Searching beta-readers

***Earniel*** · 08-20-2008, 08:07 AM

Would anyone be willing to read and correct one of my short stories on spelling and grammar?

Since English isn't my mothertongue, I tend to make avoidable mistakes. And I feel better if someone who has a better grip on English could take a look at it and point out my mistakes first before I post it somewhere.

The story is fantasy-themed, a little over 6000 words and spans 12 pages in a word document.

***Jonathan*** · 08-20-2008, 11:32 AM

Absolutely! Although it's not my native tongue, I'm good at spotting spelling mistakes and I think I have a pretty good grip of the grammar too.

But you might also want a native speaker to help you out.

Rosie Gamgee · 08-20-2008, 12:44 PM

I'll do it, if you like. I'm a native English speaker, and pretty good at spotting mistakes. (In fact it bugs my sister to death whenever I read something she's written.) Yeah--PM me, if you'd like..

***Earniel*** · 08-20-2008, 03:52 PM

Thank you both very much!

The story is too long for sending it through one PM but I'll break it up in parts. Please feel free to point out anything that's off in the spelling, grammar, syntax, and even plot if I've done something silly there. Oh, and take your time, no need to rush.

Thanks again!

***Tessar*** · 08-20-2008, 04:45 PM

YES I WILL READ YOUR STORY.

o.o

If you want.... *cough* If not it's cool. I don't care. You know. Whatever.

....

(send me the story!)

***Earniel*** · 08-20-2008, 05:22 PM

Very well, Tessar, you too will get the sneak-preview.

***Earniel*** · 08-20-2008, 05:34 PM

Hm, looks like I'll have to send you over six PM's if I want to send the story by PM. That may be a bit unworkable to read and correct. Would it be alright if I sent you the story via email? If so, please drop me a PM with your email address.

***Tessar*** · 08-20-2008, 05:54 PM

Okay! *pants* I've sent you my e-mail.

Five times.

Uhhhh... still haven't heard back from you. So... I guess I'll PM you again. It's been, like, 90 seconds since I sent the last one. Gosh, that's like.... over a minute. Hope you're okay.

Yeah. I'll just send it again.

....

***Earniel*** · 08-20-2008, 06:21 PM

You're cute, Tony. *smooch*

It's underway.

***Tessar*** · 08-20-2008, 11:57 PM

I read the story.

Much like a Latin Lover.... it was good.

***Tessar*** · 09-07-2008, 12:17 AM

....

WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL?!?!!? >.<

***Earniel*** · 09-07-2008, 01:29 PM

Well, what?

I'm still waiting for one more revision before I start correcting my text since it's quicker that way. After that I'll post it here, I promise.

**Mari** · 09-07-2008, 03:34 PM

Yay! Finally! I loved the other stories I've read, so I was excited when I read this thread and disappointed because I'm not a native speaker and thus not eligible as beta-reader.

(What can I say? Patience is not one of my strong points

)

***Earniel*** · 11-23-2008, 08:22 PM

*Bumpidy*

May I request again a beta-reader for a short story?

It's fantasy-themed and a little less than 1500 words, so pretty short. The down-part is that I need it done before the 30th, it's for a Fantasy e-zine and it needs to be sent in by the end of the month.

Willow Oran · 11-23-2008, 08:59 PM

I'd be willing. You still have my e-mail, right?

***Earniel*** · 11-24-2008, 08:26 AM

Yeay!

Yes, I think I still got a working email for you. We'll know for sure if the file hasn't arrived by tonight. Thanks!

Butterbeer · 11-24-2008, 01:34 PM

1500 words i can handle

Ill try and clean out that pig sty of a PM box and mail you an email address

Best BB

***RÃan*** · 11-24-2008, 03:36 PM

What's a beta-reader, preciousss?

***Earniel*** · 11-24-2008, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

What's a beta-reader, preciousss?

A beta-version of a computer programme is usually a test-version that people can try out and report what doesn't work and needs to be fixed or what goes wrong. Similarly, a beta-reader is someone who reads your story before it is put up on the web or otherwise published, and who points out the mistakes you have made, or which parts are unclear. (I doubt whether beta-reader is an actual English word, but I've seen it used a lot on the internet in relation with stories.)

(Willow has already finished and sent me the corrections, so at the moment I don't need any more beta-readers. But I'm sure I will ask here again in the future. Thanks all.

)

Willow Oran · 11-25-2008, 03:45 AM

If it wasn't a word, it is now.

08-20-2008, 08:07 AM	#1
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Searching beta-readers Would anyone be willing to read and correct one of my short stories on spelling and grammar? Since English isn't my mothertongue, I tend to make avoidable mistakes. And I feel better if someone who has a better grip on English could take a look at it and point out my mistakes first before I post it somewhere. The story is fantasy-themed, a little over 6000 words and spans 12 pages in a word document. __________________ We are not things.

08-20-2008, 11:32 AM	#2
*Jonathan* Entmoot Attorney-General, Equilibrating the Scales of Justice, Administrator ♎ Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 3,891	Absolutely! Although it's not my native tongue, I'm good at spotting spelling mistakes and I think I have a pretty good grip of the grammar too. But you might also want a native speaker to help you out. __________________ An unwritten post is a delightful universe of infinite possibilities. Set down one word, however, and it immediately becomes earthbound. Set down one sentence and itâ€™s halfway to being just like every other bloody entry thatâ€™s ever been written. ☻

08-20-2008, 12:44 PM	#3
Rosie Gamgee The Lovely Hobbit-Lass Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bounded in a nut-shell Posts: 1,593	I'll do it, if you like. I'm a native English speaker, and pretty good at spotting mistakes. (In fact it bugs my sister to death whenever I read something she's written.) Yeah--PM me, if you'd like.. __________________ It's New Years Day, just like the day before; Same old skies of grey, same empty bottles on the floor. Another year's gone by, and I was thinking once again, How can I take this losing hand and somehow win? Just give me One Good Year To get my feet back on the ground. I've been chasing grace; Grace ain't so easily found One bad hand can devil a man, chase him and carry him down. I've got to get out of here, just give me One Good Year!

