Doing this the lazy way....

[slaymesoftly]

So, here's a link to my journal where I made a post whining about a story I'd read that contained waaaaay too many adjectives (some used much too often) and waaaaay too many adverbs, often used inappropriately. The ensuing discussion contains a lot of good stuff, including writing suggestions and advice from some good writers. Rather than copy my words here, and have you miss the discussion stuff, I'm just going to link you to it. If you're an author, you may pick up something you should know that you've not though about before, and if you're a beta (as it seems fewer and fewer people are, BTW. I would really like to have a working list of people who are willing to beta, so I can pass the names on new authors) you will have something to which you can refer your author if/when she argues with you.

I'm serious about the beta stuff. Please take a look at the beta list on here and update, delete your profile, or add yourself if you aren't on it but would like to be.

DW Beta list

[slaymesoftly]

As I was copying the post from LJ, I realized there has not been any beta list set up on DW, so here we go. I'll start it off, but feel free to add to it if you want to be on it. If it won't let you do so, just post an entry giving your name, contact info, what your qualifications are and what you will or will not work on. I'll add you to the list. Let's try to get a current list of people willing to help newbie writers (or older ones who need a new beta).
Thanks!



Slaymesoftly: I have a long-standing offer to do one chapter for any author who has been turned down at an archive, or who wants to know what he/she needs to work before submitting. I'll make the corrections, provide the reasons (rule of punctuation or grammar) for the corrections, and make whatever other comments seem necessary. Sometimes, if I really like your story, I'll stick with you all the way through it (or until you get someone to work with you permanently), but all I'm willing to promise right now is one chapter so you will know where you stand.