SN WIP: Danny/Accounting

[out_there]

Previous bits here and here.

***

"...And we'll be right back after this break," Dan said to the camera.

"Back in two and a half," Dave called out over the P.A.

Dan nodded in acknowledgement, and then turned his script over. "Hit me."

Casey leaned over and grabbed the accounting notes sitting on the desk, just out of camera view. "Definition of an expense," he prompted Dan.

"A future sacrifice of economic benefits," Dan recited, staring off to the side, "that the entity is presently obliged to make to other entities."

"Because…?"

"Because…" Dan scrunched up his forehead in concentration. "Because I said so?"

"Bzzt," Casey said, making a game show buzzer noise. "Try again. It's a result of…?"

"As a result of past transactions or other past events." Dan grinned brightly at Casey's answering nod.

"Quick example," Casey said, noting figures in the margin. "I buy two chairs for twenty bucks each. I spend thirty dollars refinishing them and then sell them as a set for a hundred dollars. I also spend twenty-five dollars on a good bottle of wine, to celebrate my business skills. What's the profit?"

"The revenue is a hundred." Dan scribbled down figures on the back of his script as he spoke. "The cost of goods sold is the cost price of forty dollars, plus the refinishing cost of thirty dollars. Both of those are expenses, giving you a gross profit of thirty dollars. However, you took twenty-five dollars of that as drawings, because you're an alcoholic," Dan added sharply, "so your net profit is five dollars."

Casey grinned. "I happen to enjoy a good bottle of wine."

"Guys?"

They both looked up at the cameras. "Yes, Dana?"

"Generally, you two don't make any sense during breaks. Tonight you're making even less sense than normal." There was a silence over their earpieces, and Casey could imagine the inter-control room bickering going on. "What's up?"

Casey looked at Dan and waited for Dan to explain. Dan gave him a 'what the hell' shrug, and said, "I'm studying accounting."

Someone snorted. "Obviously," Jeremy said snidely.

"Do you have a bone to pick?" Dan asked.

"Apart from the fact that it's a watered-down version of the mathematically-sound principles of economics?" Jeremy asked. "I have no problem with it."

Dan pulled a face. "You're a mathematical snob."

"I am indeed," Jeremy replied. Casey could just imagine Jeremy pushing up his glasses and smiling smugly. "I have worked my way up the pinnacle of arithmetic knowledge, and now I stand at the peak, looking down upon the lesser mathematicians."

"Before this leads to another lecture on mountain climbing," Dana interrupted, "I want to know why Dan's studying accounting."

"It's probably a girl," Natalie suggested.

"You think?" Dana asked.

"Probably," Natalie replied. "She's probably an accountant."

"You think I should ask?"

Casey rolled his eyes. "You do realise we can hear you?"

Dana cleared her throat in embarrassment. "Is it a girl, Dan?"

Dan grinned widely. "I'd call her a babe, but go ahead and refer to her as a girl if you wish."

Casey just shook his head and faced the camera's on-air light. "And now, we'll take you to Kelly Kirkpatrick…"

***

Casey stretched his feet up over the end of their couch, luxuriating in the afternoon sunshine that occasionally snuck through the office window. Dan was tapping away at the desk, working on tonight's script. Casey, on the other hand, had already finished his script and was relaxing on the couch. Or, more correctly, he was flicking through Dan's course outline and trying to work out what they hadn't covered.

"Accrual."

Dan stopped typing for a moment. "Accrual?"

"Accrual," Casey repeated. "We haven't gone over that."

"Isn't that just the system I'm already learning?" Dan asked, fingers moving over the keyboard again.

"But what's the difference between that and cash accounting?"

Dan sighed and the light tapping sound ceased. "In cash you record it in the cash receipts and cash payments journals first, and then post to the other ledgers. In accrual, you…"

Casey twisted his head to the side to watch Dan. "Mmm?"

"You record it in the other journals first…?" Dan tried hopefully.

"It's got nothing to do with journals." Casey waved his hand and amended, "Not directly, at least. It's about recognising revenues and expenses."

"I think I'd recognise them when I saw them."

"You think they're going to walk up to you and say, 'Hi, I'm an Expense'?" Casey asked with a grin.

"It could happen," Dan said as his grin turned into an almost leer. He dropped his voice to sizzling tone. "Hi, I'm Expense. I'd like you to meet my sister, Revenue. We've been looking for a smart guy to give us a good posting."

