machete beta

English

Etymology

From the image of the beta-reader freely suggesting edits as if hacking away at the fic with a machete.

Noun

machete beta (countable and uncountable, plural machete betas)

1. (The X-Files fandom slang) A harsh and exacting beta-read.
   • 2000 July 7, [e-mail], “xfc: Gutless by Magdeleine (16/16)”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative‎ (Usenet):

     Marasmus, for asking to read it and then agreeing to do machete beta... […]

   • 2000 September 20, Alelou123, “NEW: Desire (NC-17) 1/6 by Alelou”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative‎ (Usenet):

     Thanks to Livia Balaban for skillfully wielded machete beta (and snorking); […]

   • 2001 June 25, Deslea R. Judd, “NEW Dream A Crystal Moon *R* 1/1 Deslea R. Judd”, in alt.tv.x-files.creative‎ (Usenet):

     M. Sebasky, whose machete beta brought a lot of richness to this piece; […]