Yes, writing can be a lonely endeavor, but it doesn't have to be. Here's your chance to have the support of an editor or a beta reader or BOTH. Just look at the skills of the volunteers listed below and drop them a line if you think they are suited to your writing, and go from there!
Any questions, suggestions, or additions to this page, please e-mail us.
| Beta's Name | Will Read... | Skills | Credentials | Zone |
| Ilene | Everything | Does a pretty good job of catching typographical errors, with an excellent grasp of the English language. Worked their way through college as a secretary. | MS Speech-Language Pathologist | US/Canada EST |
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Wendy New E-Mail 1/11/08 |
Anything, but have a preference for ALT, Conqueror and Über Stories. | Proofreading/editing. Prolific reader of fanfic and “mainstream” works. Will be honest with feedback. | Computer Professional | US/Canada PST |
| Lisa | Alt: prefer Über & Original. | Computer Consultant with a nontraditional background in Anthropology and Film production. Country girl transplanted to the city. I’m best used for plot and character development as well as suggesting turns of phrase. | Postgraduate work in Anthropology, IT Consulting and Corporate management experience. | US/Canada EST |
| Linda | Any Alternative or Über. | Good grammarian and editor, meticulous proofreader, experienced with developing writing skills. | BA English; 32 years teaching English on both the high school and college level. | US/Canada EST |
| Pam | X:WP, Über, ST:V, BTVS, X-files, Stargate SG:1, & Original Fiction. | Good at assisting with grammar, phrasing and writing mechanics, as well as overall plot themes and continuity. | "I write non-fiction (technical works) for a living, and so my editing skills are strong, but gentle. I have been beta reading for 7 years now and have worked with writers who were just starting out on their first works, as well as those who were looking for some polishing before officially publishing their books." | US/Canada EST |
| Goddess4One | Loves anything Alt, with a preference for Über, but will read anything. While not a cross-over fan, has no objections to anything. | Excellent grammar, spelling, word usage, and research skills. If you want your readers to see and feel your story, let me deal with the words that make the story stutter. | Ex-Military (Air Force Intelligence), experienced in medical terminology and procedures as a medical transcriptionist, experienced in police procedures and terminology. | US/Canada PST |
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Rayne 1/27/08 - Rayne's a bit swamped at the moment, so for now she'd prefer not to tackle novel length pieces. |
Alt only. Prefer Über and Original but willing to take a crack at anything. | Background in science with a good working knowledge of computers and the internet. Good at picking up spelling and grammatical errors. Very meticulous with an excellent eye for plot development, continuity and characterization. Specialize in working out the details of crime scene investigations. Fairly diplomatic about suggesting changes/improvements. | BS, Zoology. Currently a college Teaching Assistant. Great interest in forensic science so numerous hours spent researching techniques, etc. | US/Canada EST |
| Kristin | Willing to read just about anything, but I love Alt. Über, Original and Classic Xena fiction. | Currently I am a college professor, originally from the Northwest corner of the U.S, hailing from pioneer stock. Therefore, I know more than most about the rural western life, especially for homesteaders. I also have great connections to the psychology/psycho-therapy field and the field of law. I'm an avid researcher. I'm also a lesbian and a mom and can accurately speak from those experiences. I teach English Composition and English as a Second Language Composition for International Students. Therefore, I'm a compulsive grammarian and anal-retentive speller. I'm used to giving honest feedback both positive and not-so-positive. :-) | I have a Masters degree in Education, a Bachelors in Criminal Justice/Sociology. I have minor degrees in English with a Victorian Lit. emphasis and another minor degree in Library Media in Secondary Education. | US/Canada PST |
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Mac New as of 1/9/08 |
Willing to read Alt, Conqueror and Über. | Enjoys Fan Fiction and willing to help authors with proof reading, continuity, editing and offering ideas and encouragment as needed. | AA degree, works as a paralegal and lives in New York. | US/Canada EST |
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Lynx New as of 3/24/08 |
Will read everything but prefer alt and über. | Speaks/writes Dutch/French/English and has a basic understanding of German and has done some tutoring. Currently works for the Division Harbor and Water Policy in Belgium. | Degrees in Business Administration with emphasis on languages. | CET (Central European Time |
Debbie is our expert on word usage. If you are unsure of correct usage of sound-alike words, drop her a line! She's not up to Beta Reading but she'll help you out on usage, i.e. lie vs lay!
Ri is our expert in History, Archaeology and Anthropolgy. She also has pretty good knowledge of Literature and old movies.
Kristin is our expert on Victorian Literature and English Grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. She would especially like to tackle those pesky semi-colon questions.
Jaey is our expert on Military and Law Enforcement. Jaey has eight years in the Navy and currently works in Law Enforcement, and filed those questions either supbject.