The Vanishing Of The Beta
Ok, so here is the one thing I don't get.
What is it with people who VOLUNTARILY offer their beta services-like reply to your desperate beta pleas, then you send them the fic and you NEVER HEAR FROM EVER THEM AGAIN?
I mean it's awfully sweet of people to OFFER to beta. I really appreciate the good will. I'd even appreciate it more if the would actually DO it. Some follow me on tumblr and I see them re-blogging my posts-yet after I've sent them my fic they never ever reply to my mails/asks/submits. I've asked myself if it's about the topic, the volume, the writing, but I always tell potential betas beforehand what the deal is and they agree.
People don't have to beta. It's an ungrateful, difficult, in many cases boring job and it is not even a job-it's an unpaid favour.
Additionally I know my stuff is hard to beta: my writing is shit, my fics lengthy, everything is generally littered with mistakes. I understand that. It's totally ok to take a look at the mess I've sent and fling it far away into a corner, and write back and say, nope can't do.
I've done that-I told people I would beta their piece, thinking I would but then I got sick, I lost my job, I found a job, I lost my beau, I found a beau, I moved house, I moved countries, I moved continents ... or I just simply lost my motivation. All of these things and many more can happen and I totally understand-but is it so hard to write one short email and just tell people what's up?
Also I get it that betas only beta when they get around to it or feel like it. I absolutely, completely understand that no one has the right to make demands from someone who offers their services and time for free, but somehow I'd also kind of like to get my piece back at some point. Is that too much to ask? I did have a beta once who told me upfront she would do it when she "felt" like it-and that it could take a while. I don't mind that. It's free work. If I don't like it I can still publish it unbeta'ed.
JUST TELL ME.
I mean yeah ok, after three unanswered mails I do get the message and don't bother anymore but seriously ... WHY?
What is it with people who VOLUNTARILY offer their beta services-like reply to your desperate beta pleas, then you send them the fic and you NEVER HEAR FROM EVER THEM AGAIN?
I mean it's awfully sweet of people to OFFER to beta. I really appreciate the good will. I'd even appreciate it more if the would actually DO it. Some follow me on tumblr and I see them re-blogging my posts-yet after I've sent them my fic they never ever reply to my mails/asks/submits. I've asked myself if it's about the topic, the volume, the writing, but I always tell potential betas beforehand what the deal is and they agree.
People don't have to beta. It's an ungrateful, difficult, in many cases boring job and it is not even a job-it's an unpaid favour.
Additionally I know my stuff is hard to beta: my writing is shit, my fics lengthy, everything is generally littered with mistakes. I understand that. It's totally ok to take a look at the mess I've sent and fling it far away into a corner, and write back and say, nope can't do.
I've done that-I told people I would beta their piece, thinking I would but then I got sick, I lost my job, I found a job, I lost my beau, I found a beau, I moved house, I moved countries, I moved continents ... or I just simply lost my motivation. All of these things and many more can happen and I totally understand-but is it so hard to write one short email and just tell people what's up?
Also I get it that betas only beta when they get around to it or feel like it. I absolutely, completely understand that no one has the right to make demands from someone who offers their services and time for free, but somehow I'd also kind of like to get my piece back at some point. Is that too much to ask? I did have a beta once who told me upfront she would do it when she "felt" like it-and that it could take a while. I don't mind that. It's free work. If I don't like it I can still publish it unbeta'ed.
JUST TELL ME.
I mean yeah ok, after three unanswered mails I do get the message and don't bother anymore but seriously ... WHY?