Discovery drafts are the first drafts or partial drafts of a manuscript that the writer uses to explore the story they are writing. First drafts typically include directions that the story could take but didn’t, characters that appear or disappear and overly produced or non-existent settings. 
​
​The discovery draft evaluation service helps writers figure out what their story is about and discover interesting connections between their ideas. In discovery drafts (first or partial drafts), the writer already knows that their story has issues and is not asking the editor to address them. Instead, the editor determines the most promising elements of the story and identifies possible directions the manuscript could take.

​
The discovery draft evaluation process
Why choose the discovery draft evaluation
Difference between discovery draft evaluation and other services

The discovery draft evaluation process
In the discovery draft evaluation, the editor reads your manuscript and provides constructive and honest feedback about the big-picture storytelling elements such as theme, characters, plot, setting, point of view, pacing and genre conventions.

The editor provides an evaluation report about things that are working well in the story, compelling elements that can be used to make the story more powerful, things that aren’t working well in the story, perspective concerns and conventions of the story’s genre. The discovery draft evaluation takes about 1-2 weeks, depending on the manuscript’s length.

Why choose the discovery draft evaluation
Writers can choose the discovery draft evaluation service when they have:

• A draft with a plethora of characters, a complex plot, multiple settings, and more viewpoint characters than their story probably needs. Developmental editors can help writers figure out the core of their story and remove the unnecessary plot points and characters.
• More of a map or outline of a story (than an actual story) with basic characters and plot. Developmental editors can provide potential directions the manuscript could take and help writers expand their plot and characters.
• A draft with a boring plot, predictable characters and a lack of central conflict. Developmental editors can help writers create relatable and realistic characters with a compelling plot.
• An incomplete draft with a few unwritten scenes. Developmental editors can help writers see the potential directions their story can go and flesh out their plot and characters.
• A partial manuscript with many missing storytelling elements. Developmental editors can help writers figure out the missing components of their story and see what happens next.

Difference between discovery draft evaluation and other services
Developmental editing vs discovery draft evaluation
Developmental editing is the first step in the editing process, and it is the first kind of editing writers should look for after they have finished self-editing their story. 

The developmental editor addresses the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses and provides constructive and detailed feedback on the big-picture storytelling elements such as theme, plot, character development, point of view, pacing, setting, genre conventions and dialogue.

The editor provides a marked-up manuscript with suggestions and an editorial report to further guide the writer. Developmental editing takes about 4-6 weeks, depending on the length and complexity of the manuscript.

On the contrary, in the discovery draft evaluation, the editor is not trying to identify potential storytelling issues. The writer already knows that their story has issues. Instead, the editor determines the most promising elements of the manuscript and identifies possible directions the writer can focus on when revising their next draft.
 
Manuscript critique vs discovery draft evaluation
The manuscript critique is a less intensive version of developmental editing. Writers should look for this service after they have done their best self-editing their story.

The manuscript critique addresses the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses and provides constructive and honest feedback on the same storytelling elements of the developmental editing service.

The editor provides an extensive editorial report, and the manuscript critique takes about 3-5 weeks, depending on the length and complexity of the manuscript.

On the contrary, in the discovery draft evaluation, the editor’s work is not to identify potential storytelling problems but to figure out the core of the story and potential areas that the story can be further developed.
 
Beta reading vs discovery draft evaluation
​A beta read is a reader’s reaction to the story, where avid readers of a particular genre read the story and provide constructive feedback from the reader’s point of view about the big-picture storytelling elements of a manuscript, such as plot, character development, point of view, pacing and genre conventions.

The editor provides a reader’s report to show the writer how readers will experience their story.  Beta reading takes about 1-2 weeks, depending on the length of the manuscript.

On the contrary, the discovery draft evaluation isn’t about evaluating the effectiveness of a story. Discovery draft evaluation is about figuring out the core of the story and evaluating the potential directions the story could take.

I am ready to discuss my book and the editing service I need. How do i do that? 
Check out my editing services and fill in this form to provide more information about your manuscript. I will respond to you as soon as possible to discuss your story and provide you with a no-obligation customised quote!

Additional resources
What is developmental editing?
What is a manuscript critique?
What is beta reading?
How to find the right editor for your fiction story?
Why it’s important to hire a developmental editor for your story
How can writers avoid editing scams and find trusted editors

Many writers nowadays fall for editing scams. Many people are pretending to be editors, claiming they will make your book the next bestseller. They make false promises claiming that they have “insider knowledge” and only their service or product will instantly provide you with bestseller status, thousands of sales and positive reviews.

