- You have finished your first draft, maybe edited it a little but don't know how to proceed from here to revise and improve your story.
- I'll read through your draft once.
- You'll receive a short feedback letter, usually 2 to 3 pages, giving an overview of what works well and what needs improvement, pointing out 3 to 5 things that will have the biggest impact on improving your story and how to tackle them.
This can be things like story structure, character and romance arcs, the right point to start your story, choice of POV, headhopping, lack of conflict, infodumping, missing genre conventions...
I'll not only help you identify sections that need work, but also point out where I think the gems lie in wait to be polished.
- You have a polished draft, the story is ready for readers and you want to get some real-life feedback on how your book is perceived by your target audience.
- I'll read through your draft once and leave comments in the text as I go, giving reader-reactions on characters, plot, pacing, romantic tension, humor, and more.
- I'll point out inconsistencies or confusing parts and ask questions that help you identify areas that might need revision. I'll also highlight repetitive phrases and mark my favorite lines.
- You'll receive a short feedback letter, usually about 2 - 3 pages.
- I'll answer a set of questions or fill out your questionnaire.
This service is foremost reader feedback and will point out problems in your manuscript with the background of professional knowledge, but does not offer further guidance.
- Your manuscript has been critiqued by alpha/beta readers, and you're ready for the next step.
- You know there are major structural problems that need to be fixed before going into detail.
- You need a more budget friendly alternative to a full developmental edit.
-I'll read through your manuscript 2 times to thoroughly analyze it.
-You'll receive a detailed revision letter, usually 8 to 15 pages, pointing out strengths and weaknesses of your story, and offering direction on how to improve it - dissecting plot, character arcs, romance arc, pacing, worldbuilding and more.
While this service provides comprehensive guidance, it does not include comments in your manuscript.
- You have a revised manuscript, and now you want detailed professional guidance with a thorough manuscript critique and in-text comments to take your story to the next level.
- I read through your manuscript 2 to 3 times and thoroughly analyze it.
- You'll receive a detailed revision letter, usually 8 to 15 pages, pointing out strengths and weaknesses of your story and ways to improve it - dissecting plot, character arcs, romance arc, pacing, worldbuilding and more.
- Along with that, I'll place comments throughout your manuscript to give you detailed guidance right where things happen, and suggest specific solutions on how to improve your story.
This is the most comprehensive service, guiding you along in all detail per combination of a thorough revision letter and comments throughout your whole manuscript.
- You're writing a series (or several books per year), and can't afford the time (or the budget) to get a full developmental edit on each volume, but still want professional feedback on the storytelling with in-manuscript comments.
- I'll read through your manuscript once and leave comments throughout your manuscript as I go.
- This is an unconventional but also the most flexible service and can be designed completely to your needs: expect a mixture of editor's and reader's feedback on things like characters, scene structure, romantic tension, inconsistencies, pacing, and unclear or confusing parts - including guidance and suggestions on how to solve problems.
I'll point out redundancy, highlight repetitive phrases and also mark funny or beautiful lines.
- This service doesn't include a revision letter, all my feedback will be in the comments.
This service works best for writers with a good general understanding of story structure and character arcs. It will offer editorial guidance, but it cannot be as thorough or well-structured as a manuscript critique or a developmental edit.
| Alpha Critique | Beta Reading | Manuscript Critique | Developmental Edit | Repeat Romantic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read-throughs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 - 3 | 1 |
| Revision letter | 2 - 3 pages | 2 - 3 pages | 8 - 15 pages | 8 - 15 pages | - |
| Comments in text | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| File Format | Word or Google Docs | Word or Google Docs | Word or Google Docs | Word files only | Word files only |
Are we a good fit? Let's find out with a free sample edit!
I specialize in Fantasy and Sci-Fi Romance - I edit generally everything that has a love story included, and is not taking place in our usual world, or includes non-human characters.
I'm not afraid of Monster Romance.
I enjoy editing everything from romcom to dark romance.
Although I don’t avoid any particular topics or experiences, I appreciate the courtesy of a content warning.
I'm open to all heat levels except pure erotica.
I might not be the best editor for certain kinks that I'm not very familiar with. I'll still be happy to edit your book, but in that case recommend a well-versed sensitivity or beta reader in addition.
In case of doubt: let's chat!
For Developmental Editing and Repeat Romantic I only accept Word files.
For Alpha Critique, Manuscript Critique and Beta Reading I work with Word files or Google Docs.
All manuscripts must be in a single file.
An exception might be made for manuscripts over 80k words, those can be split up into two files to prevent odd behavior and slow loading.
Not all services work well with an uncompleted draft, but we can always figure something out that matches your needs. Just drop me a line.
Yes of course!
This service is meant as an alternative to a full Developmental Edit if you prefer in-line comments over the editorial letter (=manuscript critique), and is open to anyone with a revised manuscript.
I do not use any AI for my edits - all the thoughts will come from my own head and be typed with my own hands.
I will never upload any part of your manuscript into any AI engine.
I do not edit AI generated content.
You can use Grammarly or similar programs to help you with grammar, punctuation, and spelling, or might have asked ChatGPT how tall an Alien can grow on a planet with gravity similar to earth, but I take on only stories that were created by a human.
You send me your first two chapters (so I get an idea where things are going) and I'll edit the first 6 standard pages (12 pt. Times New Roman, double spaced) for free.
Note:
The purpose of my samples is to give you an idea how I work, and to see if we're a good fit.
But as developmental editing is about the story as a whole, you must understand that suggestions in the sample might not be accurate in the context of the complete story and that comments in the sample can differ from those I'd make after knowing the full manuscript.
This depends on the service, the wordcount and some other factors (like holidays), so each project will be calculated individually when you approach me.
(Turnaround times will be stated in the contract, so you won't have to worry when you'll get your manuscript back!)
But to give you some ballpark numbers (for 80k words):
Alpha Critique: ~ 10 to 15 days
Beta Reading: ~ 10 to 15 days
Manuscript Critique: ~ 4 to 5 weeks
Developmental Editing: ~ 6 to 9 weeks
Repeat Romantic: ~ 3 to 5 weeks
Have a look at the library in the meantime, where you can find pieces of knowledge
that might help you with your writing.