Share your hobbies

[The Rat]

"Waldo?" LOL

Yup, Waldo has been to a good portion of the national parks and monuments from Badlands westwards (excluding Cali, because, yeah) and in both oceans. (And I do mean in both oceans, had to wash out the sand afterwards in both cases.) It's not a political statement or anything, just something I enjoy doing. Started off backpacking with it as a just-in-case bear gun, then started taking pics of it near my camp sites and it kind of snowballed from there.

[Gman]

Beta reading helps out authors. After they write the draft of their books, they send it to their beta readers. Beta readers catch continuity errors, find areas that don't make sense, and catch mistakes such as wrong character names or town names, and send the feedback to the author to fix before it goes to the editor.

I thought that was 'proofreading'?

Since the term is related to writing software, when did the term "beta reading" come into being? 1980s, '90s?

[JohnnyEgo]

I build boxes and stuff, and bake cakes:




Because my son is into it, I also know far more about Pokemon than any adult, or really any kid over the age of 15, probably should. I even have my own deck of Pokemon cards consisting of all the fairies and rats my son rejected in favor of the space dragons and lightning monsters. I do not win a lot. But I always enjoy the time with my kid.

[TheGrey]

I thought that was 'proofreading'?

Since the term is related to writing software, when did the term "beta reading" come into being? 1980s, '90s?

Beta reading is more than proofreading. An editor proofreads for the grammatical errors. Beta readers test read to see if the story, the characters, and the timeline of a story work. If they continue to beta read for a series, they are also expected to keep a timeline and genealogy of characters.

[kidicarus13]

Very cool 1911 grips. Make those too?

[JohnnyEgo]

Nope, just an interesting coincidence. The grips were made by High Figure Grips. They are Cocobolo. Normally, folks just chuck the sapwood part and stick with the dark heartwood to make grips. But I'm glad that didn't happen here. The box is made of Orange Agate. They are both Central American in orgin, but from entirely different trees. The close color resemblance was just an unexpected coincidence I found interesting. I like to think my 1911 was trying to pull a 'Predator' move and actively camouflage itself.

[Gman]

Beta reading is more than proofreading. An editor proofreads for the grammatical errors. Beta readers test read to see if the story, the characters, and the timeline of a story work. If they continue to beta read for a series, they are also expected to keep a timeline and genealogy of characters.

I 'get it', but I don't think it has always been this way during my lifetime. What were beta readers called before there were beta testers?

[FoxtArt]

I 'get it', but I don't think it has always been this way during my lifetime. What were beta readers called before there were beta testers?

Ol' Bettys?

[TheGrey]

I 'get it', but I don't think it has always been this way during my lifetime. What were beta readers called before there were beta testers?

Good question- I'm not sure. 'Test readers,' maybe?

Beta readers aren't paid. Proofreaders are. Beta readers do it to support the authors and their favorite books/series, so it's often a labor of love.

[Great-Kazoo]

I 'get it', but I don't think it has always been this way during my lifetime. What were beta readers called before there were beta testers?

apprentice betas?