Casey blinked, swallowed and blinked again. "Danny, only *you* could make accounting sound like an ad for a sex-line."

Dan winked. "It's a talent."

"But it's not a talent that will help you pass."

Dan rolled his eyes. "Fine. Let me finish the golf highlights," Dan said and then lowered his voice again, "and then I'm all yours."

Casey quickly turned back to the notes in his hand.

***

"Accrual sounds like a nice word."

Casey groaned. "Danny…"

"It does," Dan continued. "Accrual, accrual, accrual. There's the open sound of a vowel to start it, the sharp kick of the c's to give it some bite, the soft u that rolls across your tongue, and the gentle stop of the l. Accrual. It's a nice word."

"So it is."

"How come it isn't a nice idea? Huh, Casey?" Dan asked, poking him in the ribs. "Huh? Why does such a nice word have to be joined with such a horrible idea."

Casey let his head drop onto the table. "It's a perfectly simple idea. You just don't get it."

"I don't get it because it's ridiculous. It's nonsensical. None of these examples make sense."

"Use the phrase 'insane troll logic' one more time, Danny, and I swear you won't have to worry about the exam." Casey raised his head to find Dan starting to grin. "You won't be alive to see it," Casey amended.

Dan sighed. "Want to try explaining it to me one more time?"

"Do I want to…" Casey sighed crankily. "No. I don't. I want to accept the fact that if you fail, it will be because your mind refuses to see sense!"

Dan stared at him, which was just unfair. Totally unfair of Dan to let himself look so hurt, to widen his eyes, and make it clear that his smile was obviously false. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea," Dan said lightly, ducking his head.

"Fine. One more time. But you owe me a round at Anthony's," Casey grumbled.

Dan beamed. "One beer, on me. That's cheap at twice the price."

Casey shrugged and reached for the accounting notes. "You know what I don't get, Dan?"

"Why Leonard Cohen is cool?"

"No," Casey said, glaring at Dan. "Well, yes, but that wasn't what I was going to say."

"He just is cool, Casey. Accept it."

"You are, relatively speaking, a smart guy."

Dan nodded. "I'd agree with that."

"So why don't you get this?"

"Because it's insane-" Dan snapped his mouth shut, and Casey would have bet good money that the next two words Dan was about to say was 'troll logic.' Dan took a deep breath. "It's insane that accounting, a system that by its very nature should be boring, reliable and consistent – much like you," Dan said with a quick grin, "accepts the idea that if you do it this way, an expense isn't an expense. If you're paying in order to earn money, it should be an expense. No quibbles, no exceptions."

Casey thought for a moment. "It's still an expense."

"It's an asset! An expense is an asset, except for when it's not, and sometimes revenue is a liability. It's totally insane."

"Danny? Breathe."

Dan glowered at him. "I'm just saying…"

"You're saying that you're confused about the asset/liability thing, right?"

"Why, Casey? That's all I want to know." Dan raised his hands in a pleading motion. "Can't you tell me why?"

"Because you haven't recognised it yet."

Dan hung his head. "Do you get the feeling we're walking around in logical circles?"

"Vicious logical circles," Casey agreed. He tapped his pen on the table top, trying not to think about how long they'd wasted on this subject this evening. It felt like they'd been arguing over theory for hours. Actually, Casey thought as he glanced at the clock, it has been hours. "Maybe we're approaching this the wrong way."

Dan smiled hopefully. "You think?"

"Maybe we should be looking at practical examples."

Dan cast a dirty look toward his textbook. "I think I can live without another example of Mr and Mrs Suitably Anonymous."

Casey snorted and closed the textbook, pushing it far away from both of them. "How about… imagine you run a store."

"What kind of store?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Casey, if I'm running my own business, I want to know what I'm selling."

"A furniture store, okay?"

Dan grimaced. "Furniture?"

"Furniture."

"Does it have to be furniture?"

Casey sighed. "Is there a reason it shouldn't be furniture?"

"If I wanted to talk about running a furniture store, and pretend it was exciting, I'd call my dad," Dan said, his voice deceptively casual. "Can't I do something else?"

"What else can you do?"

Dan smirked. "I can host a sports show."

"You can't run a business from that."

"Calvin does."

Casey fought the urge to kick Dan under the table. "We're keeping this simple, so it needs to be a simple business. Is there anything else you can do?"

Dan thought for a moment, and then said, "I can kiss."

Casey closed his eyes for a long second, but when he opened them, Dan was still smiling like a Cheshire Cat. "You can kiss?"

