Beta readers?

I am sorry.
I wasn't trying to be hurtful or superior or denigrating or anything...other than to put out an alternative perspective.

I've gotten some very good suggestions and criticism when I have shared stories before submitting them here, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it beta reading. Thanks to those who have helped - you know who you are.

First, you need to define what you want from a beta reader. I've beta read for several authors (elsewhere) and folks have different ideas about what that means. To me, a beta reader checks grammar, spelling, mechanics. A beta reader might rewrite/edit a sentence/paragraph UNDER the author's words to make the suggestion that the idea might be one the author should consider. It's the author's choice to use or ignore those suggestions in the final copy. Sometimes the editing also contains what the beta reader thinks of that passage i.e., serious, romantic, erotic, hilarious, etc. Bear in mind that you are asking someone to dissect your work; you have to have a thick skin. The beta readers I know are generally polite but sometimes you get hit with remarks you'd rather not read. I promise I won't use any ugly words about your work.
~Sar~

Saradora wrote 'you need to define what you want from a beta reader', and clearly this goes without saying.

I've never used this approach but I can see it's merits in areas of, say, logic or continuity. Often a writer is so close to a piece that he/she subliminally inserts corrections mentally on a read-through but does not properly correct his/her writing.

As a writer and validator here I see many basic mistakes such as name changes or variations in name spelling throughout a submission. Irrespective of the spelling differences between US English and UK English, I also see so many basic grammatical mistakes (and I probably make the odd one or two myself) that another pair of eyes might be useful in amending. It would make validation on LSF much easier!

The other benefit I might appreciate is the occasional suggestion in the storyline. I don't refer here to a major restructuring, simply opening up possibilities to improve or strengthen the plot. So this may be a discretionary aspect of a beta relationship, and one that the author can take or leave, whereas spelling and grammar, logic, and continuity should (IMHO) be non-discretionary.

Rachel