The scammers often depend on the desperation, frustration and inexperience of writers who are exhausted by the writing process and are looking for shortcuts or don’t know how the publishing process works. The scammers usually send generic messages praising the writer’s manuscript and making guarantees about the success of their book.

Does it sound too good to be true? Because it is. No editor or publishing professional can ever guarantee that their editing service will make a writer’s book a bestseller with thousands of readers and sales. Editors can only promise that they will do their best work and help writers improve their manuscripts.

This blog article explains 9 steps that writers can take to help them avoid editing scams and find fiction editors they trust to help them improve their manuscripts and achieve their writing goals.

Portfolio
Education, fiction training and experience 
Memberships
Social media
Recommendations
Professional organizations
Sample edits
Communication with the editor
Terms and conditions

Portfolio
The first step to take to avoid editing scams is to check the editor’s website. Browse the editor’s website and pay particular attention to the writer testimonials. Editors usually include testimonials on various webpages, so make sure to visit at least 2-3 webpages and carefully read them.

Also, make sure to check the “Portfolio” webpage or the webpage where the editor lists their previous editing projects to see if they have experience in editing projects similar to yours.

Education, fiction training and experience 
Another step to take to find trusted editors is to look at the “About” webpage of the editor’s website. Most editors have a dedicated “About” webpage where they include relevant information about their education, fiction training and experience and explain the services they offer and the genres they edit. Read carefully the editor’s “About” webpage to make sure you find a trusted editor for your fiction story.

Memberships
Another step to take to avoid editing scams is to check if the editor is a member to professional organizations. Is the editor you are considering a member of a professional organization like the EFA, CIEP, ALLi or ClubEdfreelancers? Most editors include in their “About” page their memberships to these organizations and have badges that demonstrate their membership at the footer of their website.

ALLi’s editing and publishing professionals are vetted and verified before becoming ALLi partner members, so if you come across an editor who is an ALLi partner member,  you can most likely trust that they are a real person.

Social media
Another step to take to find a trusted editor is to check the editor’s social media profiles. Most editors include links to their social media accounts on their websites so you can easily check their social media account profiles.

Check when their account was created and see how many followers they have, what kind of posts they publish and generally their interactions online. Real editors interact with writers and other editors over time and publish their own original posts. 

Recommendations
Another step to take to avoid editing scams is to ask other writers for editor recommendations. Do you belong to a writer’s group, a writer’s organization or have writer friends who have already professionally edited their manuscripts? Ask them for accommodations. If you and your writer friends write books in similar genres, you might be able to hire the same editor.

Alternatively, you can ask writer groups on Facebook for editor recommendations, but be careful when you take into consideration recommendations from people you don’t know. 

Professional organizations
Another step to take to find trusted fiction editors is through professional organizations like the EFA (Editorial Freelancers Association) and ALLi  (Alliance of Independent Authors).

The EFA includes the Member Directory, where writers can find the editorial freelancer they want by checking off the categories that apply to them and contacting the editor of their choice.

The EFA also includes a Job List where writers can post editing jobs. When posting for an editing job, make sure to include the kind of editing service you need, the genre and word count of your story, your estimated budget and your desired deadline to find the right editor for your story.

Also, if you are an Alli member, you can search the Approved Services Search to find vetted and trusted partner members (editorial professionals) to help you edit and publish your manuscript.

Sample edits
Another step to take to avoid editing scams is to request sample edits. Most editors provide free sample edits of about 1000-2000 words to assess the writer’s style, identify the strengths and weaknesses of the manuscript, and ensure that their style of feedback aligns with the author’s expectations.

Editors will happily provide you with a sample edit (free or paid), so make sure to ask them for one before booking an editing service with them.

Communication with the editor
Another step to take to find trusted editors is to communicate with them. Do not pay for a service or product without communicating with the editor first and ensuring that a real person is behind it. Communication can be achieved by email or video chat.

You can ask questions about a particular service you are interested in ( scope of work, deliverables, fees, deadlines). You can also provide more information about your manuscript, your timeline and estimated budget. You can also ask editors more questions about their education, fiction training, experience and how they helped writers in the past.

Editors are always happy to answer questions about themselves or their services to help writers determine if they are the right fit for their story.

