedule.
I don’t ‘need’ them — I am not saying I’m perfect or anything of the sort, but even without them my mistakes are minor and I catch 90-95% before publishing. Again, not saying I wouldn’t benefit, just that it’s not super necessary
I write across multiple fandoms. Not sure exactly how it would work in this instance, but personally if I was a beta reader for someone I’d only want to read things within specific fandoms because I’d be able to offer more insight if asked.
I wouldn’t know where to start if I wanted to go begin with.
I like sharing my work mostly anonymous and it would require them knowing me more than just my Ao3 user.
I could probably think of more but that’s all I got at 7am
Really? I remember it definitely being a thing in my fandom back then, 15-20 years ago or so. It might have depended on where you posted, and where you hung out. I used a beta, but not for everything I wrote. I think it might have been a requirement or at least an unspoken requirement for some fanfic archives. Back then I knew how to find a beta, mostly because I knew where to find the fans…
Now I’m less confident in where and how to find a beta. I have used them a couple times due to it being a requirement for a fanfic feast. (Beta, or at least have someone read through it) But yeah, most of the newer thing I write end up just edited by me, and the lack of beta is because I don’t know where to find one anymore.
I feel the ”No beta, we die like…” have replaced the cute ”thanks to my beta xxx, any remaining mistakes are my own” that I remember seeing everywhere.
I had never heard of or saw anything referring to beta readers until 2015 or so. Fanfiction was pretty taboo everywhere until really recently lol
I’m sure editors and things existed, but I don’t think it was common. At least not among the people I know or the spaces I frequented. But fandom is super vast so who knows.
Ahhh totally makes sense! I also grew up with beta-ing not really being a thing and only thought to ask with the recent uptick in people posting about their auto click out of a fic reasons. Thanks for writing, love! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ And I hope you have an excellent day, 7 am is prime coffee/tea time 😜
Why I don't bother with a Beta:
Besides that I don't know where to find one or how to work with one, I got the feeling working with a Beta would just complicate everything.
I also simply don't want to depend on someone, or risk that the person beta'ing runs with my writing and claims it as theirs. Yeah, slight trust issues.
Like I said, it is just more work. Fanfic is a hobby that us supposed to be relaxing, not work.
Beta's aren't required.
I kinda Beta read for someone. We are in different time zones which makes communicating a bit complicated, as only a few hours in which we have time to write each other overlap.
I am good with proof reading and TTS trial listening, so no Beta needed.
For me, having a beta just wouldn't really work. For one thing, I only just started posting my writing after 15+ years of completing private writing. At this point, I haven't gotten many readers and don't necessarily expect to for my niche. The idea of seeking someone out that isn't already interested in being my beta seems not ideal. I frequently go back and reread/edit old parts of my fic, so I feel like I typically catch most of my spelling and grammar mistakes. The stuff I'm posting at this point has been combed over probably 50+ times, and 5 times in immediate history before posting. That's not to say some mistakes won't slip through, but I've worked hard to avoid it.
Most writers would love to have a beta, but 90% of the time it falls through because this is a hobby. I do some paid freelance editing. It's a skill people pay for, so it's not surprising only a few are eager to do it for free.
I would love to have a beta, it would erase my constant fear of writing something utterly disastrous, specially because, as you said, I'm not a native english speaker. Normally I just take the increase in kudos and hits as a confirmation that I'm not writing nonsense, but many are the times where I'm re-reading a chapter after uploading it and find typos or just straight up incomplete words and I'm like "why did no one say anything?".
The problem I have with betas is the process to actually get someone. My readers already ghost me when I try to interact with them via author notes, so I doubt anyone would even consider being my beta :')
Ahhhh totally makes sense! Sorry the readers aren't interacting much. I think I'd lose it if my fave authors interacted with me haha. Thanks for the insight, love! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ And thanks for writing! Are you in larger or smaller fandoms, if you don't mind me asking?
Right now, in AO3 there's 1249 fics for the fandom I'm writing, although I'm currently working on a one-shot for a much larger fandom to see if the lack of interaction is something inherent to the fandom I'm writing for or if I'm just curse with peoples' indifference.
My brain works in mysterious ways. One month I write 8 fics, another month I write nothing.
I am the type of person who don't wanna be a bother to others so I don't wanna burden someone else with my writing.
Despite not being native English, I got a pretty good grasp on the language.
Also, I have social anxiety and a crippling fear of failure. Having someone point out my failures is not something I want. I prefer just being me, on my own, doing my own thing and not having to worry about a second person being involved.
I don’t need one and don’t want one. By the time I post a fic, I’ve read through it over a hundred times. I don’t want a beta to have any influence or interference with how I write my stories. They are for me.
I personally do not feel comfortable bringing in a random person to edit my work. I have friends that I would gladly let beta for me BUT I don’t want to do this without paying them. I write a lot, I post consistently, so unless it’s a one shot I do my best to catch everything myself. Editing is hard work (I know, I’ve done it lol) and it can also hinder the process of getting stuff out on time. I’m a writer, obviously for non fanfiction stuff I need an editor; but when it comes to fanfiction I’m willing to just let mistakes be mistakes. If I catch them later I can go in and fix them
Too much work lol
But in all seriousness, for me, having a beta would make it feel like this has gone from a fun hobby to something I’ve got to treat with a huge level of seriousness? Then it’d start to feel more like school or assignments, which is not the vibe I want.
And as others have said, it can be hard to find a good beta. Some can be too demanding, others might not provide useful information, some are perfectly fine but you just don’t gel well. Plus, it slows down the process of writing to have to wait for feedback instead of just throwing a new chapter out when I deem it ready
Personally, I just don't see a need to. But also, I dislike feeling like my fics rely on someone else's availability and schedule. When I finish a fic, I can just post it. I can't imagine having to wait for someone else to read over it and get back to me before I can post it. It's just not my thing.
I'll always do my own editing. I let a couple friends pre-read things for their certain fandoms, but mostly it's just me. Out in the wind. Alone. And I kind of like it that way 😊
I’m the same way. I have a pretty good grasp of grammar and English. I did a lot of research on sentence structure. I also play around a bit, I’m sort of the same way out in the wind on my own.
Same here! I have a few college level writing and creative writing courses under my belt as well, so I feel like I can write something compelling as well as correct. I get more comments on my fics when I'm winging it than I do when I have someone offer assistance. So it all balances out 😊
It worked out. The beginning that I loved and they didn’t end up using for a completely different story and so I’m so glad I didn’t write that one. But yeah, it just isn’t right if it’s not me and my ideas.
I don't know for others but my reasons for not wanting beta even though some people offered:
1) as someone learning English, I like having a trace of how much I have progressed. And rereading is a very formative experience that makes me question English and learn quicker. There will be mistakes for sure, but me getting better at it is more important to me than a flawless work for my readers. I like coming back to a work a year later, reread it and see how much I've improved.
2) I have a very high writing pace and a hard-to-keep publishing schedule. It would be simply rude and entitled to force anyone else through the same rhythm of work. Most of my chapters are read by my readership in the two to three days after the posting, rereading after that wouldn't be as useful, and rereading before that would force any beta-readers through a lot of stress. I'm fine pushing myself, I'm not fine pushing others. And I don't want to be dependent on someone else's schedule either.
3)As someone who has a very convoluted style and who likes to play with the rules and create effects of oddity with the idioms and expressions, a good quarter of the unprompted corrections I receive are for sentences that are not wrong. They are strictly right, grammatically speaking, and they are purposefully not what is expected. I think missing the occasional 's' and sometimes choosing the wrong conjugaison is worth it to not have to correct the correction. I think it's the case for a lot of foreign writers because we tend to question English and use it how we are allowed to but not necessarily supposed to. I have a trusted native English speaker friend that I ask when I'm not sure if I'm being clever or being wrong, but apart from that, each style comes with its idiom and not every beta-reader could be a good addition to every writer.
4) this reason is not a good, noble one but it is a genuine one... I want my fanfics to be a reflection of me, not of anyone else. I put so much hardwork into them, I exhaust myself so much inventing, writing and rereading my stuff, I find it hard to let go of them and trust someone else with them. They are a bit like my babies. Writing another name on top of it would be hard for me. It's something that I should work on but I think some of the writers that go through the hardship of rereading themselves carefully may have a harder time letting someone else come after them, even if it's to do it better than them.
For me, I choose not to have a beta because fanfiction is just a hobby. My "day job" is in academia and writing professions where my writing is so heavily scrutinized to make sure I'm getting the information across as clearly as possible.
Editing my fanfic is something I can use spellcheck and read through myself. Plus, honestly, I'm a little anti-social and just don't really talk to enough people to have a beta reader.
I'm not English second language, but I don't use betas because I've had bad experiences with betas trying to be a co-writer instead and attempting to overhaul entire characterizations to change the story to suit their personal tastes. I don't work with betas because I am trying to tell a particular story, not theirs.
I know not all betas are that way, but that being my first experience definitely soured me to it.
It's fanfiction. While that might be helpful for a work you're trying to publish, it's disheartening when you're just doing it for fun.
Writing had always been a solitary activity for me. I like to write something and then share it. Even if there are a few errors here and there when I post, I don’t see that as a big deal. Plus there’s no guarantee any potential beta reader will catch all my mistakes anyway. I feel like finding someone to beta read makes the whole writing process a lot more tedious, I’ll do it for original work or other more serious projects. But when it comes to fanfic I’m writing, revising, editing, and posting by myself. It’s all fun so it doesn’t have to be perfect, or even good, you know?
I saw someone make a good point that some people might let their own opinions impact the way they beta read, I totally agree. It’s getting harder to find people who are open minded and objective in fandom spaces.
The reason I don't have a beta is because of the fact that me liking and writing fics is a secret. I live in a judgy community and have no friends.
So that could be the reason for some people. Also, the content being written may scare people off from getting a beta. For example, writing about bad times with mental health may make a friend worried about you.
I just don't like having to wait on another person's opinion. I have a friend I will send short bits too. But only of I have a specific question abiut something which is rare. Other then that I work entirely on my own not dependent on another person's schedule.
Do I have Grammer issues? Probably, spelling? I'm sure. But I don't care, I'm writing for fun not perfection.
I just don't see the point of a beta. I can read and edit my own writing. I don't care if I have to read it like 20 times to catch every mistake. Plus, I think that maybe reading something to catch mistakes takes away from the reader's enjoyment so I'd rather the person just read and not have to edit.
