To beta or not to beta?

[azziria]

Interesting discussion over at powrhug's journal about a comment someone made about never reading a fic if the author didn't use a beta.

Personally, I never use a beta and never have.

Why don't I use one? If I'm honest, the main reason is largely due to insecurity and to not wanting to be a nuisance by asking anyone to do it (yes, I have issues, want to make something of it?).

There's also a big issue for me of the fic being *my* work and *my* ideas - I don't actually want anyone else's input. That's not arrogance, it's more that what I write for work isn't *mine*, it's a framework for many other people to hang their ideas off, so it often gets ripped to bits and changed over and over. My fanfic is the only thing I write that is mine and mine alone, and that I can do with as I will. (I do enjoy knocking fic ideas around with the like-minded, though!) If I were going to use a beta, it would have to be someone pretty much on my wavelength, and I don't know how easy that would be to find.

Plus, once a fic is done I want to post it and get it out of the way, I don't want it hanging around.

Of course, I write and edit (technical/medical stuff) for a living, so I'm pretty confident in my spelling and grammar. I'm also picky as hell. I'm not saying nothing ever gets through (the occasional British spelling or term, maybe), but on the whole I'm happy with what I post. I can't stand to read badly-spelled or grammatically-poor writing, and I pride myself that what I turn out isn't either of those.

But I don't make a big deal about announcing that I didn't use a beta for a fic. I have confidence that readers will judge by reading my work. If they don't like it, they can close the window, move on and avoid me in the future.

Comments

[delicatale.livejournal.com]

I had a beta like that - I went through my fic after she read it through and I corrected typos. Which is why I turned back to my best friends, which are also my beta, and rarely ever turn down when someone wants to read my stuff.

I'm paranoid - not native English and extremely insecure when it comes to my writing sometimes. I scarcely ever post without a beta, and when I do, it's for smallish fics that I'm too excited to post to wait :').

I don't think anyone should refuse to read anything because of beta/not beta, though...what if you miss an awesome fic =/.

[azziria.livejournal.com]

If I was writing in a language that wasn't my first, I'd *definitely* use a beta. You're lucky to have good friends to read your stuff for you (although I'm not sure how much you really need it!).

[delicatale.livejournal.com]

I've been writing with stjarna1984 for 3 years, and have had her as my beta for about as long - she's never been scared to tell me when she thinks something doesn't sound right, even less now that we live together :'). And ,lj user=theellibu>'s always reading before everybody else as well and I can tell from one word or one look if she's liked it or not! And believe me, even if it's just little things, I need it!