Terms and conditions
A final step to ensure you avoid editing scams is to consider the editor’s terms and conditions. Trusted editors are transparent about their editing services.

Check the editor’s services’ pages and their Terms and Conditions page and carefully read how they handle editing projects, sample edits, quotations and fees, cancellations, confidentiality and copyright issues. Read their Privacy Policy page to see how they collect, use and store your personal information.

Also, a legitimate editor always offers a clear contract that outlines the editing project’s scope of work, deliverables, deadlines and fees. Most editors ask for a booking fee or a deposit upfront to book a spot in their schedule, which is standard practice. Just make sure not to pay the whole amount for an editing project upfront, especially to editors that you don’t know and trust yet. Always use secure platforms when making a payment to protect yourself from scams.

Conclusion
Writers often fall for editing scams from people who pretend to be editors and promise them that their service or product will turn their manuscript into an instant bestseller and make them rich.

​Writers should be extremely cautious and always make research (portfolio, education and training, memberships, social media), ask for recommendations from other writers and sample edits before trusting an editor and hiring them.

And remember... if a service or a product is too good to be true...it probably is. No editor can guarantee success and fame. They can only promise to deliver their best work and help you improve your manuscript.

Additional resources
How to find the right editor for your fiction story
9 important questions editors ask authors before working with them
What are the different types of editing services

Fiction writers often don’t know the difference between the different types of editing services and cannot recognise what type of editing service their manuscript really needs. 

In this blog article, we will go through the different types of editing services (beta reading, developmental editing, manuscript critique, line editing, copyediting, proofreading) to help writers distinguish them and make informed decisions about the type of editing service their story really needs at a particular stage of the writing process.
​
Beta reading 
Developmental editing
Manuscript critique
Line editing
Copyediting
Proofreading
​
Beta reading 
Beta reading is a reader’s reaction to the story. Writers should seek beta readers after self-editing their manuscript but before giving it to professional editors. Beta readers are avid readers and are familiar with the rules and tropes of a particular genre, and they tell writers how a future reader might understand their story. 

They provide honest and constructive feedback from the perspective of the intended reader about the potential big-picture storytelling elements of a manuscript, such as character development, plot and structure, point of view, pacing, and genre conventions, in a reader’s report.

(Although beta reading is strictly not an editing service, it is included here because it is  a part of the editing process and helps writers improve their stories.)

Developmental editing
Developmental editing is the first type of editing authors should look for after they have self-edited their story. The developmental editor addresses the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses and provides constructive feedback on the following big-picture storytelling elements:

• theme
• story structure
• character development
• point of view
• pacing
• setting 
• genre conventions
•  scene vs narrative summary (show vs tell) 
• dialogue

Most editors (especially line editors, copy editors and proofreaders) offer free sample edits. However, it is difficult for developmental editors to offer free sample edits because the big-picture issues of a manuscript can cover several pages or chapters. 

Some developmental editors provide free sample edits to assess the author’s writing style, identify potential big-picture storytelling issues and ensure that their editing style aligns with what the author is looking for.

Developmental editors provide a marked-up manuscript with margin suggestions (comments) and an editorial report full of constructive and honest feedback to further guide the author.

Manuscript critique
Manuscript critique (also known as manuscript evaluation) is a less intensive version of the developmental editing service. The developmental editor reads the manuscript and provides constructive and honest feedback on the same big-picture storytelling elements as the developmental editing service. 

The main difference between the two services is that in the manuscript critique service, the developmental editor provides feedback only in an editorial report.

Line editing
While developmental editing focuses on the big-picture storytelling elements of a manuscript,  line editing focuses on the sentence-level errors.

Line editors carefully read the manuscript and go through it line-by-line to ensure that the language remains sharp and clear throughout the story. Line editors provide a marked-up manuscript with margin suggestions.

A line editor is concerned about the:

• logical flow of scenes and the sentences
•  tone/mood of the manuscript
• overall pacing of the story
• word choice
• redundancies and repetitions
• inconsistencies and continuity errors
• fact-checking
• point of view
• head-hopping
• dialogue

Copyediting
While line editing focuses on sentence-level errors, copy editing focuses more on individual words rather than whole sentences or paragraphs.

Copy editors provide a marked-up manuscript and a style guide to ensure consistency within the manuscript e.g the names of characters and locations are spelt consistently.

