Why you need another set of eyes.

We all go into a writing project with a mental picture of what the finished product will look like and what kind of reactions it will invoke in our readers. This is one of the reasons why revising can be so hard. We know what our vision is, but that doesn’t mean that readers are going to see it the same way that we do. That’s why having another set of eyes reading your book is essential. A beta reader will be able to tell you whether or not your book is creating the reaction in the reader that you want.

Why a professional?

• Objectivity. You can absolutely get your friends, family, and critique partners to read your manuscript. You should. But those folks know you and probably know what your intention is. In order to test your manuscript with the kind of readers that you are hoping to reach, you need a beta reader who can be objective about what their reading.

• Skills. Professional beta readers are experienced reading, writing, and publishing professionals who will be able to give you actionable feedback that will help you improve your manuscript. Volunteer beta readers may not be. They can offer opinions, but don’t always know how to suggest solutions.

• Accountability. Free beta readers are generous in lending us their time, but they also have lives and jobs of their own. They are not necessarily working to your deadline. A professional beta reader will agree on a time frame for returning their feedback and stick to it.

Why me?

I have a degree in English, have published multiple novels and short stories and have written dozens of non-fiction books before that. As a corporate trainer and instructional designer, performance improvement was my focus. I spent years giving people feedback on improving their work, and have learned constructive ways give feedback that delivers more hope than hurt.

• If your manuscript is over 100k words, let me know and we can discuss pricing.

Sample Summary Report

Title

I will provide feedback on your title and how it fits with the genre and the content of the book. Any other books with the same title that you should be aware of.

Genre & Target Audience

Here I will give feedback on how well this book fits the genre that the author stated. I will answer questions like: Does it follow genre conventions? Does it break genre rules? What aspects of the book will appeal most to readers of this genre? I will also suggest any subgenre that may help with marketing the book.

Plot Summary

I will summarize the key points of the plot. I do this because my impression as a reader of the most important parts may differ from your intention as the writer. This can point out areas that you may want to expand or shrink when revising.

First impression

I will include my impression of the first chapter. This is the chapter that will hook readers and is often the most important. I will tell you if this first chapter was effective in grabbing my attention and

Point of View

I will provide feedback on the point of view, also I will note anywhere that I felt the POV was inconsistent or 'head hopped’, or where the author may have inserted themselves.

Characters

I will include feedback on the primary characters, and characterization. I will note inconsistencies in character and suggest ways to enhance characterization. I will also comment on the relationships between characters.

Dialog

Feedback on the dialog and dialog tags. I will include notes on whether it feels natural and believable. Does it fit the time period in which the book is set? Does it fit the characters who are saying it?

Worldbuilding

Feedback here will cover the description of the setting and systems within the book. These are things that are important for all genres.

Pace & Structure

Does your pace fit the genre? Will it keep readers turning pages? Are there areas where it seems to lag? Are there areas that seemed too short?

Author’s Requested Focus

Are there any areas or aspects of the book that you are feeling particularly insecure about, or think may be problematic? If so, please let me know and I will include that information here.

 Plot Holes and Inconsistencies

If I notice any plot holes or inconsistencies, I will note them here.

 Repeating Issues

If there are any issues with word choice, crutch words, words that are repeated too often, or issues with breaking POV, or anything else that occurs multiple times, I will include notes about those issues here.

Readability

Here I will comment on the ease of reading. This includes things like word choice, sentence structure and rhythm.