I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember. The genres and authors that are the formative base of my childhood and young adult years include science fantasy from K.A. Applegate and fiction from Ann M. Martin, as well as fantasy by Tamora Pierce and magical realism by Diane Duane. It wasn’t until I fell hard back into reading as an adult that I realized, wow, I have opinions about an author’s word choices!
In the fall of 2023, I got an opportunity through Facebook to be a beta reader. I connected with the author, and took their request for “any and all feedback” quite literally: I noted grammar and spelling errors, pointed out awkward phrasing, questioned construction methods… you name it, I had a thought about it. I was having a fantastic time. We ultimately determined that I was doing editing, not beta reading, and we arranged payment more suited to the work I was doing. I eventually worked through the entire manuscript (200k+ words), workshopped their query letter to publishing agents, and conducted multiple rounds of edits.
I found a lot of satisfaction in the process. I was able to get into the author’s head, help them clarify scenes, keep their characters' voices consistent, and get a peek into the world on the other side of the page. I also have learned more about the oddities of numbering, punctuation, and American vs. British spellings than I thought there was to care about. I have a new appreciation for the craft of storytelling, and it’s been an absolute joy to be doing this work.
Whether you are looking to independently publish your manuscript or hope that it gets picked up by a major publisher, I'd love to help you get there. Send me an email, and let's get started!