"I'm very good at it."

Casey breathed in and decided to go along with it. "Fine. You run a kissing booth…"

"That counts? Damn." Dan pulled a face. "I should have picked something exciting."

"Exciting? Danny, just stick to the kissing booth."

"I could have sold elephant rides," Dan said earnestly.

"You run a kissing booth," Casey said firmly.

Dan sighed, and then nodded. "I run a kissing booth."

"In this booth, you sell kisses for a dollar-"

"A dollar? I don't think so, Casey." Dan leaned back in his chair, gesturing widely. "I'm a good kisser. I believe in quality, rather than quantity. I'd charge more than a dollar."

Dan was starting to wear at Casey's patience. Admittedly, he'd been doing that for at least the last six years, but this was starting to get annoying. "How much," he ground out between clenched teeth.

Dan picked up on his tone and sat up straight. "Twenty dollars."

"Twenty dollars." Casey sighed and grabbed a twenty out of his wallet. He placed it on the table, and passed it to Dan. "So, if someone pays you twenty bucks, and you kiss them now, which is within the same reporting period, how do you record it?"

Dan settled into his serious face. "Twenty dollars to bank, twenty dollars to revenue."

"Okay. Now, cash reporting is all about recording it when *received* in cash. Right?"

Dan nodded. "Cash revenue is always revenue. I get that."

"So, if I give you twenty dollars, and buy a kiss for next year, how do you record it?"

Dan sounded a little less certain. "Twenty dollars to bank, twenty dollars to revenue?"

"Exactly. But if it was under the accrual system, what happens?"

Dan slumped in his seat, guessing wildly. "It's twenty dollars to liability and twenty dollars to revenue?"

Casey stopped and blinked. "What happened to the cash?"

"That's the other system," Dan said, his brows furrowing, "isn't it?"

"That's why you keep stuffing the question up." Casey grinned, suddenly seeing the problem. "What happened to the cash, Dan?"

Dan stared at him in confusion. "What?"

Casey picked up the twenty dollar note, and waved it in front of Dan. "I give you the twenty dollars, right? On the understanding that in the future, you will pay me back with a kiss." He held the note out to Dan. "Right?"

Dan took the note warily. "Okay, I get that. And because I owe you the kiss, it becomes a liability?"

"Yes, but what happened to the cash?"

"Huh?"

"The twenty dollars cash, in your hand. What happened to it after I gave it to you?"

Dan blinked at the green note. "I banked it?"

"Yes. So you record it as twenty dollars to bank, and twenty dollars to owed kisses."

"But what about the revenue?"

"The revenue happens when it's earned, not when it's paid. You don't earn that revenue until you kiss me."

Dan dragged his lower lip between his teeth. "So, in a future reporting period, when I kiss you, that's when it becomes revenue?"

Casey nodded. "Until then, it's just proof that you owe me a service."

"And when I kiss you," Dan said slowly, "I record it as twenty dollars from owed kisses, and twenty dollars to revenue?"

"You've got it." Casey smiled. "So, what would the actual entries be?"

Dan scribbled on his notebook. "When you give me the money, it's twenty dollars debit to bank, and twenty dollars credit to owed kisses, which increases the balance of both." Casey nodded and Dan continued, "When I kiss you, it's twenty dollars debit to owed kisses and twenty dollars credit to revenue."

Casey grinned and let Dan keep talking.

"So the two basically cancel each other out, and it's still twenty dollars to bank and twenty to revenue, the same as the cash basis."

"Except…?"

Dan frowned. "Except… the accrual method is spread across the different periods… and records it when it's earned. Or accrued."

Casey wrapped an arm around Dan's shoulder. "By golly, he's got it!"

"Since I'm high on the euphoria of this making sense, I'm not going to mock the My Fair Lady reference," Dan said, smiling brightly. "Well, not at the moment."

Casey raised an elbow. "Okay, prove your genius, Einstein. If you pay next years rent in this period, how do you record it? Under both systems?"

"For cash, you record it as a credit to the bank, and a debit to rent expense," Dan said easily. "For accrual, you record it in this period as a credit to bank and a debit to pre-paid rent, which is an asset."

"Why?"

"Because it's something they owe me." Dan stretched back on the chair. Somehow, he made the action look very smug. "And in the next period, I credit pre-paid rent, and debit rent expense. Because I rule."

Casey laughed. "You are the master of accounting."

"Yes, I am." Dan stood up proudly.

