[ SECRET POST #2937 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2937 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 056 secrets from Secret Submission Post #420.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

It is just me, or is that sadder than if they didn't get betas at all? The thought of this writer and their betas wallowing in their misguided little pool of sycophancy. Not that badfics aren't fun, but don't pretend they've had proper editing and and are actually of a higher standard than they are.

God help anyone who ever gets asked to beta for this person and gives them a real one.

[(Anonymous)]

ayrt

It's even worse when you consider this person's somewhat of a BNF whose terrible fics get more attention than the rest of the fandom combined.

I knew them in a vague capacity a few years ago, and I think it's pretty telling that they never even brought up the subject of betaing with me (I do some pro-editing). Instead they go to their best friends and hangers-on for back-patting, because when they're in that position what else are those "betas" going to do? They'd incur the wrath of the rest of this person's fans if they dared suggest the work needed, well, work, and this person's fans will attack anyone who dares say anything remotely critical as it is. Few people would be willing to take apart such apparently popular work, even though they're often the ones that need it the most.

[(Anonymous)]

A beta should be a strictly private affair between the two parties involved. No one wants their mistakes to be public.

All these stories of writers crying to their friends if they get their mistakes pointed out in private in beta, like the story upthread, are just appalling.

I'm so glad I've never seen this in person. I think I would defriend anyone like that immediately. That's one good thing about the fading influence of LJ comms for posting fics to a certain fandom. It's a lot easier to avoid people you're not interested in these days.

[(Anonymous)]

Sadly some people flood Tumblr tags just as badly with this sort of thing. Tagging their beta woes or other writing drama with the fandom, the ship, the characters...

I'm glad it's working for you, but I honestly find it harder than it's ever been to avoid people these days.

[(Anonymous)]

They tag their beta woes on tumblr?

That's even worse. I'm so glad that's not happening in any of my fandoms.

I thought tumblr had an etiquette of not tagging any criticisms at all? It's something I don't personally agree with, but tagging problems with your beta is far beyond tagging your problems with a fictional character. This is a real person who's been kind enough to look over your fic as a favour.

I can't comprehend the rudeness. It's like they're advertising their own lack of good manners or any kind of self-awareness. Well, those individuals will never get a beta ever again except for idiots or brown-nosers.

[(Anonymous)]

"A beta should be a strictly private affair between the two parties involved. No one wants their mistakes to be public."

Please speak for yourself, because I don't mind a public comment pointing me some mistake that is already public.

(If there's too much to criticize then yes, I would prefer to talk about it in private. I also think sporking fic is terribly rude. But this "no saying anything in public" is a mindset I don't share)

[(Anonymous)]

AYRT

I was referring to fics when they're in the beta stage, ie by definition not yet public.

I think you've misunderstood me somewhere. I never said I minded public comments on public fics.

[(Anonymous)]

That's how I understood the "No one wants their mistakes to be public" part and to be honest, I have seen far too many people talking about how rude is to point publicly even one typo so I just assumed you were talking about the same thing.

Sorry for misunderstanding.

[(Anonymous)]

I was wondering if there was a new fandom definition of beta. I'm not entirely in the loop.

No, I agree with you about it being fine to publicly point out mistakes in posted fic. Especially if they're things that would be easy to correct and the writer has obviously just missed them.

Though I've had some hilarious mistakes pointed out in my own fics that I actually kept in because they were too funny.