OK, I'm almost 100% certain this is gonna expose me as a techno-cripple...

POSTED BY: jehudit
UPDATED: Monday, July 17, 2006 07:53
VIEWED: 5466
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JEHUDIT

Friday, July 7, 2006 12:37 PM

...but what is beta-ing, in terms of the fanfics?

I've been reading heaps (and am hooked on the GOOD ones) and all of the authors thank SOMEONE for beta-ing...

I have looked for an explanation, but obviously not far enough, as there are so many of you contributing and I don't even know what it means!

Take pity on the stupid one...be gentle, please...

DEEPGIRL187

Friday, July 7, 2006 12:50 PM

Not that I'm an expert on the subject, but I believe beta-ing is when someone proofreads a fanfic before it is submitted to a site. No need to feel like a techno-cripple. I often have to ask questions like this myself.

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"I...won't be just a memory."

JEHUDIT

Friday, July 7, 2006 12:59 PM

So...do authors e-mail fics to their 'beta-er'? (and what IS the 'title' for 'someone who beta's'?). In what format do the fics go around?

And, thank you for trying to make me feel better...but I don't know how to get the pretty pictures (like your cool stuff - what IS that??) next to my name...or anything! Contrary to the popular belief in our household - I am obviously NOT spending enough time online or I'd KNOW how to do this stuff!

Oooohhh...I have sooo much to learn...

LVS2READ

Friday, July 7, 2006 1:50 PM

I'm a beta reader for a couple of people on a different site, and yes, we e-mail the stories back and forth. Format is up to the individual. With one person, we use rtf, and the other one we use doc. Both formats are available as saving options in Word, and I assume in other programs. Hope this helps. *grin*

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. Someone's bound to know the answer, and we're a kindly bunch--always happy to spread the knowledge. *grin*

BTW, I don't know how to do the pic thingies, either. *big grin*

"I love my captain."

JOSSISAGOD

Friday, July 7, 2006 2:23 PM

You mean Emoticons? For the ones already on this site, instead of an asterisk on either side you need to use a colon like this :dsofjsdp: For ones you make yourself, you need to save them as GIFs and find a site that will host them. Then save them to the site, and then type in the web adress with the extention of the image you want, you can find the extention by right clicking on the image after you save it to a site and going to the properties.

JOSSIS(Most Definitely)AGOD

Self appointed Forsaken! Been on the list for a while now!

"Look at me, I'm STUPID!" The Doctor.

DEEPGIRL187

Friday, July 7, 2006 2:26 PM

If you want to find some photos of your own, there's a really cool site called http://www.photobucket.com. It's where many of us get the pics that we use in our signatures.

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"I...won't be just a memory."

PHOENIXROSE

Saturday, July 8, 2006 12:34 PM

Our own dear Penguin wrote a picture/emote tutorial, which can be found here: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=5&t=22105
And Photobucket is not only great for finding pics, but hosting them yourself. Don't leach off others! Make your own account!
As for getting the avatar next to your name, that can be done by editing your profile and chosing one. To edit your profile, click on "My Firefly" from the homepage, or click on your own name from any of your posts. On the left of the screen will be the "edit" option, under which you can write a tagline, a little bio, a signature, and chose an avatar from those available. Dong ma?

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SWEETSERENDIPITY

Saturday, July 8, 2006 2:29 PM

Be careful, photobucket is addicting!

Deb

http://serendipityagain.com/

PHOENIXROSE

Sunday, July 9, 2006 1:36 PM

Sweet, that can't stop the signal icon is awesome!

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THEMANTHEYCALLMATT

Monday, July 17, 2006 7:53 AM

In the future when you come across a fanfic-related word you don't know, try the Fanfiction Glossary, to be found here: http://www.subreality.com/glossary/terms.htm

It's taught me all sorts of shiny terms. Things like beta, OTP, filk, and PWP, just to name a few.