"Now do you want to try the questions from topic six?" Casey asked mildly.

Dan's face fell. "You just couldn't let me enjoy the moment, could you? You had to bring me down with the thought of further work."

"You can enjoy the moment after you ace the exam."

Dan groaned and flipped over to the first question. He muttered something under his breath that Casey ignored.

Glancing over Dan's notes half-heartedly, Casey realised something. He was missing his twenty. "What happened to my twenty?"

Dan looked up at him. "It got debited to my bank account."

"No, Dan," Casey said in a long-suffering tone, "what happened to my twenty dollar note?"

Dan stared at him blankly.

"The one we were using for example purposes?"

Dan grinned. "Oh, that twenty."

"Yeah, that twenty," Casey said, watching Dan suspiciously. "What happened to it?"

Dan turned back to his books. "It's in my wallet."

"Why?"

"It's being used to buy you that beer tonight."

Casey boggled at him. "Dan?"

"Yeah?"

"You can't shout me a beer with my own money."

"I'm a poor student. Surely you don't begrudge me one drink?"

Casey was still thinking of a reply when Natalie stuck her head around the door. "Guys? Rundown meeting?"

"Dan won't give me back my twenty dollars," Casey whined as they stood up.

Dan shrugged as they followed Natalie to the conference room. "You snooze, you lose, Casey."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "Stop being petty."

"It's my twenty bucks!"

"Do you want me to get Jeremy to calculate twenty dollars as a percentage of your total salary?" Natalie asked sharply.

"No," Casey replied sullenly. Dan smirked at him.

***

Comments

[celli]

"Hi, I'm Expense. I'd like you to meet my sister, Revenue. We've been looking for a smart guy to give us a good posting."

For the rest of my life, I will laugh like a dork when doing journal entries, and no one will know why.

Casey picked up the twenty dollar note, and waved it in front of Dan. "I give you the twenty dollars, right? On the understanding that in the future, you will pay me back with a kiss." He held the note out to Dan. "Right?"

ohmygodyoubrokemybrain.

Accrual is the bestest thing ever. *blissful sigh*

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*pouts* The bottom of the last section didn't post. How totally weird.

[celli]

There's more??

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Aha! Fixed it. Only a couple of sentences, but...

Well, considering how often our fic-writing brainwaves coincide, you can probably see where this is heading. *g*

[celli]

hehehehe!

Why yes, I do believe I can. *waggles eyebrows*

*takes self and her happy accrual-related thoughts off to bed*

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Why yes, I do believe I can. *waggles eyebrows*

*laughs* I thought so.

*takes self and her happy accrual-related thoughts off to bed*

Sleep well. I'd wish you sweet dreams, but I'm sure they will be.

(Mind you, I did dream about Bengay last night, after discussing it with you.I can't remember much, other than... I somehow got hold of a confidential AIDS test for Matt Damon, stating that he'd slept with 504 men and 584 women. The only other thing I remember is flashes of Matt kissing his way down Ben's stomach. Odd dreams. Fun, but odd.)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

For the rest of my life, I will laugh like a dork when doing journal entries, and no one will know why.

*sniggers* I'll be the cause of mindless giggling in accounting offices? That has to be a good thing.

ohmygodyoubrokemybrain.

*pets celli and her broken brain*

It's okay, babe. It's not like you really *needed* that organ, right?

Accrual is the bestest thing ever. *blissful sigh*

Hee! Well, personally, I still prefer the word depreciation to accrual, but there's just no way you explain depreciation in terms of hot-guys-kissing.

[that_mireille]

I now want to change my major to accounting. *g*

Okay, maybe not, but oh, the explanation of accrual. (Now, Dan's going to actually have to deliver on services owed at some point, right? *is hopeful*)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I now want to change my major to accounting. *g*

Hee! Those boys are enough to make you wonder about switching to sports journalism, even though, y'know, I have no love of sports or journalism.

Okay, maybe not, but oh, the explanation of accrual. (Now, Dan's going to actually have to deliver on services owed at some point, right? *is hopeful*)

That would be giving it away. *grins*

I'm glad you're liking it.

[laylee.livejournal.com]

Do you think if I asked nicely enough Casey would come and help me with my marketing homework?

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* I don't know. I think it would depend on:

1) Did Lisa study it in her business law degree? If not, he probably has no knowledge of it.

2) Can you do the guilt-causing big eyed expression as well as Danny?

[speshope.livejournal.com]

I almost understand that stuff. Almost

I would understand it for Dan kisses. I would try very very hard.

