No Beta We Die Like Men

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Synonyms: unbetaed
See also: beta, tags
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No Beta We Die Like Men is a phrase commonly used by fanfiction writers. It has many variations. It is usually found in the tags, summary or author's notes of a fic to announce or warn that it was not checked over by a beta before being posted. It is a variation on previously-existing disclaimers/tags such as "Not beta read" and "Unbetaed."

The phrase signals that the fic has not been proofread or edited by a third party, meaning that readers might find mistakes in the text. It also adds a humorous, sometimes self-deprecating twist implying that the writer is aware they should perhaps have used a beta, but instead are choosing to face the consequences of their actions.

Loved by many, the phrase has also prompted confusion in some fans, and criticism in others.

Origins

The phrase is a twist on a 2016 Tumblr meme which spoofed a bumper sticker reading "No airbags, we die like men."[1] A post reading "No proofreading, we die like men" quickly gained popularity on the site that same year.[2]

Discussion

The phrase itself elicits contrasted responses and sometimes confusion among fans.

[WannabeI]
Do author-apologies put you off a fanfic?

[…]

I get the urge to post a warning, because my genre has such amazing authors, I feel the need to disclaim that I'm writing for fun, practice and experimentation; don't expect these 6k-12k words to change your life. On the other hand, it sometimes reads as false humility, which is the worst.

Are you put off by such warnings? Is a mild one okay? How much is too much?[3]
[IoanNemos]
If the description sounds interesting, I'll read something with a self-deprecating tag/comment or two. [...]

There's a difference, though, between no beta we die like men and OMG this is TERRIBLE. If you're giving me a head's up that, hey, you wrote this in the grip of the idea at 3am so some spelling mistakes might've snuck past you? Cool. If you're warning me that you know it's bad so you're posting it before the reality of its awfulness sinks in? Pass.[4]

[sar-per]
How do I explain to people the pure hilarity that is “no beta we die like [fandom refrence]” and the pure joy I get out of it[5]
[millions caro🐏🌱]
whenever writers add the tag "no beta we die like [deceased character from X fandom]" i just lose it man, never gets old[6]
[leopardchief]
What even is this tag? I could swear I'd NEVER seen it before and all of a sudden it's everywhere.

I get what it means, but I don't get it. Is it a reference or something?

[Quantum_Tarantino]
It's not a reference to anything in particular. "We die like men" is just common vernacular that has been repurposed for various things involving brashness and stupiditiy.
[deleted user]
I’ve always disliked the tag. Why do people need to let readers know they didn’t beta it? It just seems self-defeating, like saying you’re bad at summaries — unless it’s actually a brag, as in “look what I wrote without the help of a beta”? Before the tag became popular, most fics weren’t beta-ed, and that was just the assumption because it’s fanfiction. Now maybe people feel the need to add it because they assume most fics are, but that’s not the case. Imo instead of advertising with “no beta” tags, we should be advertising fics with beta tags
[bakeneko37]
I think it's not that complicated, it's just a way of saying "This will surely have mistakes, they're are mine and idc". Some they may do it to keep people from commenting about grammar or something, but that's all for most of them.
[JackieMoonsh1ne]
I use it to set expectations. If there's a person who's gonna get bent out of shape over a typo, they'll know my fic isn't for them.

[izzybeth response to an "unpopular fanfiction opinions" meme]
the tag “no beta we die like men” sucks. not getting your fic beta’d is not a brag[7]
[greedydancer]
#PRT like beta or don't, obvs it's not an obligation, but stop acting like it's some kind of badge of bravery [eyeroll]
[trinity_clare]
I love the tag but some people have started using it ironically, which is the opposite of the meme! the joke is it's using "men" to say "idiots"!
[greedydancer]
Yeah it really drifted in meaning which is the part that annoys me the most I think. Also the people who use it non-ironically, like "no beta we die like real men" [5 eyeroll emoji]
[trinity_clare]
I also think the original "no airbags" meme had a sort of "we who are about to die salute you" defeatist humor which got lost somewhere.[8]
[LuckyWatersAO3 answer to What are some fic tags that drive you [a]way]
"Unbetaed we die like men"-- not because I have anything against unbetaed works (I don't have a beta), but because by tagging it I feel like they're giving themself an out from editing it properly-- like if you don't have a beta, I still feel you should reread and edit multiple times to try to catch all typos/mistakes.[9]
[businesstiramisu]
No beta we die like mne is just an objectively funny tag, i’ve considered using it on stories that I *did* get beta’d (and i’m not the only one, judging from some variations)