A copy editor is concerned about:

• grammar
• punctuation
• spelling
• capitalization
• headings
• fact-checking
• consistency
•  readability
• repeated words
• continuity errors

Proofreading
Proofreading comes after the other rounds of editing (beta reading, developmental editing, line editing, copyediting) and typesetting and is the final step of the editing process. 

Proofreaders analyse the manuscript and catch any errors that slipped through the previous editing rounds to ensure that the manuscript is error-free and looks professional. Proofreaders provide a marked-up manuscript with margin suggestions. 

A proofreader is concerned about:

• grammar
•  spelling
• punctuation
• syntax
• formatting
• consistency
• readability

Conclusion
Editors help writers improve their manuscripts and achieve their writing goals through the various types of editing services: beta reading, developmental editing, manuscript critique, line editing, copy editing and proofreading.

Professional editing services are necessary for writers who wish to publish their stories. Writers should be familiar with the different types of editing services and be able to recognise the right type of editing service their manuscript needs at a particular stage of the writing process.

Additional resources
What is the beta reading service?
What is the developmental editing service?
What is the manuscript critique service?
Why do you need a developmental editor for your fiction story
How to find the right editor for your story
9 questions editors ask authors before working with them

​A beta reader is an avid reader of your book’s genre. A beta reader is familiar with the rules and tropes of a particular genre and can provide honest and constructive feedback from the perspective of the intended reader about the big-picture storytelling elements of a story, such as theme, plot and structure, character development, setting, pacing, point of view, genre conventions, and dialogue.

Beta readers are the first people to read a completed manuscript and provide constructive feedback. Writers should seek beta readers after self-editing their manuscript but before giving it to professional developmental editors.

​
How many beta readers?
Beta readers vs critique partners
Beta readers vs editors
Why do you need beta readers
Where can you find reliable beta readers
What kind of feedback to expect from a beta reader?

How many beta readers?
An ideal number of reliable and objective beta readers for your manuscript is 3-5. This number provides a balance of feedback without overwhelming you with too many opinions. Too many beta readers can lead to conflicting feedback and make it difficult for you to decide what feedback to implement in your manuscript. You should limit your input to a few trusted beta readers. 

Beta readers vs critique partners
A beta reader is not a critique partner. A critique partner is another writer with whom you exchange your manuscripts and provide feedback about the big-picture storytelling elements of your stories. You don’t exchange manuscripts with beta readers.

Beta readers vs editors
Beta readers are not editors. Beta readers do not edit manuscripts. They don’t explain why anything is going wrong or give potential solutions. They don’t edit the big-picture elements or sentence-level errors of a story. 

Beta readers provide their opinion as readers. Writers who seek to understand how readers will experience their manuscript often seek out beta readers. 

Why do you need beta readers
 You are on a limited budget
The beta reading service is a cheaper alternative to developmental editing. However, beta readers do not replace developmental editors. Beta readers can provide constructive, surface-level feedback about the big-picture elements of your manuscript so that the developmental editor can focus on the more in-depth issues of your story.

The actual cost of beta readers depends on your manuscript’s word count and genre, your desired turnaround time, and the scope of work.

You are a new writer, and you need to learn more about the writing craft
Beta readers will provide you with an overview of the big-picture storytelling issues of your story and help you improve your manuscript without overwhelming you with detailed page edits.

You have no idea how to further improve your manuscript
You are struck. You have edited your story multiple times to the best of your abilities, and you don’t know how to further improve it. If you have finished self-editing your story, then the next step is to find a reliable beta reader who helps you identify and improve the big-picture issues of your manuscript.

Where can you find reliable beta readers
Firstly, you can find reliable beta readers by looking at the people around you. You can ask friends and family to read your story and provide feedback.

However, be aware that friends and family might be biased and they are not usually trained (if they are not writers or editors), so they might not provide you with constructive and objective feedback.

You can also look at free online writing communities. If you are already a member of a writing community, you can ask your writer friends to read your manuscript and provide you with constructive feedback.

There are a lot of free online writing communities where writers can exchange stories, make other writer friends and get advice about writing, editing and publishing their stories, such as the Critique circle, She writes and Writer’s cafe.

You can also find writers’ groups on social media. There are a lot of writer groups on Facebook and Substack that are dedicated to helping writers and providing them with writing, editing and publishing advice. You can ask other writers there to beta-read your story.