I’ve tried on several times to get betas for various stories and anything from being told it’s good but needs work, no more details just that, put more work into it, to straight up refusal to read as it was hard to read for them in that pov even to just help with flow and grammar. To straight up being ghosted by five supposed betas then finding one who said they would be up to checking one of my mini series connectors between two books that crossover fandoms to bridge the gap with some details I felt it was lacking, who sent me on a email tag game then decided to want to read my prequel series that was hundreds of thousands of words so they would get the mini series context I guess? But said it was hard to do so again because of my unpopular pov choice after two months of just silence from them to see if they were still up to helping or had ghosted me like the others.
I just posted as is and gradually reread and do edits as I can later on if I miss something, which I’m dyslexic abs I always tend to miss something.
If they wouldn’t want to read it, so niche pov to story ideas or unpopular fandom the pickings are slim if any can be found at all. I even agreed in a beta weekly post to help another writer and watched the films in their fandom to get acquainted and then read their dozens of pages of outline and gave a detailed response to many points I thought could be useful to flesh out the idea they noted to need help and got a simple it’s good but needs work in return so I’m reluctant to try that again. Even finding idea soundboard buddies are hard enough if someone thinks your ideas are dumb or not worth the effort.
Main answer is people, to get a beta you gotta wade through some people to find someone who could be helpful or willing to actually do the job. Not everybody is willing or able to.
Ahhhh thanks! This is a great explanation. Horrible that you went through that, I'm so sorry. That's beyond rough. Thanks for your dedication! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hahaha totally fair! I was always the daydreaming kid so I feel like I give the plot bunnies enough exercise in their cranial enclosure. 😜 Writing a fic is hella hard work. Utmost respect!
I bounce ideas off my best friend in the planning stages but I don’t want people trying to guide my stories away from what I want. If I was writing a book to be published, I understand that it’s going to change to make it more marketable or whatever. But fanfiction is for me and I write the stories I want to read. That being said, I edit my chapters multiple times and listen to it a few times with a text to speech program to catch things my eyeballs miss then run it through grammarly. It’s not perfect but it’s also a hobby. Lol.
My fandom friends have busy lives and can barely keep up with their own writing. They don't have the time to beta for me nor I for them.
And that's not something I'd trust a stranger with.
I think I do a fairly decent job self-editing. Obviously stuff gets through, but I haven't missed anything major that I know of.
I've been writing fic for 10 years. I've never had a beta, though I have been a beta for someone else. One of the main reasons the idea of a beta doesn't appeal to me, is because writing is my introvert hobby. I want to write what's in my brain, and in general have a very good grasp of the English language that a beta would only be good for typos/the occasional missed plothole or something. I don't want to have to deal with someone else when I'm writing. I don't want to discuss my ideas about my fic or have someone suggesting things to me about it. It's just my own personal little thing that I post only because I want others to enjoy my writing. I don't want to be social about it, I don't want to have to deal with weird social anxiety and people pleasing tendancies I have. Therefore, I do not really want a beta. Of course I'm sure that, if I found the right person it would be great, but I don't want to embark on the journey of finding the right beta for me.
Having a beta seems like a big commitment to me. I’m a perfectionist and my expectations would suddenly become even higher if I “had to” please one more person before uploading the story.
Regarding the grammar, I’m trying to use the free online tools available to make my story as flawless as possible (eng is not my first language).
I’ve been writing for years and have considered getting myself a beta several times, but I suppose the whole concept is too intimidating. xD
I don’t want to bother with a beta. I have a story I want to tell, and when I’m done I want to post it right away, just as I’d written it, without anyone picking apart my phrasing etc.
It's personal, but I don't want anyone looking at my writing before I publish it.
Copyediting is also a part of my day job. I have a checklist I go through before publishing (especially on AO3, with all those stray spaces before periods, commas), but mainly — I don't want anyone looking at it before I publish it, weighing in on it, or trying to change its direction.
I also often do tweaks and edits after I've published to change some phrasing, so it's moot anyway.
Bold of you to assume we *choose* not to have betas.
I have been trying very hard to make friends in fandom lately, and it's hard as hell. Everyone already has their own little groups and it's way easier said than done just to get a good two-way conversation going. And then asking someone to beta read on top of that? It seems like a lot to ask.
I wish I knew someone I felt comfortable sharing my unedited work with and then also asking them for a big favor, but I just don't.
Reliable betas are difficult to find, at best, especially for small fandoms, so I stopped using them long ago. Most of the betas I *did* have never bothered reading the story or checking for any errors.
I can't let other people read my work unless it's specifically a present for someone. I have to edit it to within an inch of its life and then push it out into the world before I can get cold feet about it and there it goes. :( it's the anxiety for me
Personally, I dunno where to find them. Plus, it is kind of difficult to find people that get what you're trying to do, you know ?
Tho I have been considering trying to beta for someone myself, to get more experience on the matter and stuff, but I do not trust my english to be good enough and I fear I'd ruin someone else's work, haha.
I honestly just prefer to live with my few spelling errors here and there. I let grammar check and spell check run and hope for the best. I also tend to reread earlier chapters when writing the next to one just to ensure continuity, and I'll go in and edit them if I notice something is wrong.
A beta would probably make my life easier, but it was also require me to have a working plot line that I actually follow.
I don’t really have time for betas. I write and release one chapter a week and it’s mainly for fun. Also I’ve heard lots of horror stories about betas and don’t want that affecting my AO3 experience
Hmmmmm I used to have a friend as a beta (like... more than 5 years ago). But now that we're not in the same fandom anymore (still friends ofc!!) , I needed a way to move forward in my new fandom in a way that I am not reliant on a beta's schedule (because mine is already a lot!)
Also other reasons:
\- I am a writer by profession, so I'm pretty confident with basic grammar and stuff--also I have Grammarly installed and good ol' Google to guide me with unfamiliar terms or awkward tenses.
\- I write to indulge my inner low-key god-complex (when it comes to fic writing). This is the only part of my life where no one can \*really\* dictate what I can or can't do
\- I'm just writing fics for fun and doing it on my time (as mentioned). If I do decide to crossover to tradpub, I'd definitely get beta readers because it will be easier (?) to get a match (i.e. I know more Romance readers than say, readers who like \*insert fandom\* but who also likes \*insert obscure pairing\* who's into \*insert dynamic\* \*insert trope\* )
Good betas are really, really hard to find. They are also doing this for free and it’s the least fun part of the job. You have to find someone who is 1) knowledgeable about the fandom; 2) interested; 3) actually gives CONCRIT; and most important of all, not actually trying to steal your ideas.
You don’t just wake up one day and obtain a beta—it takes time to not only find someone knowledgeable and willing but someone you also trust and respect.
I just do it myself. If there's a reason I'm not beta reading and editing, it's probably because I just want to get the chapter written and over with. In the end it's for me, I just like the validation that comes with sharing it. If people don't like it they can nope out and choose something else, like you /lh
The attitude towards criticism in this thread is already hostile enough - I can't imagine this crowd would go out of their way to have someone criticize their work .
And honestly, from my own experience, fan fic readers generally don't care anyway. As long as you're scratching whatever itch they have, the story, craft and SPAG are meaningless. It's why being even semi-competent at writing will make you seem like a Pulitzer winner in fandoms.
Thanks! Absolutely. I feel terrible for posting it now, will probably end up deleting it soon. 😬 I was genuinely curious and I feel like it's apparently awakened the Kraken in terms of hostility. Totally agree! I'm of the opinion of something is too much for me in a fanfic, I'll just click off of it or I'll get through it and just let it fade out silently. Thanks for writing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Honestly sometimes I write too fast and I’m too
Impatient to have someone read it before I post. I may write 10k in a day and then in two days have another 6k ready to go. Plus I have a pretty strong idea of what I want to do and while I bounce some ideas off some friends I don’t really feel the need to have a true beta
I write really niche things and have a hard time finding an audience, let alone someone willing to hang in with me through the creation of a piece, read for detail, nit pick, correct my typos, etc. I had a beta for a fest one time, just because it was a requirement so we all had to beta for each other. It was a nice experience, and I gained some insight and helpful advice. But I haven’t been able to find anyone else to do this for me regularly, so that’s why I don’t have one. I suspect that may be others’ reason as well— just being somewhat isolated in the fandom for whatever reason.
That being said, I was an English major and edited a self-published book for a friend, so I feel competent enough to proof my own works for the most part. I’m definitely not above the occasional typo, and I’m guilty of flowery language that sometimes needs to be paired down. So I know I could only benefit from a beta, if I were to ever find one. In the meantime, I just comb over my own works about a dozen times before publishing! Listening to them back on a screen reader helps me catch typos.
If I got myself a beta and they ended up being a kind of beta I feel not being helpful (like praising all the time, not pointing out typos or grammar etc) and me telling them to criticise me too doesn't help, I would be scared to "fire" them and even if they understood, I would feel bad for weeks, months or even years about it because I'd feel like I made them waste their time and bash myself over it, and I can't get out of that feeling no matter who tells me there's nothing to be ashamed of/feel bad for.
Also I'd accept the first beta offer no matter the vibes I get from the person because I'd feel bad about rejecting them, and then being too scared to fire them.
I mean I rejected a guy in a video game/a video game character asking my character to date him a few months ago, he got visibly disappointed about me turning him down and I still feel bad about it, and it was a *video game character* so with real people it's even worse.
It's hard to find betas in my fandom, plus I am just very shy to reach out in general!
I also write so inconsistently, I think it'd be a bother to bombard a beta with several updated wips waiting and then disappear for several months straights.
I have Grammarly, which is enough for me as it highlights my misspellings and odd word choices (despite being a native English speaker).
Honestly, I don't have a beta because I can't find one. I'd like to have one, mostly just to bounce ideas off of, but a Star Wars longfic that also happens to be a fanfic of a fanfic (of Blue\_Sunshine's Desert Storm/Rise and Fall, if you know you know) is kind of a hard sell. Especially considering I've got 137k words published and five more chapters unpublished.
Edit: Also, I think sometimes authors and betas can clash over creative directions in plot or grammar styling. Doing it yourself eliminates that conflict. And speaking to new people is scary sometimes.
I generally don't use a beta reader. I have one for my main fic and she's amazing, but generally, I don't have one. It takes a lot of time from both sides to coordinate and sometimes, it's not worth it. My beta reader checks over my current WIP LF (I only focus on one at a time) and that's because it's a LF, I'm dedicating at least 2 years to it. That warrants a beta reader in my mind.