08-20-2008, 03:52 PM	#4
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Thank you both very much! The story is too long for sending it through one PM but I'll break it up in parts. Please feel free to point out anything that's off in the spelling, grammar, syntax, and even plot if I've done something silly there. Oh, and take your time, no need to rush. Thanks again! __________________ We are not things.

08-20-2008, 05:22 PM	#6
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Very well, Tessar, you too will get the sneak-preview. __________________ We are not things.

08-20-2008, 04:45 PM	#5
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	YES I WILL READ YOUR STORY. o.o If you want.... cough If not it's cool. I don't care. You know. Whatever. .... (send me the story!)

08-20-2008, 05:34 PM	#7
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Hm, looks like I'll have to send you over six PM's if I want to send the story by PM. That may be a bit unworkable to read and correct. Would it be alright if I sent you the story via email? If so, please drop me a PM with your email address. __________________ We are not things.

08-20-2008, 05:54 PM	#8
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	Okay! pants I've sent you my e-mail. Five times. Uhhhh... still haven't heard back from you. So... I guess I'll PM you again. It's been, like, 90 seconds since I sent the last one. Gosh, that's like.... over a minute. Hope you're okay. Yeah. I'll just send it again. ....

08-20-2008, 06:21 PM	#9
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	You're cute, Tony. smooch It's underway. __________________ We are not things.

08-20-2008, 11:57 PM	#10
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	I read the story. Much like a Latin Lover.... it was good.

09-07-2008, 12:17 AM	#11
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	.... WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL?!?!!? >.<

09-07-2008, 01:29 PM	#12
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Well, what? I'm still waiting for one more revision before I start correcting my text since it's quicker that way. After that I'll post it here, I promise. __________________ We are not things.

09-07-2008, 03:34 PM	#13
Mari Elf Lady Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In the lands where mountains are but a fairytale Posts: 8,588	Yay! Finally! I loved the other stories I've read, so I was excited when I read this thread and disappointed because I'm not a native speaker and thus not eligible as beta-reader. (What can I say? Patience is not one of my strong points ) __________________ Love always, deeply and true ★ Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer. ★ Friendship is sharing openly, laughing often, trusting always, caring deeply. ...The Earth laughs in flowers ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Hamatreya"...

11-23-2008, 08:22 PM	#14
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Bumpidy May I request again a beta-reader for a short story? It's fantasy-themed and a little less than 1500 words, so pretty short. The down-part is that I need it done before the 30th, it's for a Fantasy e-zine and it needs to be sent in by the end of the month. __________________ We are not things.

11-23-2008, 08:59 PM	#15
Willow Oran Deus Ex Machina Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,951	I'd be willing. You still have my e-mail, right? __________________ "5. Plain Rings with RUNES on the inside. Avoid these like the PLAGUE. -Diana Wynne Jones Tough Guide To FantasyLand ...it's not much of a show if somebody doesn't suffer, and preferably at length. Suffering is beautiful in any case, and so is anguish; but as for loathing, and bitterness... I don't think they belong on the stage at all. - Isabella, I Gelosi

11-24-2008, 08:26 AM	#16
*Earniel* The Chocoholic Sea Elf Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: N?n in Eilph (Belgium) Posts: 14,363	Yeay! Yes, I think I still got a working email for you. We'll know for sure if the file hasn't arrived by tonight. Thanks! __________________ We are not things.

11-24-2008, 01:34 PM	#17
Butterbeer Elf Lord Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: here and there Posts: 3,514	1500 words i can handle Ill try and clean out that pig sty of a PM box and mail you an email address Best BB

11-24-2008, 03:36 PM	#18
*RÃan* Half-Elven Princess of Rabbit Trails and Harp-Wielding Administrator (beware the Rubber Chicken of Doom!) Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Not where I want to be ... Posts: 15,254	What's a beta-reader, preciousss? __________________ . I should be doing the laundry, but this is MUCH more fun! Ã‘Ã¡ Ã«?* Ã³Ãº Ã©Ã¤ Ã¯Ã¶Ã¼ Ã–Ã± Ã‰ Ãž Ã° ÃŸ Â® Ã§ Ã¥ â„¢ Ã¦ ♪ ?* "How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! ... For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside." (from Psalm 84) * * * God rocks! Entmoot : Veni, vidi, velcro - I came, I saw, I got hooked! Ego numquam pronunciare mendacium, sed ego sum homo indomitus! Run the earth and watch the sky ... Auta i lÃ³mÃ«! AurÃ« entuluva!

11-25-2008, 03:45 AM	#20
Willow Oran Deus Ex Machina Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,951	If it wasn't a word, it is now. __________________ "5. Plain Rings with RUNES on the inside. Avoid these like the PLAGUE. -Diana Wynne Jones Tough Guide To FantasyLand ...it's not much of a show if somebody doesn't suffer, and preferably at length. Suffering is beautiful in any case, and so is anguish; but as for loathing, and bitterness... I don't think they belong on the stage at all. - Isabella, I Gelosi

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