Hi, I just had a question concerning beta's. I'm not requesting one or anything, but I was just wondering, for those of you that have had experience, on average how long would it be to finish a 9K word chapter.

I ask because I sent a chapter of similar length to my beta about two weeks ago, and was more or less guaranteed it would be finished last week, and still I haven't gotten anything. I realize that they have lives outside fanfiction and probably have jobs or are going to school. I was just wondering my best course of action.

I am nearly finished my next chapter, which is around the same length. Should I send an email to check on their progress with my last chapter? I don't want to seem too pushy or anything, or rush them. Or should I just send them my next chapter, even though at this point it doesn't look like they're done yet.

 

Unless you think there are enough spelling/grammar mistakes to warrant the beta's reply, just post it after going through it once carefully.

 

In my opinion, a week should be more then enough to fix any errors, unless you type like one of Mid's colorful compilations of mental defects, monkeys and physical deformities.

 

well the thing is I've already sent the chapter to them, so I wouldn't want to disrespect them and post the chapter anyways. So is my best course of action just to send an email to check up on them. Also in the future should I just proof read it myself?

 

From experience as a beta, unless your typing is horrific, or they are literally re-writing bits of it for you so it makes sense, then they should finish within a week, no matter the length.

I used to beta the Rune Warrior, and it would take me a couple of weeks to properly beta his first few chapters, cause he literally could not speak English.

On the other hand, when I worked as a secondary beta for An Aunt's Love, where the chapters are maybe twice the length at least, I could get through them carefully in a couple of days.

 

it depends on how good the beta is--it tended to take me an hour to 1 1/2 hours to do it. the problem was always just DOING it.

i always request that my betas tell me when they are going to be unavailable for periods of time--i mean, i dont want to have to wait for a while without knowing why it's taken a week or longer to simply read a chapter.

~DarkSov~