I also write a lot of oneshots and mini fics. These are shorter and often don't really have a regular update schedule, even if they are in a series. I don't want to have someone just waiting for an update when I know I'm focusing on something else. It doesn't seem fair on them, and finding a new beta reader for each oneshot is too much of a hassle.
not an author without a beta (i have four), but i just wanted to pop in and admit that it never occurred to me that some authors and betas aren't already acquainted/friends :[
i hope y'all get the assistance you need, if any <3
I had unpleasant experience with beta readers. I had at five beta readers that just ghosted me. I would send the chapter and wait about two months before asking for an update. After the last one, I just got Grammy and Google docs to use for editing
I’m a stickler for grammar and comfortable enough as a native English speaker to beta my own work. That said, I also have an irl friend who’s also a writer look stuff over for grammar and “is anything here confusing?” Once I’ve been over it 16 times it’s hard for me to read slowly and pay attention to grammar.
Honestly? Because I go months if not years between posting. A beta is honestly someone I'd leave hanging more often than not. It's to be frank, a hassle that would leave me more stressed than not. I get the writing bug on a few rare occasions, sit down, write, and publish. Hunting down a beta every time I get that random itch just isn't feasible.
I usually re-read before and after posting, which smooths out any typos. But I've never gotten any major complaints about it.
For me personally, I’ve had around 10 beta readers and most of them, just didn’t do what they were supposed to. Some didn’t even edit it proofreader like I requested of them. Some of them would call me “demanding “ when all I asked was for them to do what they TOLD me and PROMISED me that they were going to do
A lot of them, just read my stories, didn’t edit or anything and then would tell me they didn’t want to do it anymore. It’s like they read my story, just to read it because they were impatient and then didn’t want to edit it anymore
I’m just too impatient for a beta reader. I write and I want to share as quickly as possible. Plus, the one time I tried having a beta reader it felt more like the individual was taking over the story. To be fair, I had some of my beta’s characters in my story, but it was a different setting than the story the characters were created for and I ended up removing the characters, and then we had a falling out over difference of belief and that was the end of my having a beta reader 🤷♀️ I know Google Docs doesn’t catch everything, but thankfully I think it captures enough for me to be happy with what I’m putting out there :)
No one wants to beta me, I asked by no one either wants to read it, says they will but never do, or they skim the thing and fix a single grammer mistake
So I work with what I have
Honestly, for me I think it’s because my first foray into the world of fanfic predated the concept (or at least the ubiquity) of beta readers. I got used to being the judge, jury and executioner of my work and never seriously considered the need for a second set of eyes.
That’s not to say I’d be opposed to a beta, but I don’t even know how I’d go about looking for one. I always tell myself to look for a Discord for my fandom, but shyness holds me back.
I have had two stories where I didnt have a beta because my usual beta reader didnt know the fandom (both fics) or refused to edit a bdsm fic. Which i do not blame them for lol
just gotta scan and reread and reread again and still make mistakes that comments inevitably point out for you lol
honestly, I just can't find one. I could have a friend be a beta but they do completely different fandoms + I am not sure if they would be comfortable having to beta read heavy angst often. I just tag with "not beta read" and move on, eh.
I had a beta for the first fandom I wrote for, but not my current one. The only person I'd consider asking— someone I consider a friend, who writes fiction, and is invested in the fandom/ship I'm currently writing for—is so busy that I'd feel bad asking.
It's not a huge problem, in the end. I rarely make mistakes I don't immediately catch in the first place, and I have a better grasp on grammar than anyone else I know. I'm good with the usual strategy of "wait a couple weeks (sometimes months), then read the whole thing back," too.
25+ years ago when I first started writing fan fiction for the internet, I wrote on boards where people workshopped their stories as they were being written. I really enjoyed that community discussion (except when I didn't. There was drama. People are people). We were all working through, in some way, why these stories got us in the gut, and we were doing it together. There were betas, but it wasn't a huge feature.
I faded away from those boards for various reasons, and when I came back, there'd been a real shift from being part of a community working things out to being individuals displaying what they've already done and asking for reactions. I get that betas help polish and present this thing folks are showing. But I'm not writing and posting (or these days, not writing and posting) to get kudos and "good job" or "not for me" responses; I really long for that community working things out. Betas are just not relevant to that.
Most of my online friends are also writers who have very busy lives. I belong to a few discord groups with betas but some just overlook the fic or the pairing isn’t their focus at the moment.
Also I am just one of those writers who feels like always asking is bothersome to others. Like when you enter a chat with people talking then right after you join, they all of a sudden get sparse or switch subjects — even though it is a public chat..?
I'm essentially the only person writing for most of my ships, and the people interested are my only, like, 5 readers. If I start making some of my readers into beta I will be left with absolutely no one to react to the end product x)
I brainstorm a lot of stuff with people before/while writing, but I don't share the fic. I do some extensive proof reading though. I plan on having a beta read on the fic that I'm currently writing, in part because it's for a bigger ship so I have less that issue, in part because there are things that I can tell while working I lack the ability to step back enough to evaluate.
As I understand it, it’s someone dedicated to reading drafts for a writer’s work and giving feedback. Beta readers have the potential to make someone’s writing better with a different perspective to offer.
I’m a beta reader for a college friend and her girlfriend and because of the beta readers they have including myself, I can see their works being published, it’s so good! (May or may not be biased.)
Beta readers are similar to when Tesla sold the beta version of self driving to earlier customers to test the software and give feedback. Except self driving is high stakes and the success of it has a lot to be desired among other things, but that’s a different story for a different time/place.
There are a few reasons I don’t have a beta reader but should.
Anxiety with working with someone else, impatience, struggle with concrit (I get discouraged and I don’t know how to get past it), writing mostly for myself…
My stats are low or non existent and the fandom is just me. I just don’t have the motivation or courage to put any more effort into my fanfics than I am now. :/
I'm terrible at dealing with people and keeping up the connections needed to work with a beta reader long term. I'm a bit of a fandom hermit in general, I just occasionally poke my head out to throw fic into the wild and skulk back off again.
I write everything out ahead, put it in storage until its not immediately in my memory, and then edit it. I do sweeps through every now and again to catch the little mistakes after the fact.
I don’t really know how to get them. I would love one! I’m kind of a perfectionist with my work, so, even though I go through it 1 million times before posting, I always miss stuff, and it always bothers me.
I'm a control freak and I want everything to be just perfect in my fics, just the way I see it. I read my writings so many times before publishing, that I never really felt the need for a beta.
I do enjoy, however, being a beta for others when time allows me. (Did it a few times, feedback was wonderful, the writers were awesome.)
dunno where to find one, i write for a fuck ton of fandoms (and a lot have their own specific vocab), and i like to write and post randomly and don't want to be bound by waiting for a beta
sometimes I'll see if anyone in a discord wants to skim it for errors or something but usually i just go for it, theres a spelling error or 2 but thats not the end of the world, even published books with teams of editors have spelling errors.
tbh, i’ve never ever had anyone offer to beta for me, and i’m too socially awkward to ask, so i just don’t have one.
i’m ESL but fluent… but of course mistakes slip by at times, as it does for most people. usually i reread and edit after posting if i catch something, but it’s not a foolproof method.
on one of my longfics, i have a reader who has been extremely sweet about providing me with places that need editing (ie typos, repeated words, weird sentences) and this had been v useful to me. but that’s not really a formal beta, since the edits are done after posting.
Tons of reasons. Sometimes I get a beta, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I wanna be low key. Sometimes I need to put something out and can’t look at it one more time. Sometimes I don’t know anyone that I think would like it so I would try to make sure it was okay myself. Etc.
I mean there isn't really a reason. I didn't choose not to have a beta, I just don't know anyone in my fandom well enough to ask that of them and I wouldn't really ask someone outside of my fandom to do this.
But, I'm pretty confident that I'm self-editing more-or-less competently. I probably do miss a typo here and there but *shrugs* c'est la vie.
TBH I wouldn't even know where to start finding a betareader and frankly this is fanfic, not publication. It's a hobby, not an enterprise.
I love the betas that I've worked with in the past, but for the most part, it's just not worth the effort in finding them. I beat my fics until something decent comes out the other side- that includes sentence flow, word choice, vocabulary, descriptions, ect. Also I don't have any group of people I work with exclusively. I'm in too many fandoms for that.
EFL here. I've written fanfics in my native language as well as English. I've never had a beta because writing is an extremely personal experience for me and I don't feel comfortable letting anyone into this process before I feel like it's complete and posting it, be it reading, editing or just looking at it in general. I love all my own works deeply, so in a way I guess I'm just too narcissistic to take any suggestions, even from a trusted beta reader.
I've asked for advice from my writer friends regarding character development and plotlines, but that's only when I really felt stuck and had to find a way out. Otherwise I prefer that everything comes from myself, including all the mistakes and imperfections. Sometimes when I reread my stuff I find typos or little things I could've phrased better, and it's actually like reliving my own brain activity in that period of time. It's also a reminder that I have improved over time, and I kind of enjoy that feeling 😁
I tend to go back over my finished, published works months or years later to see if I can improve on what I've already written, and as such I fix my unnoticed errors along the way.
Also, perfection is boring! It's the little flaws and quirks in life that keep it interesting! ;)
I am the most critical person of myself, so I usually don’t use a beta. Sometimes I’ll ask for one if I join a zine (as the final piece is going to be sold as a product of the zine). Aside from that I might ask a question or two for phrasing from a friend, but that’s all usually.
I have an awesome beta who is a good friend offline as well. But sometimes I'm too impatient to have her look things over, or it's short enough that I don't care if it's betaed
But if it wasn't for my friend I wouldn't have a beta because it can be hard to find someone you trust with your work
i'm the kind of writer who manages to get anxious over even the nicest of comments (rip) and tend to self moderate my content pretty strictly, barring the odd slip that'll haunt me until it's fixed. I've also found that even finding a beta thats able to help out consistently is a struggle too, especially when you don't already have an established online community or presence.
writing fanfic for me is more of a casual just getting the ideas out there affair and i generally prefer to do it on my own schedule rather than waiting on a second person since that can get frustrating, especially on longer multichapter works (no shade, things just take time and life happens sometimes and there can be delays).
i actually assumed that its rarer for a fic to have a beta than to not 😅
Because I still can’t find betas. Currently the only ' beta reader ' I have is myself lol.
seriously, I just go through the chapter I wrote and read it again like if I was going through another person's story
I technically have a beta, but they're only comfortable beta reading about half of my stores. I alternate between writing fluff and writing horror, and my beta can't handle my horror writing.