You can also check the EFA (Editorial Freelancers’ Association) to find professional and reliable beta readers. You can take a look at the member directory or post a job at the EFA to find reliable beta readers. 

Make sure to include the kind of service you need, the genre, the word count of your story, your estimated budget and your desired deadline when you post a job.

Finally, you can search online at the websites of different beta readers to see what kind of beta reader services they offer.

Every beta reader defines their service differently, so make sure to check what the beta reading service entails, the process, the cost, and the deadline to find the right beta reader for you and your manuscript.

What kind of feedback to expect from a beta reader?
Beta readers provide feedback about the big-picture elements of their story. You shouldn’t expect feedback about sentence-level errors, such as word choice, grammar, spelling, and punctuation, unless there was a prior agreement with the beta reader to correct those mistakes. Feedback can be provided through a reader’s report, margin comments in the manuscript document or both.

You can provide a questionnaire with specific questions to send to all your beta readers so that you can see how different beta readers respond to the same questions.

The questionnaire should include questions about the big-picture elements of a story, such as plot and structure, character development, point of view, pacing, genre conventions, setting, theme and dialogue. 

Beta readers might also have their own questionnaire and provide constructive feedback based on the questions of the questionnaire.

For example, I have a beta reader questionnaire that is divided into 6 categories (plot and structure, character development, point of view, pacing, genre conventions and overall impression).

​Each category includes 3-4 questions. You can see my beta reader questionnaire to get an idea of what kind of questions to ask your beta readers.

Additional resources
What is the beta reading service?
Example of a beta reader questionnaire
What is the developmental editing service?
What is the manuscript critique service?
How to find the right editor for your book?

Romance is one of the most popular fiction genres, and it has many subgenres such as contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, romantic suspense and YA (Young Adult) romance.

There are two important rules that romance novels should have: the romantic relationship between the main characters should be at the center of the story, and romance stories have a happy ending where the main characters end up together at the end of the story.
Let your novel rest
Read through your manuscript
Don’t implement all the changes at the same time
Questions to ask yourself
Repeat: read the manuscript for sentence-level errors
Next steps 

Let your novel rest
Congratulations on finishing the first draft of your novel. That’s already a great achievement. The first step of self-editing your novel is to leave it rest for a few weeks. I ideally recommend letting your novel rest for at least one month.

This will allow you to put distance between you and your story and “forget” your novel. You will be able to see your manuscript as a reader rather than a writer and be able to approach it with critical and objective eyes during the editing stage. 

You probably want to start editing your novel as soon as you finish writing the first draft but....wait. If you don’t have a hard deadline imposed by an agent or publisher, wait at least one month before starting to edit your manuscript.

What to do in the meantime? While waiting for the time to pass, you can take up a new hobby or fill your time  with other things you love, such as:

• reading  romance books 
• reading craft books
• watch your favourite TV show
•  go for a walk
• spend some time with friends and family
• start writing another book

Read through your manuscript 
 A month has passed, and you are now ready to start editing your romance novel. Follow the steps below while reading your story:

• Print your manuscript. Printing your story at the editing stage will allow you to look at your story from a different perspective, slow down your reading pace and improve your ability to look for structural issues.
• Read your manuscript within 2-3 days. At the first read through, you are looking to improve the big-picture elements of your story, such as theme, character development, plot and structure, setting, point of view, pacing, genre conventions and dialogue. Use various pens and highlighters to create a colour-coding system  (where each big-picture element represents a different colour) to write down effective notes within the manuscript document.
• While reading, you can also make an outline of your story (if you don’t have one) in an Excel spreadsheet and include important information about each scene: word count, pov character, characters present, setting, main story events, notes/reactions/things to improve.
• Note down everything you want to remember about your characters, plot and setting. Create character profiles, setting sheets, and note down the major plot points of your story if that helps you stay organised and take effective notes.

Don’t implement all the changes at the same time
You have noted down the changes you wish to make about the big-picture elements of your story. Now, it’s time to make a plan on how to implement these changes. Don’t try to fix all the big-picture elements of your story at the same time. You will be doing multiple rounds of editing, and you will look at different big-picture elements of your story each time.

Make a plan on which big-picture elements you will address in each round of editing. Start by looking at the big-picture elements of your story that can be grouped and addressed in the same round of editing.

