A Better Beta?

From the world's laziest beta-reader (but biggest lover of nice words), a few thoughts on the matter... I am a lazy bum, don't let anyone tell you different, at least when it comes to beta-reading. However, having been on critters.org a few weeks, handing in at least one critique a week has helped a bit and I wondered if some folks here could have use of it... especially since I'm of the mind that we can't have too many beta readers. :D

Prescriptive (you ought to do this)? No way -- this is what seems to work for me at the moment. Got other ways of doing things? Love to hear them.

First, what *is* a beta reader?

A beta reader is the lucky person who gets first dibs on a tantalizing piece of fanfic then gets to mouth off to the writer about it, and get thanked for it. :) A good beta is worth their weight in finest arabica coffee beans, you feel good about helping a writer and who knows, your comments might help so much that the person later becomes a best-selling novelist...*alright, come back to Earth already.* Anyway, beta reading is a good thing.
Oh yes, did I mention that if you're interested at all in creative writing, it's one of the best ways there is to learn how to write? But there's a few catches: one, you have to read a story you agreed to read, whether you like it or not (well, you're here to help the person make it better), skipping out isn't an option. Two, you actually have to write back about it, not necessarily unstinted praise, but ideally something that helps.
Fortunately, it's not really rocket science and it doesn't have to be like pulling teeth. :)

If you end up liking beta reading so much you'd like to do it on a regular basis, there's Sal's page to list your name there: http://www.geocities.com/betareadg
Plus it's just a neat site to go to. ^_^

Who can be a beta reader?

Well, functional literacy in the language the work is written in is a help, but interest is the main thing. Basically, you have to like reading fiction (fanfic in this case) and not mind writing a few lines about it. Got that, you're qualified.
What about knowing about the series that the story is set in? Knowing something is good, but it's not all important. What's good about knowing is that you can catch canon-specific details, which is not bad. OTOH, if you have only a general idea of what the series is about, you tend to notice more flaws in writing that get between you and your understanding and enjoyment of the story and you're not going to fill in the holes for the writer. Plus, you can always *ask* questions. So, if you're interested, you're in. :)

How to beta read...

Candy good. Coffee good. Brownieees... :9 sorry, I'm a notorious muncher (and have a girth to go with it), but not being in a bad mood or in a hurry doesn't hurt. And trust me on the brownies. :) Am I digressing again? We return to our mutton (as the French would say):

First, get a clue. Do you have any strong preferences as far as fanfic goes? I know I do. So, if you have things you like seeing/would really rather not look at, ask the writer what their story is about before you say yes (of course, if you don't mind, or you like adventure or you trust the writer what the hey). It's easier to decline politely at the outset than six weeks down the line with a story you just can't read to the end and an aggrieved writer wanting to know what you think of it. And what's the fun of not enjoying yourself? :)

Second, when is it needed by? When I beta-read, I hand in my critique when the writer wants it back, no sooner (bad beta!) -- including 'anytime'... When I write and send something off to be beta read, of course I expect it back the next day *thwap! Very Bad Dei!* :) but seriously, do have an idea of when the person wants it back by and realistically, at the very least a week or two or even longer depending on your busyness, the length and the complexity of the piece.

Third, what does the writer want? You're not a telepath -- if they've special concerns (like characterization or backstory) that they want you to take special notice of, they ought to say, right? And how nitpicky do they want you to be?

So you've got your coffee, got your brownies and a nice, fresh fanfic...
My basic question when I critique is 'what would make me enjoy this story more,' and I then try to put down the specifics of that. How I start is with the easy stuff: the spell-checker. I run it and look for misspelled words, taking alternate spellings into account if the writer is English, Australian or Canadian. I don't actually correct misspelled words, just make note of them for the writer.
Then I either print out the story or read it on screen. I keep the pencil or the asterix key handy for things that jump out at me: the sentences that make no sense, the words that look out of place, or descriptions or phrases that were really sweet (eg there's a fanfic on Lori's archive that I haven't read for a year now, yet I can still *taste* the cake Ken was eating; the description was just that good). I do that so I can come back to them and just read the story. Then I put down what my first impression of the story was.
And leave it alone for a while...
When (whenever) I come back to it, I reread rather more slowly and with an eye for more specific things:

a. Language: Is it clear? Is it appropriate to the story being told? Does it help or hurt the story?

b. Plot: Why is this happening? Does it make sense both in what is happening and how it happens? Are there any places where it seems too hurried or drags?

c. Characters: Are they distinct? If they're canon, are they being used well? Can I 'hear' the characters speak in my mind? If they're not canon, do they have a good reason for being there? Are their characters distinct or do they encroach on the canon ones?

d. Dialogue: Does it work?

I've learned that breaking long stories up and working on them one bit at a time is far less trouble than trying to do the whole thing at a lump.

How to say things? I don't always succeed in this, especially when I get worked up, but I try to avoid the imperative

Talkback

This is what makes beta-reading for me: sending parts in and hearing back from the writer. This is probably when things really become interesting I get to hear why they chose to do things the way they did, discuss it and see the rewrites, if any. And it can be a great way to make friends, too. :D

If you're stuck, ask for help

First source: you can ask the writer. That often helps (and writers if your beta reader comes back to ask questions, consider rewriting that part...)
There are a lot of articles out there on how to critique: I heartily recommend those found at http://www.geocities.com/betareadg and www.critters.org For the latter, their newsgroup is a good source for more specific writing advice.
This list is here, Gatchamaniacs Gathering [snafu.net.au 7800] also exists, particularly for general questions or background information you think would help you understand the story better.
VERY IMPORTANT: A beta read is between you and the writer -- don't talk shop.

Other troubles:

a. The really good story: You know that one -- the one you look at and can't think of a thing to say beyond 'it looks good.' What works for me is to start to talk about the things that make it so good. And something always turns up that *could* have been a little different as I write...

b. The really bad story: the kind you don't even know where to begin. I try to dissect out the most troublesome parts and discuss those first. I also love it if I can get a dialogue started to discuss various ways of the writer achieving what they want. And yes, qualifying your language becomes especially important: eg 'this feels undeveloped to me, is unclear to me,' etc, etc, which it is.

c. The fragile writer: where you're afraid that if you speak your mind, the person might be offended. This is an ongoing headache for me too. While I try to be honest, I try not to be in the business of giving needless offence (needful offence, well let's discuss that another time...). Quite apart from any issues of quality, what I can't deal with is where a writer is standing really close to that story and will take any criticism personally, so if I don't know the writer, particular genres I'm more than a little reluctant to take on are original characters, angst and alternative fanfics because those are the most easily abused kinds. If I know and trust the writer, that's a different matter -- I'll read almost anything then. :)

Yap, yap, yap...