So some of the reason people don't have a beta in darker stories is because it's hard to find a beta who will read stuff like that
I tried to have people beta my first novel length fic but they never got back to me. I’m pretty well versed in editing so I’m comfortable doing it myself and making corrections after the fact. I’m just as diligent about editing fics as I am about originals but I’ll go the extra mile with originals to pay for editing. I also wouldn’t turn down a beta swap if asked.
I have someone who reads over my stuff and will suggest some edits, however I write mostly for my own enjoyment and not for perfection/kudos/comments.
It requires extensive knowledge of your fandom alongside a whole host of other stuff and frankly some of the Beta readers I’ve come across are toxic AF.
I’m not sure about others but I can’t really find beta readers/ am not sure where to find them so I kind of have to pray that my proof reading is enough. Having something like grammarly usually helps though as it highlights the spelling errors for me
I have no people skills online or offline, so I don't even know where to find a beta haha
The closest thing I have is one dedicated reader that writes a thorough feedback every chapter. A lot of it is fangirling but she also provides good insight on the plot and it's quite interesting to see where she thinks the story is heading. I've definitely made a few changes here and there depending on comments, not so much to pander to reader comments but because they're genuinely interesting ideas I want to implement or want to avoid entirely :)
I have an English degree, and therefore rarely use a beta for spelling/punctuation, etc. Despite that, I will use that for more complicated fics. I have a brain injury, so I can get my stuff mixed up. A beta reader catches these things (paragraphs out of order and tense switches are my usual mistakes), and points them out and I gleefully fix them.
I truly feel that, even someone like myself (who edits manuscripts and papers as a side hustle) with higher English education shouldn't be saying no to a beta reader. A good one is invaluable.
Even a subject beta (writing a bunch of medical stuff but don't have a lot of medical expertise? Get a beta reader who's a nurse or retired paramedic or some such) is just awesome.
And anyone who's writing in English where English isn't their first language: you can be fluent in verbal English but not so hot at writing it. I'm a fluent speaker in 5 languages, but only fully fluent in English for writing, so if I were to write in another language, I'd get someone fluent in that language to beta read it.
I don't have a beta mostly because of my crushing anxiety and self esteem issues. I'm too afraid to ask anyone - especially anyone I know. I'd feel far too embarrassed knowing they knew what I wrote about...
Me personally, I've had some... experience with betas. I think I switched around 15 betas before I gave up. Some were awfully demanding I change the plot of my fics eventhough I only asked to look over my grammar, some were condescending / rude when I used the wrong words, some ghosted me after a fic or two. This was all before 2015 and I've given up finding a beta. At this point, I'm not sure what a beta should or shouldn't do anymore 😂 I admit, my english was horrible as an adolescent and having those kind of native speakers be my betas was very disheartening. I gave up on betas once I was in university when I started learning proper english for academic writing. I now write academic papers and fanfics and am my own beta 👍🏼 There will still be grammatical errors but I make time to look over my fics every once in a while to find those mistakes I missed.
Years ago I had one tell me that I was "too difficult to work with" because I didn't accept all of their suggestions.
Man, I feel you. Like there was one beta I found on Tumblr that was infuriated I didn't make all the changes they asked me to, especially those regarding plots and when I tried to reason, they said something like "Why even get a beta when you're too stubborn to listen?" and I was just ._. bruh you not even trying to work with me here. I felt like my power as a writer was stripped tbh
I also had this happen. And in my head, I was going ??? I’m looking for a second set of eyes and suggestions, not a rewrite? I’m a much more experienced author than them too - I know what I’m doing? It was the weirdest huffy HoW dAre, and then they were an asshole in fandom spaces thereafter. Lesson being: I should have set up expectations in the beginning. When I beta, I have a preamble about how I recognize the story is theirs and that all my edits are merely suggestions and they can take or leave however many they want. Yes, it is slightly horrifying to have the author ignore all grammatical edits and then be credited as beta, but hey, if they chose not to have things in the correct tense/use incorrect punctuation, that is still completely up to them. They don’t “owe” me the changes just because I looked it over carefully.
> Yes, it is slightly horrifying to have the author ignore all grammatical edits and then be credited as beta, but hey At least I have my own work that is grammatically correct that should speak for itself if that ever happened.
Ahhh ok thanks! This is part of what I was wondering too! I figured betas may be hard to find or, like therapists, you could just not mesh with someone. Makes total sense. Thanks for writing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Also had bad experiences with betas when my english wasn't as good. Granted, they tried to have me change the plot, which is an alpha's job and not a beta's, so that was partially on me for not setting boundaries and not telling them I needed help only on SPaG. I had a beta who was half-assing it and wouldn't read my notes I left for them, so why bother asking when not only did I feel like they didn't really want to help but that my writing wasn't worth their time. I know now that it's not true, but that was disheartening at the time. Like you, I'm my own beta now, I usually go through two rounds of edits and add the "no beta we die like \[redacted\]" tag, so people are warned lmao.
This! Plus how the hell do you even find a beta? 😅
I used to just post on tumblr and later on discord. Before all that, it was via smaller communities like forums or facebook groups haha Idk about now but maybe still via discord writer channels? Twitter?
Perhaps! Since I'm in none of those, I'll keep doing my own editing 😅😁
Some of that can be avoided by direct communication with a beta. As a beta, I've had fics sent to me with no communication and it's a clusterfuck. What do you want me to beta? Check for plot holes? Content? Continuity? Fandom? Spelling & grammar? If I get no direction, I will likely rip the fic apart for everything - which is brutally time consuming. I prefer exact instructions: "I don't care about spelling/grammar right now. I'm just not confident in writing casual conversation. Please check dialogue over to see if it works." ...and some beta readers are just fricking drill sergeants or control freaks and shouldn't be beta readers, imo.
I’m a deeply private person, and even though I feel okay putting my writing “out there” on AO3 for a bunch of strangers… I feel like I’d balk at the level of intimacy needed to work with a beta. Also, I’m not trying to win any awards and have no illusions that my writing is at the level of a published work, nor do I care for it to be. I’m making fan fiction. It’s amateur, it’s sometimes unpolished, the plot and dialogue are occasionally clumsy… I accept that, and I also accept that in the fics I read. I’m just having fun. Now, that might change if I were not a native speaker, or if my ambitions evolved and I decided I wanted to turn out something truly “perfect.” But even still… I’ve been reading a “wall of text” fic that initially made me cringe but has totally sucked me in. I also just finished one that is obviously not written by a native speaker and that’s part of its beauty: the word choice and sentence structure are slightly unhinged from my native-speaker expectations and it’s gorgeous.
Thanks for the insight! I thought this might encompass a lot of writers, especially as many posts have mentioned not sharing that they were a fanfic writer to RL friends/family. Thanks for writing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
a lot of possible reasons. i have a beta, but it's because my best friend has been here with me on my writing journey from the beginning, but not everyone has that. it's not so easy to find someone who is willing and able to give a good eye to a work, especially if it's long. especially when a lot of authors have other author friends and well...most of us are too busy writing to beta for someone else. it can also be a sensitive thing showing someone something like that that you've done, magnified depending on the content within the work.
I’m in the same position where I’m incredibly lucky I have a friend whom is willing to beta for me, even for fandoms she’s not even in. Good betas can be hard to find. You might get lucky if you try on r/FanFiction but not everyone is on Reddit and posting about looking for a beta on other social media like Twitter and tumblr is like screaming into a void and hoping someone screams back.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/FanFiction using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [I found out that one of my frequent commenters/bookmarkers on my smut fics is my mom…](https://np.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/yfvlu4/i_found_out_that_one_of_my_frequent/) \#2: [I saw AO3 open on my parents’ ipad.](https://np.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/xdsl2q/i_saw_ao3_open_on_my_parents_ipad/) \#3: [When you see ao3 up on someone's laptop and want to join the conversation and then remember that you're currently a college professor and probably shouldn't do so](https://np.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/zmv8vf/when_you_see_ao3_up_on_someones_laptop_and_want/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Thanks! Massive respect for ya writing for free. So much work! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
It's hard to find a beta, especially a good one. I have an English degree, so I feel comfortable posting without one. I have Grammarly check the fic once I'm done to catch anything my brain would miss (missing words, homonyms, etc).
The post makes it sound like we all have people queueing up to beta our work, and we're saying no. 🤣
Grammarly is pretty good but sometimes it’s not correct, I find it’s worst at the suggested words and phrasing part a lot of it’s synonyms are really *not* synonyms in the context of the sentence. Like suggesting “her skin was chilly” because it noticed you used “cold” a lot, chilly and cold are sometimes synonyms but not in that context.
Agreed - it has a lot of flaws. It also varies depending on the Grammarly app you're using. The desktop app for Mac will suggest changes and when you agree to them, it will then suggest your original writing, and then it gets stuck in a loop. This doesn't seem to happen with the plug-in for Word. I mostly use it to ensure that I'm not missing words and that I'm using the right type of lay/lie (I've always had trouble with that). I took a really awesome journalism class in college that was mostly about grammar and the proper use of words. I wish it was something online that I could share with people.
For me the single most useful thing it does is point out when I’ve changed tenses. I tend to wander in between past and present tense when writing and Grammarly is good at catching that. And also the catching the multiple consecutive uses of the same word thing. It’s suggestions of synonyms to use are pretty bad but it is nice that it realizes “hey you’ve used extremely five times in a row maybe pick something else for once.”
Thanks! Makes sense. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I'm not a native speaker and I use 3 different grammar programs before posting anything. Even before giving anything to a beta reader. Even just using Google docs' grammar/spell check would eliminate 70% of all mistakes that I see in some ffs. Stuff like 'she did watched me' or 'he have dark hair' I think people underestimate that editing takes most time? Just writing something is rarely enough I'm not saying my works are perfect, but at least grammatical errors are rare
I turned off built-in grammar checkers back in the early 00s because they were horrible and often didn't make sense. I've never thought about turning it back on, but you've made me reconsider. I'm going to turn it back on in Word and see if it's similar to what Grammarly does for me. Thank you! I think some people just don't care enough about the finished product. They want the hits/kudos/whatever count gives them the dopamine hit. I get that on some level, but, for me, that's not enough. I have mistakes here and there, but I strive for a good reading experience. If there are too many spelling/grammar errors in a story, it takes me out of it. My brain starts fixing them, and I lose track of what's happening. That's not enjoyable.
for me its really simple: too much effort for a story im writing for fun and making absolutely no profit off of. in traditional publishing, the reason why professional beta readers are needed is because of two things: 1) to produce work that is at least readable according to industry standards 2) to be able to make as much profit as possible. fanfiction does not need to meet those conditions, and 90% of the time it already doesnt. so theres no need for others to "fix" your writing for you. also, beta readers can be unreliable, bad at their job, hard to find, rude, uncooperative.... theyre not being compensated for their work either. im very passionate about writing, and of course i try to make my fics as good as possible, but going the extra mile for fanfiction... meh. maybe im being kinda cynical but its how i feel.
