Because, apparently, there can't be too much ranting about writing

[blade_girl]

Let me begin by acknowledging that the membership of this community may well be the wrong people to be ranting at on this issue. It's likely that those of you who joined or watch this comm have a full command of the language (in this case, English) and are cognizant of the proper and effective way to express your ideas in prose.

Comments

[amedia]

*makes mental note to read your ninja fic, because, dude, well-researched ninjas!*

Actually I wanted to bring up a minor disagreement about the beta-ing advice too.

enlist the advice of a beta. If possible, choose someone who writes better than you.

I usually do have my stories beta'd and I have an awesome beta who is very perceptive about character, painfully good at spotting plot holes, and if possible a bigger grammar nazi than I am,* with, furthermore, a sense of style in addition to correctness. (Who would probably be banging his head against a wall over that sentence.) And who doesn't write fic at all.

So I wouldn't say that a beta necessarily has to be a writer. If I didn't already have a beta, though, and if I were looking for a beta in a new fandom, I might very well ask someone whose writing I admire, but I might be even more likely to go to that person and ask who her beta is and whether the beta has time for a new client.

*I would mention that this person is also a former freshman composition teacher, but after seeing what some comp teachers teach, I have to admit that's not necessarily a recommendation. Um, I probably shouldn't have said that. Pay no attention to the cranky person behind the curtain.

[verilyverity]

I guess it's a syllological hole. "All men are not Aristotle," and such. A great beta doesn't have to be a good writer, but a beta who is a good writer is closer to a sure thing when you first take the plunge.

[luchia13]

They are so researched it's stupid. But it's slash and Glitch/Ambrose/Sessha/Joat/Spiral/Tomo/Sweetheart is SERIOUSLY messed in the head, so BE FOREWARNED. Since all those names? Yeah. Different facets/personas. *always has to give these warning*

My biggest problem is that the person whose fanfic writing I admire most doesn't even know what Tin Man is, and know damn well she doesn't use a beta. Then again, I always go for ingenuity and plot and not always the actual quality of writing (flow, sentence structure, etc.), so asking me whose writing I admire most isn't always the best question. Honestly I need to ask someone ELSE who to ask.

[blade_girl]

See, this is why discussions are swirling pools of awesomeness, and I say that as someone who NEVER uses the word "awesome" in its contemporary slang capacity. Your comment has pointed out yet another generalization I've made that I didn't really mean to make.

You're absolutely right - a great beta doesn't necessarily have to be a writer. It's entirely possible for someone to spot typos, incorrect grammar and misspellings, and even plot holes and poor characterization without ever having written a single word of fic. (In fact, someone who regularly comments on my stories in ff.net doesn't write at all, but the quality of her comments suggests that she would be a kickass beta.)

My instruction to find someone who writes better than you was written with one thing in mind: that beginning writers frequently turn to their buds for "beta" duties, and very often those buds have the same or similar weaknesses as the author. I believe this accounts for many instances of error-riddled fanfic arriving at the internet even though one or more beta readers are credited.