For example, many new writers drag or rush some events of their story and the pacing is affected. Fixing the structure and putting the events where they should be also fixes the pacing of the story. If you want to learn more about the structure of a romance novel, read how to write a romance novel using the 3-act structure. 

Questions to ask yourself
Below you can see some questions about the big-picture elements of your story that will help you brainstorm and revise your manuscript. Look at the questions and note down the answers in your writing software or a notebook to make sure that you have a compelling romance story with a solid plot and well-rounded characters.  

Theme 

• What is the message that you want your romance story to convey to the readers?
• Is the theme linked to the main character and the plot of the story?
• Do the main characters emotionally change at the end of the story as a result of their love? 

Characters

• Does your main character(s) have clear goals and believable motivations throughout the story? What is the internal and external conflict of the main character(s)? What are the consequences if the character(s) don’t reach their goals?
• Do the minor characters and villains serve a purpose? 
• Who are the pov characters of the story? Are all the pov characters necessary for the story?
• Is the switch between the multiple points of view clear with no confusing head-hopping?

 Plot and structure

•  Can you identify the plot points of the 3-act structure in your story?
• What is the central conflict of the story?
• Does the plot move forward in each chapter (cause and effect)?
• Do the subplots serve the main story (romance story between the main characters)? 
• Does the story resolve in a way that communicates the theme and provides a satisfying resolution to the readers?

Setting

• Where does your story take place (country, city, apartment, workplace)?
• When does your story take place (time period, season)?
• Is the setting of the story believable or plausible? 
• Is the world of the story immersive and consistent?
• Do you integrate the details of setting into the story action? Do you provide the reason a particular setting element matters to the main character and the story?

Romance conventions

• Is the development of the romance relationship between the main characters at the center stage of the story?
•   Does the story have a happy ending where the main characters get together at the end of the story?
•  Are the tropes combined in unexpected and fresh ways to make the story interesting and engaging? 
• Do the tropes contribute to increasing the emotional or physical intimacy between the main characters? Do they challenge the main characters to grow emotionally? Do they drive the story forward and increase the conflict of the story? 
• Is the physical attraction between the two main characters apparent? Do the sex scenes serve to further the development of the love relationship, increase the tension and drive the plot forward?​​​

Repeat: read the manuscript for sentence-level errors
Once you finish implementing the big-picture elements of your story, it is time to repeat the process for the sentence-level errors.  Follow the steps below while reading your story:

• Let your story rest for at least 2 weeks.
• Print the new draft of your manuscript, read it from beginning to end in a few days, and take notes in each scene about the sentence-level changes you wish to make. Use multiple pens and highlighters to create a colour-coding system.
• Group similar sentence-level errors in one round of editing and make a plan on how to fix them (how many rounds of editing you will need, how much time it will take you).

Possible sentence-level errors include:

• info-duping
• show vs tell
• word choice (consistent style, redundancies, confusing or unnecessary words)
• sentence structure and flow
• spelling
• grammar
•  syntax 
•  punctuation

Next steps 
After you have been through multiple rounds of editing and improved the big-picture storytelling elements and sentence-level errors of your manuscript, it’s time to get feedback from other people.

​Give your manuscript to beta readers and developmental editors to get honest and constructive feedback about your story. If you want to learn more about hiring beta readers and developmental editors, read how to find the right editor for your story.

Who is a beta reader?
A beta reader is an avid reader who is familiar with the rules and tropes of a particular genre. They provide honest and constructive feedback in a reader’s report about the big-picture elements of a story, such as plot and structure, character development, pacing, point of view and genre conventions. 

Beta readers are the first people to read a completed manuscript. Writers should seek beta readers after finishing self-editing their manuscript, but before giving it to professional developmental editors. If you want to learn more, read about beta reading.

Who is a developmental editor?
A developmental editor is the first editor writers should look for after implementing the feedback they get from beta readers. 

The developmental editor addresses the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses and provides honest and constructive feedback about the story structure, character development, point of view, pacing, setting, genre conventions, scene vs narrative summary (show vs tell)  and dialogue of the story.

The developmental editor provides margin comments in the manuscript document and an editorial report to further guide the author. If you want to learn more, read about developmental editing.

Additional resources
How to write a romance novel in 5 steps
How to write in the romance genre and the main characters 
How to write a romance novel using the 3-act structure
What is the beta reading service?
What is the developmental editing service?
How to find the right editor for your story

What is beta reading?
A beta read is a reader’s reaction to the story. Writers who seek to understand how the readers will experience their manuscript often seek out beta readers.