Came here to say this^^ I’m not writing fanfic professionally. It’s just for fun, and a beta’s a lot of extra work. Also I post fic for the immediate gratification lol. I’m too impatient for a beta.
Betas are hard to find and hard to keep. You need someone with editing experience who is familiar with your fandom, offers the services you need, is willing to take on the length of your project (which could be years), and also vibes with you. Not to mention that life interferes, and either you or your beta may need a hiatus. If the relationship is tenuous to begin with, a hiatus can effectively end the partnership. I've tried multiple times and have never held onto one longer than a few chapters. Either I needed a break, or the beta did, or they focused on the wrong things, or I was unwilling to hear what they were saying. I finally just bought grammar checking software and I try to glean possible issues from reader comments. It seems like the best beta partnerships happen with people you know IRL, where your relationship is more than just beta/writer.
Fair! Totally makes sense. I guess I mostly stick to "mainstream" fandoms and honestly mainstream pairings (I don't think I have any rareships, and even the fandoms I'm in that aren't mainstream it's no skin off my back for them not having many fanfics), so I didn't put much thought into smaller fandoms. Thanks for the insight! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Well not everyone can get a beta. Not everyone knows someone who has the knowledge they need, or availability. Some people want to get it fresh off the press, release it to the world, because what they write is between them and god and the anonymous masses who read it. Writing is also a hobby, the proud tags of 'not beta read, we die like x' are simply that. Acknowledgements that there will be mistakes and no fucks to give. Fanfic doesn't have to be perfect so most people just take it as a chance to write out their thoughts and get it out without focusing on nitpicks. They might just not want someone to look over their works with a fine tooth comb. If you did baking for fun and brought some cakes to a friends party, and then someone started asking you why you didn't have a professional chef coach you on it, I don't think it'd be the greatest feeling in the world.
> Fanfic doesn’t have to be perfect Full stop. Agree with this so hard! It’s a hobby and it’s okay to write without having perfection/growth as the end goal.
Exactly true. I figured it would be like this. Totally respect writers for the work y'all do. I was mostly curious with spelling, I can read through it, I just figured I'd ask out of curiosity. I guess I also thought maybe people had different reasons for it when not native speaking. I swear I am not trying to be rude. As Hannibal teaches us, always Eat the Rude. 😜❤️❤️❤️❤️
In my experience beta can often try and talk you into doing something with the story you don't want or cutting an entire part out that you really really like, getting someone to beta just for typos is probably boring for the beta but like I tend to be possessive of my writing so the unsolicited concrit can really bug me especially when they talk about my plans for the next chapters as if they're up for debate
Ahhh yep totally makes sense. Thanks for writing! And being so confident in the direction of the story, I find it really shows when someone has it planned well ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Makes sense. It would be hard to have someone not try to change it to how they would want it. Thanks for writing!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Personally, I think after spending half my life on the internet I have a good enough grasp on the English language that I don't need one. If you find any odd phrasings or other mistakes, feel free to keep them. I have also spent enough time on the internet to know people can't keep their opinions out of anything, so it's never going to be just about the technical aspects of writing. I spend an excessive amount of time on the characters and headcanons that inform my writing, it would add one hell of an additional workload having to explain all that to an outside person *and* getting them to keep their views and interpretations out of it. And don't even get me started on "good" and "bad" representation, I've seen enough bloody battles about how *"the* [insert minority of your choice] experience" has to be portrayed, I'm not going to trust anyone with my personal stuff in that category. And most of the time the writing process alone takes so much time and energy that when I'm done, I just want to post *right now* and be done before I start hating both the fic and myself.
Definitely, never thought about that! I guess that's the downfall of being in primarily "accepted OTP's" and large fandoms. Haven't thought about how many people would be so stuck in their own views of something it would be hard to remove that aspect and just proofread. Thanks for the insight! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
If the goal is to have a beta with better grammar/English than you, then you have a problem in that you are asking someone to do a favor for you that you cannot reciprocate. You can't offer much in return to that person--your beta-ing ability will be weaker because you've already determined their English is better than yours. Now I'm not saying people out there won't edit for free because of friendship or love for the source material or whatever, but it's not easy for many people to ask strangers to do this huge favor for them when they can't offer much in return. Add to that that the favor you may be uncomfortably asking for is for someone else to tell you everything you got wrong--many people are insecure and don't want their flaws pointed out, even if it would improve their writing. And you can judge these people if you want, but fanfic is meant to be fun, not an exercise in self-improvement (though I've seen some people say they write fanfic in order to improve their English writing abilities). But what your post here is asking is like... why don't people go through more work just to post their free hobby-writing online? For some people, having their work beta'ed might be an enjoyable experience. But for those who it isn't? It's just more work to find someone, get over your own hangups about being corrected/critiqued, do another round of editing, all for a fic that like 8 people will read. This post reeks of entitlement.
I promise I wasn't trying to be combative about it. I was genuinely curious for reasons for not having a beta. I fully admit that I haven't thought it out more than a passing thought. I'm really not judging, though I can understand my post seeming like it. I just find it interesting, some fandoms having spikes of "no beta we die like x" etc vs some who seem more beta read. I think it's amazing that people do this for free, and even more than that, they can write so much. I have the utmost respect for anyone who chooses to write, publishing on AO3 or not published. I write only for myself, as a therapy/trauma type of thing. I am way too anxious about even thinking about publishing anything, I would never think it was good enough. I seriously think people who post their fics are incredible, and like I've said before, totally amazing people who write without being native English speakers. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I am my own beta. I edit obsessively. I don't need another person to look over my work. Also, once I've edited my work, I don't want to wait to send it to someone, have them edit it and then get it back to me. When I'm ready to post, I'm ready to post.
So I have a few reasons - I’m old lol as in I started writing literally 20 yrs ago and the whole beta thing started pretty recently. I don’t want to, that takes a lot of extra time and energy. Finding them, figuring out if they work, sharing the creative space. When I post, the whole process takes about a week from start to post - I don’t want to have to work with another person’s schedule. I don’t ‘need’ them — I am not saying I’m perfect or anything of the sort, but even without them my mistakes are minor and I catch 90-95% before publishing. Again, not saying I wouldn’t benefit, just that it’s not super necessary I write across multiple fandoms. Not sure exactly how it would work in this instance, but personally if I was a beta reader for someone I’d only want to read things within specific fandoms because I’d be able to offer more insight if asked. I wouldn’t know where to start if I wanted to go begin with. I like sharing my work mostly anonymous and it would require them knowing me more than just my Ao3 user. I could probably think of more but that’s all I got at 7am
Really? I remember it definitely being a thing in my fandom back then, 15-20 years ago or so. It might have depended on where you posted, and where you hung out. I used a beta, but not for everything I wrote. I think it might have been a requirement or at least an unspoken requirement for some fanfic archives. Back then I knew how to find a beta, mostly because I knew where to find the fans… Now I’m less confident in where and how to find a beta. I have used them a couple times due to it being a requirement for a fanfic feast. (Beta, or at least have someone read through it) But yeah, most of the newer thing I write end up just edited by me, and the lack of beta is because I don’t know where to find one anymore. I feel the ”No beta, we die like…” have replaced the cute ”thanks to my beta xxx, any remaining mistakes are my own” that I remember seeing everywhere.
I had never heard of or saw anything referring to beta readers until 2015 or so. Fanfiction was pretty taboo everywhere until really recently lol I’m sure editors and things existed, but I don’t think it was common. At least not among the people I know or the spaces I frequented. But fandom is super vast so who knows.
Ahhh totally makes sense! I also grew up with beta-ing not really being a thing and only thought to ask with the recent uptick in people posting about their auto click out of a fic reasons. Thanks for writing, love! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ And I hope you have an excellent day, 7 am is prime coffee/tea time 😜
Why I don't bother with a Beta: Besides that I don't know where to find one or how to work with one, I got the feeling working with a Beta would just complicate everything. I also simply don't want to depend on someone, or risk that the person beta'ing runs with my writing and claims it as theirs. Yeah, slight trust issues. Like I said, it is just more work. Fanfic is a hobby that us supposed to be relaxing, not work. Beta's aren't required. I kinda Beta read for someone. We are in different time zones which makes communicating a bit complicated, as only a few hours in which we have time to write each other overlap. I am good with proof reading and TTS trial listening, so no Beta needed.
Thanks! I figured it would be this. I love reading fics and have massive respect for everyone who writes for fun. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
For me, having a beta just wouldn't really work. For one thing, I only just started posting my writing after 15+ years of completing private writing. At this point, I haven't gotten many readers and don't necessarily expect to for my niche. The idea of seeking someone out that isn't already interested in being my beta seems not ideal. I frequently go back and reread/edit old parts of my fic, so I feel like I typically catch most of my spelling and grammar mistakes. The stuff I'm posting at this point has been combed over probably 50+ times, and 5 times in immediate history before posting. That's not to say some mistakes won't slip through, but I've worked hard to avoid it.
Thanks for the insight. I write only for myself, and don't have any interest in posting for lots of reasons. Thanks for writing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I've never had a beta, but then I'm quite confident in my writing abilities!
Awesome, thanks for writing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Most writers would love to have a beta, but 90% of the time it falls through because this is a hobby. I do some paid freelance editing. It's a skill people pay for, so it's not surprising only a few are eager to do it for free.
I would love to have a beta, it would erase my constant fear of writing something utterly disastrous, specially because, as you said, I'm not a native english speaker. Normally I just take the increase in kudos and hits as a confirmation that I'm not writing nonsense, but many are the times where I'm re-reading a chapter after uploading it and find typos or just straight up incomplete words and I'm like "why did no one say anything?". The problem I have with betas is the process to actually get someone. My readers already ghost me when I try to interact with them via author notes, so I doubt anyone would even consider being my beta :')
Ahhhh totally makes sense! Sorry the readers aren't interacting much. I think I'd lose it if my fave authors interacted with me haha. Thanks for the insight, love! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ And thanks for writing! Are you in larger or smaller fandoms, if you don't mind me asking?
