Beta request?
Would anyone be willing to read through a story I've written before I post it? It's only short (~2300 words) and it's kind of a prequel to my fic from a year ago, In The Night. Be warned, it's also NC-17 rated, like that one. Further details under the cut.
The title is 'South of the Border'. It's meant to be a missing scene from early S4 - except not one that Mutant Enemy would have ever broadcast, of course - and if I ever write three more fics just like these two, the series could be entitled "Five times Buffy or Willow accidentally overheard the other masturbating".
Most of my fic isn't beta'd (I know, BAD) but I know from experience (waves at deird1 and eowyn_315 ) that there are a couple of things I can fall down on:
(a) when I'm writing a scene from a female POV, it's helpful to have someone nod their head and say "That's fine" or alternatively, "Wait, it doesn't work like that" or "That's not physically possible"
(b) making sure it's obvious what's going on, both the actions and the characters' emotions. I think that's an easy mistake to make sometimes: when you're writing the story you know what's going through your characters' heads, so if you have them react to something in a particular way, you understand why. (Maybe it reminded them of something else, or hit a particular nerve, or whatever). But it's not always so obvious to the reader.
In other words I'm really looking for a reality check on my story. If you're interested please leave a comment, or alternatively email me (the address is on my user page).
Finally, to turn this into a more general topic of conversation: fic writers: what sort of things do you look for from your betas? What are your blind spots when it comes to writing?
And everybody: there's a meme going round asking people "What elements would you expect to see in a fic I write?" I'd be curious to hear if there are any distinctive quirks, plot devices, tricks of wording or so forth that you associate with my fic. (The same way you'd associate "Characters dying tragically just after they found love" in a story written by Joss...).
The title is 'South of the Border'. It's meant to be a missing scene from early S4 - except not one that Mutant Enemy would have ever broadcast, of course - and if I ever write three more fics just like these two, the series could be entitled "Five times Buffy or Willow accidentally overheard the other masturbating".
Most of my fic isn't beta'd (I know, BAD) but I know from experience (waves at deird1 and eowyn_315 ) that there are a couple of things I can fall down on:
(a) when I'm writing a scene from a female POV, it's helpful to have someone nod their head and say "That's fine" or alternatively, "Wait, it doesn't work like that" or "That's not physically possible"
(b) making sure it's obvious what's going on, both the actions and the characters' emotions. I think that's an easy mistake to make sometimes: when you're writing the story you know what's going through your characters' heads, so if you have them react to something in a particular way, you understand why. (Maybe it reminded them of something else, or hit a particular nerve, or whatever). But it's not always so obvious to the reader.
In other words I'm really looking for a reality check on my story. If you're interested please leave a comment, or alternatively email me (the address is on my user page).
Finally, to turn this into a more general topic of conversation: fic writers: what sort of things do you look for from your betas? What are your blind spots when it comes to writing?
And everybody: there's a meme going round asking people "What elements would you expect to see in a fic I write?" I'd be curious to hear if there are any distinctive quirks, plot devices, tricks of wording or so forth that you associate with my fic. (The same way you'd associate "Characters dying tragically just after they found love" in a story written by Joss...).