Though, since my brain latches on to the little things, accounting and My Fair Lady may from now on be linked in my brain.

*thinks about Danny being put into his nightgown by maids while singing about dancing all night... or perhaps sportscasting*

'I could have caaast all night... I could have caaaast all night. And still have asked for more...'

Wow, look at that, how it's 4:30 am.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

'I could have caaast all night... I could have caaaast all night. And still have asked for more...'

Oh my god! It's 4.10am over here and I'm working very hard to control the maniacal giggles now.

Danny! Singing a la Eliza Dolittle!

"I could have spread my wings,
And said a thousand things,
I've never said before..."

*doubles over laughing*

[speshope.livejournal.com]

Huzzah for very early morning humor and it's amazing cracktastic-ness!

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

"Apart from the fact that it's a watered-down version of the mathematically-sound principles of economics?" Jeremy asked. "I have no problem with it."

Dan pulled a face. "You're a mathematical snob."

"I am indeed," Jeremy replied. Casey could just imagine Jeremy pushing up his glasses and smiling smugly. "I have worked my way up the pinnacle of arithmetic knowledge, and now I stand at the peak, looking down upon the lesser mathematicians."

*happy sigh*

Is accounting always this much fun?

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I'd like to say yes, but... I think it's more accurate to say that the SN crew could make a brown paper bag look interesting.

Thanks for commenting, Signe.

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

Annie, sweetie, what are you doing up? It's nearly 7 pm here, so it must be *uses fingers* before 5 am for you!

the SN crew could make a brown paper bag look interesting.

Especially in your capable hands.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Especially in your capable hands.

*beams*

Annie, sweetie, what are you doing up? It's nearly 7 pm here, so it must be *uses fingers* before 5 am for you!

Close, but no cigar. Actually, its a couple minutes after 4am. This is due to two reasons:

1) I promised a friend a SV beta. And then just sat on the file. And now, her fic deadline is later today. (Oops)

2) I was exhausted and went to bed last night at 8.30pm. Was probably asleep by 9pm. Meaning that when I woke up at 3.30am, I'd already had 7 hours sleep, enough to get up, get online, and open the fic file. (Now, if I can just sit down and beta it...)

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

After seeing your post today, I clicked on your list of WIPS and picked out one to read based on the title.

I am amazed by this story. I'd never have thought anyone could work basic accounting into fanfic!!

I guess this is a good example of what you were talking about in my journal, too, of a story that isn't the One True Story you really want to tell about the characters (I'd worry about you if it was!), but can nevertheless be a very enjoyable piece of fanfic.

"The revenue is a hundred." Dan scribbled down figures on the back of his script as he spoke. "The cost of goods sold is the cost price of forty dollars, plus the refinishing cost of thirty dollars. Both of those are expenses, giving you a gross profit of thirty dollars. However, you took twenty-five dollars of that as drawings, because you're an alcoholic," Dan added sharply, "so your net profit is five dollars."

One slight quibble from a CPA. Taking drawings doesn't actually change net profit. (I'm not sure if Danny is speaking in jest.) In this example, both the gross and net profit is $30. The drawings mean that only $5 stays in retained earnings/owner's equity/capital. Drawings are a CR to Cash and a DR to owner's equity, but don't touch expenses or profit.

I've never, ever had occasion to make a comment like that in response to a slash story. *g*

[out-there.livejournal.com]

After seeing your post today, I clicked on your list of WIPS and picked out one to read based on the title.

Oh, they're not WIPS, per se. Like, they're all *finished*, they're just not tidied up. (Sorry, this is the sideeffect of me organising fics by "finished", "awaiting beta" and "in progress". Just go with the flow, 'kay?)

Taking drawings doesn't actually change net profit. (I'm not sure if Danny is speaking in jest.) In this example, both the gross and net profit is $30. The drawings mean that only $5 stays in retained earnings/owner's equity/capital. Drawings are a CR to Cash and a DR to owner's equity, but don't touch expenses or profit.

*eyes you warily* Okay, I'm thinking back to basic accounting classes, because... damn, Danny was supposed to be *right* there.

*thinks*

Smeggit. You're right. Since when having Drawings been an expense, Annie? Even better question, how did neither Celli or I notice that wonderful theory error? *headdesk*

I don't know how I missed it, but I'm going to blame it on the fact that we were both studying corporate accounting, as opposed to basic intro accounting like Danny here, and were distracted enough by that not to remember the basics. Man, this doesn't make me look good. *feels two inches tall*

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

Hey, don't worry. It wasn't until I'd worked as an accountant for several years that I really had a complete grasp of this stuff!