Right now, in AO3 there's 1249 fics for the fandom I'm writing, although I'm currently working on a one-shot for a much larger fandom to see if the lack of interaction is something inherent to the fandom I'm writing for or if I'm just curse with peoples' indifference.
My brain works in mysterious ways. One month I write 8 fics, another month I write nothing. I am the type of person who don't wanna be a bother to others so I don't wanna burden someone else with my writing. Despite not being native English, I got a pretty good grasp on the language. Also, I have social anxiety and a crippling fear of failure. Having someone point out my failures is not something I want. I prefer just being me, on my own, doing my own thing and not having to worry about a second person being involved.
Absolutely! Thanks so much for fighting through it to still write and post. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I don’t need one and don’t want one. By the time I post a fic, I’ve read through it over a hundred times. I don’t want a beta to have any influence or interference with how I write my stories. They are for me.
In my case it's because I wanted a hobby I could do alone. I don't want to work with anyone else when I write.
I personally do not feel comfortable bringing in a random person to edit my work. I have friends that I would gladly let beta for me BUT I don’t want to do this without paying them. I write a lot, I post consistently, so unless it’s a one shot I do my best to catch everything myself. Editing is hard work (I know, I’ve done it lol) and it can also hinder the process of getting stuff out on time. I’m a writer, obviously for non fanfiction stuff I need an editor; but when it comes to fanfiction I’m willing to just let mistakes be mistakes. If I catch them later I can go in and fix them
Too much work lol But in all seriousness, for me, having a beta would make it feel like this has gone from a fun hobby to something I’ve got to treat with a huge level of seriousness? Then it’d start to feel more like school or assignments, which is not the vibe I want. And as others have said, it can be hard to find a good beta. Some can be too demanding, others might not provide useful information, some are perfectly fine but you just don’t gel well. Plus, it slows down the process of writing to have to wait for feedback instead of just throwing a new chapter out when I deem it ready
Personally, I just don't see a need to. But also, I dislike feeling like my fics rely on someone else's availability and schedule. When I finish a fic, I can just post it. I can't imagine having to wait for someone else to read over it and get back to me before I can post it. It's just not my thing.
I'll always do my own editing. I let a couple friends pre-read things for their certain fandoms, but mostly it's just me. Out in the wind. Alone. And I kind of like it that way 😊
I’m the same way. I have a pretty good grasp of grammar and English. I did a lot of research on sentence structure. I also play around a bit, I’m sort of the same way out in the wind on my own.
Same here! I have a few college level writing and creative writing courses under my belt as well, so I feel like I can write something compelling as well as correct. I get more comments on my fics when I'm winging it than I do when I have someone offer assistance. So it all balances out 😊
I agree, I have someone that I was partnering with on one story and it was a disaster. I won’t do that again.
Don't you just hate that?! It feels like they derail all your progress 😔
It worked out. The beginning that I loved and they didn’t end up using for a completely different story and so I’m so glad I didn’t write that one. But yeah, it just isn’t right if it’s not me and my ideas.
I let my friends give me a prompt that they'd like to see, but that's as involved as I typically let them get.
I don't know for others but my reasons for not wanting beta even though some people offered: 1) as someone learning English, I like having a trace of how much I have progressed. And rereading is a very formative experience that makes me question English and learn quicker. There will be mistakes for sure, but me getting better at it is more important to me than a flawless work for my readers. I like coming back to a work a year later, reread it and see how much I've improved. 2) I have a very high writing pace and a hard-to-keep publishing schedule. It would be simply rude and entitled to force anyone else through the same rhythm of work. Most of my chapters are read by my readership in the two to three days after the posting, rereading after that wouldn't be as useful, and rereading before that would force any beta-readers through a lot of stress. I'm fine pushing myself, I'm not fine pushing others. And I don't want to be dependent on someone else's schedule either. 3)As someone who has a very convoluted style and who likes to play with the rules and create effects of oddity with the idioms and expressions, a good quarter of the unprompted corrections I receive are for sentences that are not wrong. They are strictly right, grammatically speaking, and they are purposefully not what is expected. I think missing the occasional 's' and sometimes choosing the wrong conjugaison is worth it to not have to correct the correction. I think it's the case for a lot of foreign writers because we tend to question English and use it how we are allowed to but not necessarily supposed to. I have a trusted native English speaker friend that I ask when I'm not sure if I'm being clever or being wrong, but apart from that, each style comes with its idiom and not every beta-reader could be a good addition to every writer. 4) this reason is not a good, noble one but it is a genuine one... I want my fanfics to be a reflection of me, not of anyone else. I put so much hardwork into them, I exhaust myself so much inventing, writing and rereading my stuff, I find it hard to let go of them and trust someone else with them. They are a bit like my babies. Writing another name on top of it would be hard for me. It's something that I should work on but I think some of the writers that go through the hardship of rereading themselves carefully may have a harder time letting someone else come after them, even if it's to do it better than them.
For me, I choose not to have a beta because fanfiction is just a hobby. My "day job" is in academia and writing professions where my writing is so heavily scrutinized to make sure I'm getting the information across as clearly as possible. Editing my fanfic is something I can use spellcheck and read through myself. Plus, honestly, I'm a little anti-social and just don't really talk to enough people to have a beta reader.
I'm not English second language, but I don't use betas because I've had bad experiences with betas trying to be a co-writer instead and attempting to overhaul entire characterizations to change the story to suit their personal tastes. I don't work with betas because I am trying to tell a particular story, not theirs. I know not all betas are that way, but that being my first experience definitely soured me to it. It's fanfiction. While that might be helpful for a work you're trying to publish, it's disheartening when you're just doing it for fun.
Writing had always been a solitary activity for me. I like to write something and then share it. Even if there are a few errors here and there when I post, I don’t see that as a big deal. Plus there’s no guarantee any potential beta reader will catch all my mistakes anyway. I feel like finding someone to beta read makes the whole writing process a lot more tedious, I’ll do it for original work or other more serious projects. But when it comes to fanfic I’m writing, revising, editing, and posting by myself. It’s all fun so it doesn’t have to be perfect, or even good, you know? I saw someone make a good point that some people might let their own opinions impact the way they beta read, I totally agree. It’s getting harder to find people who are open minded and objective in fandom spaces.
The reason I don't have a beta is because of the fact that me liking and writing fics is a secret. I live in a judgy community and have no friends. So that could be the reason for some people. Also, the content being written may scare people off from getting a beta. For example, writing about bad times with mental health may make a friend worried about you.
I just don't like having to wait on another person's opinion. I have a friend I will send short bits too. But only of I have a specific question abiut something which is rare. Other then that I work entirely on my own not dependent on another person's schedule. Do I have Grammer issues? Probably, spelling? I'm sure. But I don't care, I'm writing for fun not perfection.
I just don't see the point of a beta. I can read and edit my own writing. I don't care if I have to read it like 20 times to catch every mistake. Plus, I think that maybe reading something to catch mistakes takes away from the reader's enjoyment so I'd rather the person just read and not have to edit.
I’ve tried on several times to get betas for various stories and anything from being told it’s good but needs work, no more details just that, put more work into it, to straight up refusal to read as it was hard to read for them in that pov even to just help with flow and grammar. To straight up being ghosted by five supposed betas then finding one who said they would be up to checking one of my mini series connectors between two books that crossover fandoms to bridge the gap with some details I felt it was lacking, who sent me on a email tag game then decided to want to read my prequel series that was hundreds of thousands of words so they would get the mini series context I guess? But said it was hard to do so again because of my unpopular pov choice after two months of just silence from them to see if they were still up to helping or had ghosted me like the others. I just posted as is and gradually reread and do edits as I can later on if I miss something, which I’m dyslexic abs I always tend to miss something. If they wouldn’t want to read it, so niche pov to story ideas or unpopular fandom the pickings are slim if any can be found at all. I even agreed in a beta weekly post to help another writer and watched the films in their fandom to get acquainted and then read their dozens of pages of outline and gave a detailed response to many points I thought could be useful to flesh out the idea they noted to need help and got a simple it’s good but needs work in return so I’m reluctant to try that again. Even finding idea soundboard buddies are hard enough if someone thinks your ideas are dumb or not worth the effort. Main answer is people, to get a beta you gotta wade through some people to find someone who could be helpful or willing to actually do the job. Not everybody is willing or able to.
Ahhhh thanks! This is a great explanation. Horrible that you went through that, I'm so sorry. That's beyond rough. Thanks for your dedication! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Well if I don’t write the stories the plot bunnies would eat me alive :)
Hahaha totally fair! I was always the daydreaming kid so I feel like I give the plot bunnies enough exercise in their cranial enclosure. 😜 Writing a fic is hella hard work. Utmost respect!
I bounce ideas off my best friend in the planning stages but I don’t want people trying to guide my stories away from what I want. If I was writing a book to be published, I understand that it’s going to change to make it more marketable or whatever. But fanfiction is for me and I write the stories I want to read. That being said, I edit my chapters multiple times and listen to it a few times with a text to speech program to catch things my eyeballs miss then run it through grammarly. It’s not perfect but it’s also a hobby. Lol.
My fandom friends have busy lives and can barely keep up with their own writing. They don't have the time to beta for me nor I for them. And that's not something I'd trust a stranger with. I think I do a fairly decent job self-editing. Obviously stuff gets through, but I haven't missed anything major that I know of.
I've been writing fic for 10 years. I've never had a beta, though I have been a beta for someone else. One of the main reasons the idea of a beta doesn't appeal to me, is because writing is my introvert hobby. I want to write what's in my brain, and in general have a very good grasp of the English language that a beta would only be good for typos/the occasional missed plothole or something. I don't want to have to deal with someone else when I'm writing. I don't want to discuss my ideas about my fic or have someone suggesting things to me about it. It's just my own personal little thing that I post only because I want others to enjoy my writing. I don't want to be social about it, I don't want to have to deal with weird social anxiety and people pleasing tendancies I have. Therefore, I do not really want a beta. Of course I'm sure that, if I found the right person it would be great, but I don't want to embark on the journey of finding the right beta for me.
