Beta Reading - Tumblr Posts

BETA READING APPLICATION

Calling all book nerds! So I’m writing a book, and I need to get people to read it.

I don’t have a title yet, but it’s a world of magic. People are either born with a type of magic, or they aren’t. Two kinds of magic are illegal; Cryokinesis and Necromancy. Two people, one with Cryokinesis and one with Necromancy, are outlawed due to their magic, which they cannot control. When their paths cross, they work together, along with the assistance of a former soldier, in order to bring about change in the kingdom of Anaria.

Elurra Khione was born with an illegal magic. As was Heriotza Thanatos. Together, they bring about a cold death magic. Elurra had parents who loved her, who hid her away when the Queen’s soldiers came to call. Alas, it was to no avail. They were killed by soldiers who used pyrokinesis. Elurra was forced to run away into hiding at a young age, growing up in the forest. Along the way she meets Paranema, a kindly old healer woman who takes the young child in and raises her as one of her own. When she’s seventeen and out practicing magic, she runs into Heriotza Thanatos, a boy with a mysterious past who possesses a dangerous, mostly lethal, magic. These two realize they have much in common and decide to join together in order to stay away from the Queen. However, trouble runs into their midst when a former soldier turned traitor to the crown finds the two and convinces them to help bring about change. . .

That’s the basic summary of what I have plotted out. If you apply, I’ll be sharing it chapter by chapter. Please try and be considerate. I love getting constructive criticism! It helps me figure out how to make my stories better. Here’s the application:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ojmRzXmrjlIW5j-FHSWiooL1vIIq_Lvf_1LEp4DxmqY/edit

If you apply, and I deem your application worthy enough(don’t worry, I’m not strict about who reads my stuff), you’ll be notified via email. Please answer the questions I give you per part by replying to me. Feel free to comment on the actual story, too!

Hope to see people as excited about this as I am.

Questions to ask beta readers

General:

Were you confused at any point of the story?

What genre would you say this book is?

When did you put the story down?

Is the ending satisfying?

If you had to cut 3 scenes what would they be?

When did you feel like the story really began?

What was the last book you read before this story?

Characters:

Do you get any of the characters names confused?

Which character is your favorite?

If you had to remove a character who would you and why? (you don't have to remove the character, just make sure their role is meaningful)

Which character do you relate to the most?

Which character do you relate to the least?

Do the characters feel real?

Are character relationships believable?

Are the goals clear and influence the plot?

Are the characters distinct (voice, motivations, etc)

Setting:

Which setting was clearest to you?

Which setting was the most memorable?

Am including enough/too much detail?

Plot and conflict:

Are the internal and external conflicts well defined for the main characters?

Are the internal conflicts and the external conflicts organic and believable?

Are there enough stakes?

Are the plot twists believable but still unexpected?

REMINDER

If it is difficult to write or you don't like your writing, that means you're growing as a writer, not that you're a bad writer.

How to make your creatures scientifically realistic ⋆｡°✩

So, what makes a character realistic? How they fit into their environment. Creatures must either adapt to their environment or die. The environment is very important thing to designing scientifically accurate creatures.

What is the temperature? Are there seasons? If so, how do they affect the wildlife?

How much water is in the environment? Where do they get this water from (water vapor, ocean, rivers, etc.)

What does the ground consist of?

How long is the day vs the night? How much light do they get?

What is the elevation?

You don't need to know exact numbers, but you should have a general idea. These factors (not limited to only these), influence the species that live in the area. How is your species adapted to these environments. Think about the things you need to survive, like food, water, shelter, etc.

The other animals will also affect this. What lives there? Who is the predator and the prey? What, if any, plants live there? How does your creature fit into this?

You can also use existing traits from animals in environments today. For example, thick fur in colder temperatures. Or creatures like whales, having to breath air even though they live in the water.

The most important thing is to stick to it. YOU MAKE THE RULES BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO FOLLOW THEM.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert; this is only based off what I've learned. Feel free to correct anything or ask questions.

Create your characters voice

Write one to ten pages (I usually do 5 for major character, 1 or 2 for side characters) as your character. Anything they would say, opinions, diary entries, complaining, etc.

Ooooh I have collected some helpful things to maybe include:

adopting slang from people they are close too/love interest

do they have a raspy voice? High pitched? Overly sweet? Commanding? Figure that out.

to make characters have their own voice vary rhythm, word choice, use of profanity, how much they talk about themselves or others, their politics.

Take some dialogue and ask if readers would be able to tell who is speaking with no context.

Write an AITA post from their point of view.

Identify what role your character has, a leader? a follower? a disrupter? a rebel? an antagonist? a peacemaker? How does that change the way they speak?

The character traits will tell you what your characters will say or how they will say it.

How I'm FINALLY finishing my wip

I told my little sister if I don't finish 10,000 words in 10 days that I have to do anything she wants for a week 😭

mind you this is a middle schooler so if one week from now I stop posting, uh send help

The three essential rules I use for stories

everything must be consistent, if I create rules, I have to follow them

Every major event must have some foreshadowing

Characters "earn" what happens to them. They have to overcome a bad thing/do a good thing to get a good thing and they have to do something wrong or bad to get a bad thing.

Throws writing motivation at you

It doesn't have to be perfect, or some genre redefining masterpiece, it doesn't even have to be long. Just work on it a little. Imagine one day, when you finish your story, that it's someone's favorite. That you are someone's favorite writer. People read parts of it aloud to their friends and family.

