Quick beta needed and a research question

[ratherastory]

Okay, flist! HALP!

1- Is anyone willing to do a quick beta for me? I've been writing a... thing... for the deancastiel "Secret Angels" fic exchange, and I'm kind of worried that my story is, umm, boring.

I know, I know. It's just that I got three prompts from this lovely person, except that none of them spoke to me and so I picked the likeliest one and I think I'm not doing it justice. So I just need someone to take a look and maybe tell me where I could add some tension or something, anything, so that it doesn't end up being a steaming pile of boring mush.

It's less than 4,000 words, shouldn't be too hard.


2- RESEARCH!

Okay, so let's say that, y'know, theoretically, I crippled a character, and now, theoretically, I want to write a sequel.

My Google Fu sucks and always has. Where are the good places on the internet where I can look up things like long-term pain management, and the after-effects of crucifixion crushing injuries and all that sort of good stuff? Sites that strike a good balance between accuracy and speaking in terms a lay person such as myself can understand.

I'm going to hell. Again.

I figure it'll come in handy in the future, no matter what.

Comments

[yasminke.livejournal.com]

I can beta for you if you can handle a 24 hour turn around. Less than that and I can't.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Brilliant!

24 turnaround is just fine. I have to have it in by March 7th, so I'm okay there, I think.

PM me your email? :)

[yasminke.livejournal.com]

Alrighty then. I'll do that.

[pkwench.livejournal.com]

Ah, you're just awesome. Is there anything that you're not writing right now? You're maniacal and I kind of like that! LOL I'm for shit with technical edits, but if you want a read through for interest, I'm good for that. Though, you know what a gooey girl I can be when it comes to mush, I trust. So, I may not be the most critical eye.

As for pain, well, you'd think I'd be good for that, but I'm kind of on the 'has books' side of things. Try googling a bit more specifically like pain management back fractures, managaging skeletal pain, compound fractures pain management, maybe?

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

I'll definitely be hitting Google again.

I'm also not averse to obtaining books because I'm sick that way for the sake of accuracy. Got any titles to recommend?

(And if you wouldn't mind taking a look just for content, that would be awesome. I keep thinking it's boring, and I don't want to give a boring fic as a present. That would suck.)

[pkwench.livejournal.com]

Hit me - you still have the email address?

Honestly? Hit up a bookstore and see if they have any used nursing books for cheap. Fundamentals, Med/Surg, and Critical Care nursing texts all have sections on pain management. You can also see what you can find regarding palliative care as pain management is such a huge component of it. It's not exactly in laymen's terms, but I don't find nursing texts generally super hard to understand. There will be references to drugs, administration routes, receptor sites and the like, but I think I don't think it'd throw you around too much.

Also, randomly, google fentanyl and see what that does for you. Specifically, fentanyl patches.

[mimblexwimble.livejournal.com]

little_details is great, because you can search through their tags and ask for yourself if you can't find anything, and you will ALWAYS get an answer, and in most cases it'll be pretty accurate.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Excellent. Thank you!

[greeneyes-fan.livejournal.com]

Believe it or not, I've found that discussion boards, like healthboards.com, are a good source if you want to know what day-to-day life is like for someone with a particular condition.

[wave-obscura.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this will work for your subject matter, but while researching CF I read lots of personal blogs and watched a ton of youtube videos. Even though I spent a lot of time weeping and feeling horrendously evil, I managed to gather really priceless information on the medical as well as the emotional side of things.

I guess pain management is probably a whole different ballgame, but you never know. If so many people are willing to hawk up mucus for the camera, I imagine there's got a be a few out there talking about pain.

[agent-jl36.livejournal.com]

If you are writing what I think you're writing... OMG. "Crushing" injuries? YES for the love of that is hurting the Sammy!!!

...and you hurt him oh so goooooood.

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

I'm not writing it yet, but enough people have clamoured for the what-happens-after-the-crucifixion that I'll probably produce something.

[tifaching.livejournal.com]

Sequel? SEQUEL??? Yes to the um, crushing injury sequel!

[ratherastory.livejournal.com]

Hee!

I have the wee beginnings of what feels like a casefic starting in the back of my mind. :)