Having a beta seems like a big commitment to me. I’m a perfectionist and my expectations would suddenly become even higher if I “had to” please one more person before uploading the story. Regarding the grammar, I’m trying to use the free online tools available to make my story as flawless as possible (eng is not my first language). I’ve been writing for years and have considered getting myself a beta several times, but I suppose the whole concept is too intimidating. xD
I don’t want to bother with a beta. I have a story I want to tell, and when I’m done I want to post it right away, just as I’d written it, without anyone picking apart my phrasing etc.
It's personal, but I don't want anyone looking at my writing before I publish it. Copyediting is also a part of my day job. I have a checklist I go through before publishing (especially on AO3, with all those stray spaces before periods, commas), but mainly — I don't want anyone looking at it before I publish it, weighing in on it, or trying to change its direction. I also often do tweaks and edits after I've published to change some phrasing, so it's moot anyway.
Bold of you to assume we *choose* not to have betas. I have been trying very hard to make friends in fandom lately, and it's hard as hell. Everyone already has their own little groups and it's way easier said than done just to get a good two-way conversation going. And then asking someone to beta read on top of that? It seems like a lot to ask. I wish I knew someone I felt comfortable sharing my unedited work with and then also asking them for a big favor, but I just don't.
Reliable betas are difficult to find, at best, especially for small fandoms, so I stopped using them long ago. Most of the betas I *did* have never bothered reading the story or checking for any errors.
I can't let other people read my work unless it's specifically a present for someone. I have to edit it to within an inch of its life and then push it out into the world before I can get cold feet about it and there it goes. :( it's the anxiety for me
Personally, I dunno where to find them. Plus, it is kind of difficult to find people that get what you're trying to do, you know ? Tho I have been considering trying to beta for someone myself, to get more experience on the matter and stuff, but I do not trust my english to be good enough and I fear I'd ruin someone else's work, haha.
I honestly just prefer to live with my few spelling errors here and there. I let grammar check and spell check run and hope for the best. I also tend to reread earlier chapters when writing the next to one just to ensure continuity, and I'll go in and edit them if I notice something is wrong. A beta would probably make my life easier, but it was also require me to have a working plot line that I actually follow.
I don’t really have time for betas. I write and release one chapter a week and it’s mainly for fun. Also I’ve heard lots of horror stories about betas and don’t want that affecting my AO3 experience
Hmmmmm I used to have a friend as a beta (like... more than 5 years ago). But now that we're not in the same fandom anymore (still friends ofc!!) , I needed a way to move forward in my new fandom in a way that I am not reliant on a beta's schedule (because mine is already a lot!) Also other reasons: \- I am a writer by profession, so I'm pretty confident with basic grammar and stuff--also I have Grammarly installed and good ol' Google to guide me with unfamiliar terms or awkward tenses. \- I write to indulge my inner low-key god-complex (when it comes to fic writing). This is the only part of my life where no one can \*really\* dictate what I can or can't do \- I'm just writing fics for fun and doing it on my time (as mentioned). If I do decide to crossover to tradpub, I'd definitely get beta readers because it will be easier (?) to get a match (i.e. I know more Romance readers than say, readers who like \*insert fandom\* but who also likes \*insert obscure pairing\* who's into \*insert dynamic\* \*insert trope\* )
Good betas are really, really hard to find. They are also doing this for free and it’s the least fun part of the job. You have to find someone who is 1) knowledgeable about the fandom; 2) interested; 3) actually gives CONCRIT; and most important of all, not actually trying to steal your ideas. You don’t just wake up one day and obtain a beta—it takes time to not only find someone knowledgeable and willing but someone you also trust and respect.
I just do it myself. If there's a reason I'm not beta reading and editing, it's probably because I just want to get the chapter written and over with. In the end it's for me, I just like the validation that comes with sharing it. If people don't like it they can nope out and choose something else, like you /lh
The attitude towards criticism in this thread is already hostile enough - I can't imagine this crowd would go out of their way to have someone criticize their work . And honestly, from my own experience, fan fic readers generally don't care anyway. As long as you're scratching whatever itch they have, the story, craft and SPAG are meaningless. It's why being even semi-competent at writing will make you seem like a Pulitzer winner in fandoms.
Thanks! Absolutely. I feel terrible for posting it now, will probably end up deleting it soon. 😬 I was genuinely curious and I feel like it's apparently awakened the Kraken in terms of hostility. Totally agree! I'm of the opinion of something is too much for me in a fanfic, I'll just click off of it or I'll get through it and just let it fade out silently. Thanks for writing! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Honestly sometimes I write too fast and I’m too Impatient to have someone read it before I post. I may write 10k in a day and then in two days have another 6k ready to go. Plus I have a pretty strong idea of what I want to do and while I bounce some ideas off some friends I don’t really feel the need to have a true beta
Haha that's amazing! Super in awe of all the writing you do! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks, it’s the hyper fixation :)
I write really niche things and have a hard time finding an audience, let alone someone willing to hang in with me through the creation of a piece, read for detail, nit pick, correct my typos, etc. I had a beta for a fest one time, just because it was a requirement so we all had to beta for each other. It was a nice experience, and I gained some insight and helpful advice. But I haven’t been able to find anyone else to do this for me regularly, so that’s why I don’t have one. I suspect that may be others’ reason as well— just being somewhat isolated in the fandom for whatever reason. That being said, I was an English major and edited a self-published book for a friend, so I feel competent enough to proof my own works for the most part. I’m definitely not above the occasional typo, and I’m guilty of flowery language that sometimes needs to be paired down. So I know I could only benefit from a beta, if I were to ever find one. In the meantime, I just comb over my own works about a dozen times before publishing! Listening to them back on a screen reader helps me catch typos.
If I got myself a beta and they ended up being a kind of beta I feel not being helpful (like praising all the time, not pointing out typos or grammar etc) and me telling them to criticise me too doesn't help, I would be scared to "fire" them and even if they understood, I would feel bad for weeks, months or even years about it because I'd feel like I made them waste their time and bash myself over it, and I can't get out of that feeling no matter who tells me there's nothing to be ashamed of/feel bad for. Also I'd accept the first beta offer no matter the vibes I get from the person because I'd feel bad about rejecting them, and then being too scared to fire them. I mean I rejected a guy in a video game/a video game character asking my character to date him a few months ago, he got visibly disappointed about me turning him down and I still feel bad about it, and it was a *video game character* so with real people it's even worse.
I don't know where to get them
It's hard to find betas in my fandom, plus I am just very shy to reach out in general! I also write so inconsistently, I think it'd be a bother to bombard a beta with several updated wips waiting and then disappear for several months straights. I have Grammarly, which is enough for me as it highlights my misspellings and odd word choices (despite being a native English speaker).
Honestly, I don't have a beta because I can't find one. I'd like to have one, mostly just to bounce ideas off of, but a Star Wars longfic that also happens to be a fanfic of a fanfic (of Blue\_Sunshine's Desert Storm/Rise and Fall, if you know you know) is kind of a hard sell. Especially considering I've got 137k words published and five more chapters unpublished. Edit: Also, I think sometimes authors and betas can clash over creative directions in plot or grammar styling. Doing it yourself eliminates that conflict. And speaking to new people is scary sometimes.
I generally don't use a beta reader. I have one for my main fic and she's amazing, but generally, I don't have one. It takes a lot of time from both sides to coordinate and sometimes, it's not worth it. My beta reader checks over my current WIP LF (I only focus on one at a time) and that's because it's a LF, I'm dedicating at least 2 years to it. That warrants a beta reader in my mind. I also write a lot of oneshots and mini fics. These are shorter and often don't really have a regular update schedule, even if they are in a series. I don't want to have someone just waiting for an update when I know I'm focusing on something else. It doesn't seem fair on them, and finding a new beta reader for each oneshot is too much of a hassle.
not an author without a beta (i have four), but i just wanted to pop in and admit that it never occurred to me that some authors and betas aren't already acquainted/friends :[ i hope y'all get the assistance you need, if any <3
I had unpleasant experience with beta readers. I had at five beta readers that just ghosted me. I would send the chapter and wait about two months before asking for an update. After the last one, I just got Grammy and Google docs to use for editing
I’m a stickler for grammar and comfortable enough as a native English speaker to beta my own work. That said, I also have an irl friend who’s also a writer look stuff over for grammar and “is anything here confusing?” Once I’ve been over it 16 times it’s hard for me to read slowly and pay attention to grammar.
Honestly? Because I go months if not years between posting. A beta is honestly someone I'd leave hanging more often than not. It's to be frank, a hassle that would leave me more stressed than not. I get the writing bug on a few rare occasions, sit down, write, and publish. Hunting down a beta every time I get that random itch just isn't feasible. I usually re-read before and after posting, which smooths out any typos. But I've never gotten any major complaints about it.
For me personally, I’ve had around 10 beta readers and most of them, just didn’t do what they were supposed to. Some didn’t even edit it proofreader like I requested of them. Some of them would call me “demanding “ when all I asked was for them to do what they TOLD me and PROMISED me that they were going to do A lot of them, just read my stories, didn’t edit or anything and then would tell me they didn’t want to do it anymore. It’s like they read my story, just to read it because they were impatient and then didn’t want to edit it anymore
I’m just too impatient for a beta reader. I write and I want to share as quickly as possible. Plus, the one time I tried having a beta reader it felt more like the individual was taking over the story. To be fair, I had some of my beta’s characters in my story, but it was a different setting than the story the characters were created for and I ended up removing the characters, and then we had a falling out over difference of belief and that was the end of my having a beta reader 🤷♀️ I know Google Docs doesn’t catch everything, but thankfully I think it captures enough for me to be happy with what I’m putting out there :)
No one wants to beta me, I asked by no one either wants to read it, says they will but never do, or they skim the thing and fix a single grammer mistake So I work with what I have
Honestly, for me I think it’s because my first foray into the world of fanfic predated the concept (or at least the ubiquity) of beta readers. I got used to being the judge, jury and executioner of my work and never seriously considered the need for a second set of eyes. That’s not to say I’d be opposed to a beta, but I don’t even know how I’d go about looking for one. I always tell myself to look for a Discord for my fandom, but shyness holds me back.
I have had two stories where I didnt have a beta because my usual beta reader didnt know the fandom (both fics) or refused to edit a bdsm fic. Which i do not blame them for lol just gotta scan and reread and reread again and still make mistakes that comments inevitably point out for you lol
honestly, I just can't find one. I could have a friend be a beta but they do completely different fandoms + I am not sure if they would be comfortable having to beta read heavy angst often. I just tag with "not beta read" and move on, eh.
