[ SECRET POST #2372 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2372 ⌋

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

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 03 pages, 070 secrets from Secret Submission Post #339.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 1 - 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)]

I think it would be very rare to have a mutual-beta relationship with someone. It's been my experience that the beta reader is more skilled or knowledgeable than the author, and you can't reverse that. You could always ask their opinion as a member of the target audience you are writing for, but not as a proper beta reader.

(This can change over time, of course. I once started beta reading for a girl who was in high school. I was able to help her a lot, mostly on her confidence levels, and to a lesser degree on her actual writing ability. It's been several years since we first met, and now she has a college degree and a career in publishing, and is a far better writer than I could ever be.)

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, this.

I'm the dedicated beta of an absolutely wonderful writer; I'm a professional editor and copy writer IRL and she's got a job unrelated to writing. We have a great friendship and fic producing relationship. She trusts me and I trust her. But when I write something, I know she's going to be useless to me as a beta. I'll talk to her about story ideas, and maybe ask her to cheerlead me if I need a boost, but I have to range far afield to find a beta for myself. However, she's been a beta for another writer in the past, and part of why I became her beta in the first place was that that original writer tried to beta a fic for her and it was a total disaster.

It's just so rarely reciprocal. I've had good co-writers, but we've agreed to bring in a third for beta. And after a couple decades in fandom, I'm pretty confident when I say that my favorite, best, and finest fandom contributions are as a beta and editor, not as a writer. I'm always looking for someone who wants to collaborate.

Anyway, NNF OP, there are fandom communities dedicated to helping betas and writers find each other. And sometimes you can find a great beta if you sign up for a fest, and there's a beta request post. (That's how me and my writer friend got matched up!) Just keep your eyes open.

[(Anonymous)]

Not necessarily. I have a friend for whom I beta, and who betas for me. We're both competent writers who know how to spell and how grammar works, so SPaG stuff that we catch for one another is mostly just typos. We catch logic hiccups for each other, or point out when a character has drifted a little too far into fanon, or flag the occasional sentence that just isn't working. Even good writers need betas, so two reasonably good writers can perform the service for one another.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, this. I beta for several authors, including my beta, and none of us are perfect. We make different mistakes.

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, this. My friend and I are both competent writers and betas and the relationship is completely reciprocal. The only reason it isn't exclusive is that we're both writing constantly and neither one wants to disturb the other's flow, so we usually use each other as beta only if we can't find anyone else we trust.