Someone out there wants to read what you wrote.

Someone appreciates your art.

Someone wants to know what's on your mind.

@eefmuffin

How to romanticize writing

You don't have to do all or even any of these, just do what seems fun.

drink coffee or tea

wear cute outfits when writing

listen to music

create a routine for writing

light candles (you can also write until the candle burns out)

listen to music/make playlist that are the vibe of what you are writing

find a writing buddy and keep each other on track

READ reading a good book usually inspires me to start writing again

write something short and fun that isnt your wip for a bit

create fake covers

write something so horrible it funny (embrace the brain rot)

Do your hair/nails/put on a face mask

change you location, a different room, the library, a cafe, outside.

Oooo a secret other option you will share with us gasp???

Lisa or Lena (This or That) for writers

Chapter Titles or No Chapter Titles

Writing On Paper or Typing

Multiple Wips or One Wip

Want your characters to find happiness or Want them to suffer

Writing prompts/Real life events or It came to me in a dreammm

Plotter vs Pantser

Characters or Plot

Weird writer search history or Reasearch what research

Hate Dialogue or Loves Dialogue

Perfectionism or Edit it later

Imposter syndrome or Imposter syndrome or Imposter syndrome or...

Story could/did happen irl or Could not happen irl

Happy endings or Sad endings

Super long sentences or Super short sentences

Long winding description or The trees were green

Fanfiction or An original story

Hates Editing or Loves Editing

Cofee or Tea

Vibe Curator or Character designs

Wants to be published or Doesn't want to be published

Writing while dressed up or Writing while looking like a hobo

Library or Cafe

Bonus: What are you writing about?

Writerblr I need your help 😭

I've just been put in charge of this writing club, we need 4 members to have a club. We have 4. My friends who write but don't want join the club says it's too boring. The set up used last year was:

Writing prompt

Share what we wrote for the writing prompt

Lecture type thing on an aspect of writing

Talk about our WIPs

The ideas I have so far are optional contests (they will have gift cards as prizes) and putting up posters to get the word out about it.

If you have any ideas that could help me, please please please share them.

Hey y'all,

I'm willing to beta-read fanfics and original works. So, if you're interested message me here on Tumblr, on AO3 @animekitkat24601 or on Fanfiction.net @Maplesong of TreeClan.

hello

Hope you are doing well, (if not, heres a hug🫂)

Im a bit curious, and i dunno if it was ever asked but:

What do you look for in a beta reader?

Hello my lovely, thanks for the ask!

I am in recovery after TIC5 (I knew it would be hard on me physically, but didn't anticipate how hard it would be emotionally, and the combination has hit me like a sledgehammer) but otherwise am doing quite well, thank you.

Now. So.

I don't actually have a beta reader.

(Gasp, shock, horror, yes yes I know)

I did, for a bit (a very small window in the middle of DFAFM and the first chapter of TIALAINGO) and honestly was so traumatised by that experience that I'm very wary about ever allowing anyone that amount of access to me again.

So here's some advice I think would be worth thinking about. My number one piece of advice is:

You as a writer need to know exactly what you want in terms of feedback, and be honest about that with yourself as much as to any potential beta readers.

So many times beta relationships crumble because writers have not correctly identified their limits in terms of what they want to hear about their work. Are they looking for guidance on tone, character, speech, spice level, or just a spelling and grammar check?

If you struggle to handle criticism (and most of us do, there's no shame in it), then it's essential to communicate to your beta how you are best able to handle this information. Would you prefer them to make suggested alternatives rather than just a criticism? Would you prefer a "shit sandwich" (the criticism sandwiched between two things your beta loves)? Would you prefer that they just tell you bluntly what they feel needs improvement but give you space to work out what's wrong with it?

Additionally, make it clear that you need and want positive feedback, too. Lots of fledgeling betas will assume that their role is limited to finding faults, so make sure they know you need to hear enthusastic cheering, too!

Secondly, although your relationship needs to be a trusting one, I advise not choosing someone who is a huge fan of your work. Sometimes losing your biggest fan to have them see your messy unfinished pieces can be demoralising for both parties. Also, don't pick someone you hardly know. Go for somewhere in the middle, someone you know and trust (ideally they enjoy fics similar to yours) and make sure to establish parameters (as above) before sharing your work.

Thirdly, it should be a fun process. It will feel weird and anxiety-inducing, but the right beta will put you at ease and be enthusiastic enough to keep you motivated, but give you little tips to polish off what is already pretty darn fabulous. If it doesn't feel fun, if it doesn't feel collaborative, if it makes you stressed and anxious or, Someone forbid, upset - they probably aren't the beta for you.

I hope any of this helps.

And maybe someday I'll take some of my own darn advice.

CALLING ALL MUTUALS

i need someone to volunteer to beta read some fics im writing if that’s ok!! thank you!!

So I'm beta reading for someone right now and who was going to tell me it's this fun! I get to be the hype squad IN THE ACTUAL DOCUMENT!!

And it's a second draft so the only major notes I need to leave are for pacing/character arcs, which, HELLO that's my favorite part.

The story is already so good. I'm just loving being a tiny little part of someone else's writing journey and getting a behind the scenes look at their brilliance.

Agh this is the best!

if any zhongxiao fic writers need beta reading, editing or advice, i'll be more than happy to help :) my insta is @/navycc_ (you can also ask for my email in DMs if that's easier)