It's funny how you do the basic debits and credits very early on at university, then in your final years you're doing complex consolidations, accounting theory and the like and the basic stuff seems far away. When I got into the workforce and had to actually post some journal entries, I was kind of taken aback: "What? You do debits and credits here? How do they work again?" (And I had a glowing transcript from a respected university!) I kept my first year accounting textbook with me at the office for years.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

That is reassuring, although at the moment... I don't know. At the moment, the whole idea of being an accountant isn't appealing to me (yes, I know. I'm six months off getting my degree finished, and now I'm wondering about my suitability).

But that's neither here nor there. *g*

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

Again, don't worry. It's not a life sentence! I stopped working full-time in accounting/finance four years ago and studied something completely different - horse hoof care! Now I'm self employed as a natural hoof care provider, plus I do 2 days a week of contract accounting, which lets me earn some money in the relatively easy manner of sitting in front of a computer screen in an air-conditioned office (MUCH easier than working on horses' feet in 40 degree heat!!). Plus, I'm one of those people who actually gets a kick out of making numbers balance. Complex spreadsheets make me rub my hands with glee.

When I taught 2nd year Corporate Accounting at a university for one semester (I was covering for someone who was on long service leave), on one hand I was very enthusiastic about it as a good grounding for many careers, and on another I felt like saying "Aren't you people interested in anything else? Go study something that you really love!"

There are some real pluses to having a practical degree like Accounting, a major one being able to earn a good salary in a wide range of industries. I worked for several multinational corporations in both city and country locations, a merchant bank, an chartered accounting firm doing insolvency and two universities, and now earn a useful side income which has let me pursue something I'm more interested in. Plenty of people who have accounting degrees never work in accounting at all. There are a lot of options!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Heh. I just went to reply to your comment, and whoosh! It wasn't there.

Thanks for the insight. I mean, at the moment I'm just concentrating on the idea of doing my last semester full-time (and, ooh! I get to study creative writing. You have no idea how thrilled I am about that.) but it's good to be reassured that it's a... flexible qualification (to an extent).

And hoof care? How did you get into that?

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

whoosh! It wasn't there

Yes, I put it in the wrong spot and decided to move it!

The hoof care: I've always loved horses and have owned one (sometimes two) most of my adult life. About six years ago I had a horse that started to go lame and I tried all the conventional treatments - specialised shoeing, operations, drugs etc. Nothing worked for long and eventually the vets said there was nothing more they could do. That led me to look for other solutions on the internet and I discovered that there was a German vet who was pioneering a somewhat controversial method that advocated specialised hoof trimming and a lifestyle as close as possible to that of a wild horse - a great deal of movement, no confinement in stables, no shoeing, mostly hard terrain, etc etc. I ended up taking a year-long course to become certified in the method. That's probably more than you really wanted to know...

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Hey, since you're another accounting-type, I was wondering if I could send you the "danny-studies-accounting" fic to beta. *hopeful smile*

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

Yes, OK. I didn't offer since I don't write and have no experience at betaing. Could you maybe send me some suggestions on what you want a beta to provide (other than a check of the accounting logic)?

I'll send you my email address.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I didn't offer since I don't write and have no experience at betaing.

Don't let your lack of writing put you off. Some of my best betas have been readers only.

Could you maybe send me some suggestions on what you want a beta to provide (other than a check of the accounting logic)?


Honestly? What I *really* appreciate in a beta is fairly doable. *g*

Grammar check for missing words/mispelt words (ie. form where it should be from, etc), for awkward sentences (the ones that jar you out of the story) and for switching tenses (since I used to have a problem with switching between present and past. It's mainly fixed, but it can still sneak in sometimes).

Plotting and characterisation are also two things I like my betas to keep an eye out for, but most of it is more a readers instinct than a writers one. Bits that make you stop and wonder, bits that don't feel quite right, those are the things that need to cleaned up or edited.

I'll gladly accept suggestions for fixing it, but just a comment of "this doesn't sound like Dan to me" or "I don't understand how x links to y" can be invaluable.

Does that sound possible? *g*

(And, btw, just send your email addy to out_there at LJ.com, or reply to it here and then delete the comment if you want to keep it private.)

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

Got your instructions and the story, thanks! Will get back to you soon.