When I first started to write fanfic my very first fandom friend recommended, as I was writing Starsky/Hutch fanfic, I get myself an American beta as well as an English one. I actually ended up with three betas: one English, one American and one who's native language was German but whose English was excellent. They were all lovely ladies and very kind and helpful and I feel I learnt from all of them - and we were all friends.
However, as time went on I realised I was changing everything they suggested, because I saw it as a 'you should change this'. It was my problem, not the beta's, none of them had said I had to change anything, I just was of the view that as they'd taken the time and effort I should change what they said - even if I actually preferred what I'd written. A lot of the time the changes they suggested were the same or very similar.
It was only when in one story two of them suggested changes to a paragraph - except the suggestions were all different and not just slightly different, but completely different. To complicate things further, the first beta loved it the way it was and said I shouldn't change it. I realised I couldn't make all three happy, so I did stick with what I'd written and from then on I changed less things - I'm not talking about typos or mis-used punctuation, etc. but the other stuff.
As I drifted into a second fandom (The Professionals) which the non-American lady wasn't into and I started to write more for zines, I didn't really use a beta, I stuck with the editor. It was through writing for zines that I met
That went on until I got into NCIS and started to write a lot more and it didn't seem fair to keep on asking Bast, so I stopped using a beta completely - apart from the odd story. I did several proof reads myself (even though I know how hard it is to edit your own stories) and used to do the initial one on-screen, then print the story out and edit it on paper (you really do see more errors on the written page than on the computer screen) and then do a final on-screen edit. And I carried on that way; it suited me; I didn't have to worry about upsetting someone who had suggested something I hadn't want to change and I didn't have feel guilty about over-burdening someone. I was happy and that, after all, was the main thing.
24 – Betaing – How many betas do you like to use to make sure there aren't any major flaws in your fic? Do you have a beta horror story or dream story?
25 – Music – Do you listen to music while you write? Do you make playlists to get into a certain 'mood' to write your fic? Do you need noise in general? Or do you need it completely quiet?
26 – What is the oddest (or funniest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
27 – Where is your favourite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
28 – Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
29 – What is your current project or projects?
30 – Do you have a favourite fic you've written? What makes it your favourite? And don't forget to give us a link!