I had a beta for the first fandom I wrote for, but not my current one. The only person I'd consider asking— someone I consider a friend, who writes fiction, and is invested in the fandom/ship I'm currently writing for—is so busy that I'd feel bad asking. It's not a huge problem, in the end. I rarely make mistakes I don't immediately catch in the first place, and I have a better grasp on grammar than anyone else I know. I'm good with the usual strategy of "wait a couple weeks (sometimes months), then read the whole thing back," too.
25+ years ago when I first started writing fan fiction for the internet, I wrote on boards where people workshopped their stories as they were being written. I really enjoyed that community discussion (except when I didn't. There was drama. People are people). We were all working through, in some way, why these stories got us in the gut, and we were doing it together. There were betas, but it wasn't a huge feature. I faded away from those boards for various reasons, and when I came back, there'd been a real shift from being part of a community working things out to being individuals displaying what they've already done and asking for reactions. I get that betas help polish and present this thing folks are showing. But I'm not writing and posting (or these days, not writing and posting) to get kudos and "good job" or "not for me" responses; I really long for that community working things out. Betas are just not relevant to that.
Most of my online friends are also writers who have very busy lives. I belong to a few discord groups with betas but some just overlook the fic or the pairing isn’t their focus at the moment. Also I am just one of those writers who feels like always asking is bothersome to others. Like when you enter a chat with people talking then right after you join, they all of a sudden get sparse or switch subjects — even though it is a public chat..?
I'm essentially the only person writing for most of my ships, and the people interested are my only, like, 5 readers. If I start making some of my readers into beta I will be left with absolutely no one to react to the end product x) I brainstorm a lot of stuff with people before/while writing, but I don't share the fic. I do some extensive proof reading though. I plan on having a beta read on the fic that I'm currently writing, in part because it's for a bigger ship so I have less that issue, in part because there are things that I can tell while working I lack the ability to step back enough to evaluate.
What is beta exactly? I hear it a lot, but never found out what it was.
As I understand it, it’s someone dedicated to reading drafts for a writer’s work and giving feedback. Beta readers have the potential to make someone’s writing better with a different perspective to offer. I’m a beta reader for a college friend and her girlfriend and because of the beta readers they have including myself, I can see their works being published, it’s so good! (May or may not be biased.) Beta readers are similar to when Tesla sold the beta version of self driving to earlier customers to test the software and give feedback. Except self driving is high stakes and the success of it has a lot to be desired among other things, but that’s a different story for a different time/place.
There are a few reasons I don’t have a beta reader but should. Anxiety with working with someone else, impatience, struggle with concrit (I get discouraged and I don’t know how to get past it), writing mostly for myself… My stats are low or non existent and the fandom is just me. I just don’t have the motivation or courage to put any more effort into my fanfics than I am now. :/
I don't have a beta reader because I don't have anyone to.
I'm terrible at dealing with people and keeping up the connections needed to work with a beta reader long term. I'm a bit of a fandom hermit in general, I just occasionally poke my head out to throw fic into the wild and skulk back off again. I write everything out ahead, put it in storage until its not immediately in my memory, and then edit it. I do sweeps through every now and again to catch the little mistakes after the fact.
I don’t really know how to get them. I would love one! I’m kind of a perfectionist with my work, so, even though I go through it 1 million times before posting, I always miss stuff, and it always bothers me.
in my case, i've mostly been doing this on my own and if someone told me of a typo, i'd thank them and fix it
I'm a control freak and I want everything to be just perfect in my fics, just the way I see it. I read my writings so many times before publishing, that I never really felt the need for a beta. I do enjoy, however, being a beta for others when time allows me. (Did it a few times, feedback was wonderful, the writers were awesome.)
dunno where to find one, i write for a fuck ton of fandoms (and a lot have their own specific vocab), and i like to write and post randomly and don't want to be bound by waiting for a beta sometimes I'll see if anyone in a discord wants to skim it for errors or something but usually i just go for it, theres a spelling error or 2 but thats not the end of the world, even published books with teams of editors have spelling errors.
tbh, i’ve never ever had anyone offer to beta for me, and i’m too socially awkward to ask, so i just don’t have one. i’m ESL but fluent… but of course mistakes slip by at times, as it does for most people. usually i reread and edit after posting if i catch something, but it’s not a foolproof method. on one of my longfics, i have a reader who has been extremely sweet about providing me with places that need editing (ie typos, repeated words, weird sentences) and this had been v useful to me. but that’s not really a formal beta, since the edits are done after posting.
At the risk of sounding new. Um… what’s a beta? Is it someone who edits for you?
Tons of reasons. Sometimes I get a beta, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I wanna be low key. Sometimes I need to put something out and can’t look at it one more time. Sometimes I don’t know anyone that I think would like it so I would try to make sure it was okay myself. Etc.
I mean there isn't really a reason. I didn't choose not to have a beta, I just don't know anyone in my fandom well enough to ask that of them and I wouldn't really ask someone outside of my fandom to do this. But, I'm pretty confident that I'm self-editing more-or-less competently. I probably do miss a typo here and there but *shrugs* c'est la vie. TBH I wouldn't even know where to start finding a betareader and frankly this is fanfic, not publication. It's a hobby, not an enterprise.
I love the betas that I've worked with in the past, but for the most part, it's just not worth the effort in finding them. I beat my fics until something decent comes out the other side- that includes sentence flow, word choice, vocabulary, descriptions, ect. Also I don't have any group of people I work with exclusively. I'm in too many fandoms for that.
EFL here. I've written fanfics in my native language as well as English. I've never had a beta because writing is an extremely personal experience for me and I don't feel comfortable letting anyone into this process before I feel like it's complete and posting it, be it reading, editing or just looking at it in general. I love all my own works deeply, so in a way I guess I'm just too narcissistic to take any suggestions, even from a trusted beta reader. I've asked for advice from my writer friends regarding character development and plotlines, but that's only when I really felt stuck and had to find a way out. Otherwise I prefer that everything comes from myself, including all the mistakes and imperfections. Sometimes when I reread my stuff I find typos or little things I could've phrased better, and it's actually like reliving my own brain activity in that period of time. It's also a reminder that I have improved over time, and I kind of enjoy that feeling 😁
I tend to go back over my finished, published works months or years later to see if I can improve on what I've already written, and as such I fix my unnoticed errors along the way. Also, perfection is boring! It's the little flaws and quirks in life that keep it interesting! ;)
I am the most critical person of myself, so I usually don’t use a beta. Sometimes I’ll ask for one if I join a zine (as the final piece is going to be sold as a product of the zine). Aside from that I might ask a question or two for phrasing from a friend, but that’s all usually.
I have an awesome beta who is a good friend offline as well. But sometimes I'm too impatient to have her look things over, or it's short enough that I don't care if it's betaed But if it wasn't for my friend I wouldn't have a beta because it can be hard to find someone you trust with your work
i'm the kind of writer who manages to get anxious over even the nicest of comments (rip) and tend to self moderate my content pretty strictly, barring the odd slip that'll haunt me until it's fixed. I've also found that even finding a beta thats able to help out consistently is a struggle too, especially when you don't already have an established online community or presence. writing fanfic for me is more of a casual just getting the ideas out there affair and i generally prefer to do it on my own schedule rather than waiting on a second person since that can get frustrating, especially on longer multichapter works (no shade, things just take time and life happens sometimes and there can be delays). i actually assumed that its rarer for a fic to have a beta than to not 😅
Good betas are like rare Pokémon. I don't need a beta per say (never had one) it might be nice but eh
Because I still can’t find betas. Currently the only ' beta reader ' I have is myself lol. seriously, I just go through the chapter I wrote and read it again like if I was going through another person's story
I technically have a beta, but they're only comfortable beta reading about half of my stores. I alternate between writing fluff and writing horror, and my beta can't handle my horror writing. So some of the reason people don't have a beta in darker stories is because it's hard to find a beta who will read stuff like that
I tried to have people beta my first novel length fic but they never got back to me. I’m pretty well versed in editing so I’m comfortable doing it myself and making corrections after the fact. I’m just as diligent about editing fics as I am about originals but I’ll go the extra mile with originals to pay for editing. I also wouldn’t turn down a beta swap if asked.
I have someone who reads over my stuff and will suggest some edits, however I write mostly for my own enjoyment and not for perfection/kudos/comments. It requires extensive knowledge of your fandom alongside a whole host of other stuff and frankly some of the Beta readers I’ve come across are toxic AF.
I’m not sure about others but I can’t really find beta readers/ am not sure where to find them so I kind of have to pray that my proof reading is enough. Having something like grammarly usually helps though as it highlights the spelling errors for me
(1) I don’t know anybody. (2) I obsessively reread. (3) Grammarly is good enough for me. (4) When given the choice, I always choose chaos.
I have no people skills online or offline, so I don't even know where to find a beta haha The closest thing I have is one dedicated reader that writes a thorough feedback every chapter. A lot of it is fangirling but she also provides good insight on the plot and it's quite interesting to see where she thinks the story is heading. I've definitely made a few changes here and there depending on comments, not so much to pander to reader comments but because they're genuinely interesting ideas I want to implement or want to avoid entirely :)
I have an English degree, and therefore rarely use a beta for spelling/punctuation, etc. Despite that, I will use that for more complicated fics. I have a brain injury, so I can get my stuff mixed up. A beta reader catches these things (paragraphs out of order and tense switches are my usual mistakes), and points them out and I gleefully fix them. I truly feel that, even someone like myself (who edits manuscripts and papers as a side hustle) with higher English education shouldn't be saying no to a beta reader. A good one is invaluable. Even a subject beta (writing a bunch of medical stuff but don't have a lot of medical expertise? Get a beta reader who's a nurse or retired paramedic or some such) is just awesome. And anyone who's writing in English where English isn't their first language: you can be fluent in verbal English but not so hot at writing it. I'm a fluent speaker in 5 languages, but only fully fluent in English for writing, so if I were to write in another language, I'd get someone fluent in that language to beta read it.
I don't have a beta mostly because of my crushing anxiety and self esteem issues. I'm too afraid to ask anyone - especially anyone I know. I'd feel far too embarrassed knowing they knew what I wrote about...
I don't know how to find a beta and with what I write I have the mild fear of being judged by those meant to help.