No beta we die like <blorbo> is also pretty funny, there’s so many variations [...][10]

Examples of Use

[Amanda Hudgins]
Then there’s “No Beta We Die Like Men.” This is warning your reader up front that you didn’t bother with a beta reader, didn’t have any second glance to see if your writing was up to snuff; this is your writing and it’s ready to go. Whatever’s on the screen, that’s your responsibility, and you take the hits for it.[11]

Variations

By phrasing

An additional layer of humour can be added by actually misspelling the warning itself:

Other anecdotal variations:

  • No beta we die like uneducated men
  • No beta we die like the fandom did
  • No beta we die like every character in GOT
  • No beta we die like people who die without a beta
  • No beta we die like my will to live
  • No beta - We die like the authors' respective social lives
  • No Beta - we die like my morals when I read that explicit chapter next to my 56yo Christian manager ‎
  • No beta we die on a hill of poor decisions
  • No beta no post preview we die like men
  • No beta read we die like my heart while writing this
  • No beta/We die like men
  • No beta no death no gods no masters

Fandom-Specific Variations

Variations on the theme have appeared in numerous fandoms, replacing "men" with the names of characters who die in the canon, creating an in-joke for that fandom's participants to commiserate over frequent or painful character deaths.

As of Sept 2021, the complete 'like men' version returned about 28k hits on AO3, while a search of "no beta we die like" by itself returned 63k hits.[12]

Spoiler Warning: This article or section may contain spoilers. If this bothers you, proceed with caution.


See also:

Resources

References

  1. ^ Adam (2016-12-16). "We Die Like Men". Know Your Meme. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  2. ^ ao3commentoftheday (2019-06-20). "According to Know Your Meme, it all started with a bumper sticker:". Tumblr. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  3. ^ Wannabel (2018). "Do author-apologies put you off a fanfic? : FanFiction". r/Fanfiction at Reddit. Archived from the original on 2023-06-09.
  4. ^ IoanNemos (2018). "If the description sounds interesting, I'll read something with a self-…". r/FanFiction at Reddit. Archived from the original on 2024-08-19.
  5. ^ sar-per (2020-12-23). "How do I explain to people the pure hilarity that is "no beta we die …". Tumblr. Archived from the original on 2024-08-19.
  6. ^ millions caro🐏🌱 (2021-08-28). ""whenever writers add the tag "no beta we die…". Twitter. Archived from the original on 2024-08-19.
  7. ^ @izzybeth tweet (friends-locked, posted with permission), Sept 8 2021
  8. ^ @greedydancer and @trinity_clare tweets (friends-locked, posted with permission), Sept 8 2021
  9. ^ LuckyWatersAO3 (2021). "LuckyWatersAO3 comments on What are some fic tags that drive you way". r/AO3 at Reddit. Archived from the original on 2024-08-19. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  10. ^ businesstiramisu (2024-06-19). "I'm hoping this aligns EXACTLY with my fanfiction, Stan. — No beta we…". Tumblr. Archived from the original on 2024-07-29.
  11. ^ Hudgins, Amanda (2020-07-08). No Beta We Die Like Men. Unwinnable. Unwinnable Monthly #128. Archived from the original on 2023-12-03.
  12. ^ "Search Works » "no beta we die like"". Archive of Our Own. 2024. Archived from the original on 2024-08-19.
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