there’s an option for ‘no, but i don’t want one’ on the poll if that’s what you mean !! but yeah, i think beta readers are great too
I currently don't have one, I used to and they also helped fixed up my English to help the flow of the story. I wouldn't mind getting another one once I actually have the time to write again.
I had a beta in the early days of my writing, and I grew to hate the role that they played. Now I plan more and use several checkers to ensure I have a good chapter coming out when I write.
I use the normal Microsoft word spelling and grammar checkers, and Grammarly. I also have several books on how to write that I look through if I have trouble.
ohh, i see! for me, beta readers are more for suggestions and ideas, rather than spelling and grammar heh. but cool that you use these checkers, thanks for sharing !! <3
I used to do beta reading so I guess my opinion is from the opposite side here, hopefully that's fine! The general vibe here corroborates my own experience in the sense that beta readers are generally underappreciated. The role that a beta reader will take is decided between both parties before reading so if you don't want the reader to comment on idea and only spelling/grammar/structure that can be outlined, as well as vice-versa. You could easily get a beta reader just to give feedback on the story concepts, make sure there aren't continuity errors in the plot and so-forth. As an artist I can understand the pride you have in your own work but the experiences I've had have found more writers refusing feedback on that basis, even if an objective mistake is being pointed out. At the end of the day you don't have to take what a beta reader takes into account since you're the author so I don't see the downside to having a beta reader unless they're unskilled or biased to the point of giving bad feedback. There're plenty of free beta services after all! Its been a long time since I've done any regular writing but I'd definitely take a beta reader if I got back into it. It's better to have a safety net even if you don't end up using it.