Beta readers are the first people to read a completed manuscript and provide constructive feedback. Writers should seek beta readers after self-editing their manuscript but before giving it to professional editors.

Beta readers are avid readers and are familiar with the rules and tropes of a particular genre. They can provide honest and constructive feedback from the perspective of the intended reader.

Beta readers do not edit manuscripts. They don’t explain why anything is going wrong or give potential solutions. They tell writers how a future reader might understand their story.
The beta reading process
Beta reader questionnaire
3 reasons to choose beta reading
Where to find beta readers

The beta reading process
I provide beta reading services in the romance genre and point out potential big-picture storytelling issues:

• Characters (goal, motivation, conflict)
• Plot
• Point of view       
• Pacing
• Genre conventions
• Overall impression of the story

If you are interested in my beta reading services, fill in the information in the contact form about the genre, word count, preferred completion date and any specific concerns you need help with your manuscript.

I will read your story and provide constructive feedback in a reader’s report explaining the big-picture storytelling issues of your story. The reader’s report will answer the questions mentioned below in the beta reader questionnaire but you can ask any other related questions you may have.

Beta reader questionnaire
Plot

•  How strong is the story premise?  
• Did the plot make sense to me? Are there any plot holes or confusing sections that should be made clearer? Do any sections take me out of the story?
• What is the story’s central conflict? Is the conflict between the main characters believable?
• Is the central conflict successfully resolved in a way that satisfies the reader? 

Characters

• Are the main characters proactive, likeable, relatable, compelling and engaging?
• Are the characters’ goals, motivations and conflicts clear and understandable? What are the consequences for the main characters if they don’t achieve their goal?
• Are characters’ actions consistent?
• Was I able to keep track of the characters, i.e. who was who? Were there too many?

Point of view

• Is the point of view handled appropriately and consistently throughout the story?  
•  How often does the viewpoint change? Is it fairly consistent throughout the story?
• Is the switch between the multiple points of view clear e.g no confusing head-hopping?
• Does the pov character describe the necessary story events for the scene e.g no information dumps?

Pacing

• Does the overall pacing work?  Do scenes progress in a realistic, compelling manner and flow with effective transitions?
• Does the story move along at an appropriate pace, without rushing or dragging?
• Is the story free from information dumps or backstory that slow the pace of the story?

Genre conventions

• Does the story conform to the requirements/expectations of the romance genre? Does this book break any specific rules of the genre?
• Is the genre clear from the beginning? Do readers know what kind of story they’re getting into?    

Overall impression

• What did I like and didn’t like about the story? 
• Did I find anything confusing or boring or annoying?
• Did the story grab me at the beginning? Were there any points where I started to lose interest?
• Was there anything that I had trouble believing or that seemed illogical?
• Does the manuscript need further editing services?

3 reasons to choose beta reading
You are on a limited budget
If you are an author with a limited budget, then the beta reading service might be suitable for you. If you are not sure how much the beta reading service costs, you can look at the EFA’s editorial rates to get an idea of the rates that beta readers charge.

Every beta reader’s circumstances are different and the cost of the service depends on a lot of factors such as the manuscript’s turnaround time and the editor’s training and experience.

​For example, as a new beta reader, I offer significantly lower rates than those of the EFA to get honest testimonials from writers and grow my portfolio.

You are a new writer and you need to learn more about the writing craft
If you are a new writer without a lot of writing craft knowledge, then the beta reading service might be the right service for you. The reader’s report will provide you with an overview of the big-picture storytelling issues of your story without overwhelming you with detailed page edits.

Writing, editing and publishing a book is a learning process and the constructive feedback the beta reader provides will help you improve your manuscript and your writing craft.

You have no idea how to further improve your manuscript
You are struck. You have rewritten and edited your story multiple times, and you don’t know how to further improve it. If you feel that something is missing from your story but you can’t pinpoint what exactly that is, then the beta reading service might be suitable for you. The beta reader will help you identify and improve the big-picture issues of your manuscript.

Where to find beta readers
Free beta readers
If you have a limited budget, you can find free beta readers. You can ask friends and family to read your story and provide feedback for free. However, be aware that friends and family might be biased and not provide objective feedback to not critically harsh your story.

You can also find writers’ groups on social media sites like Facebook and Substack. There are many writer groups where you can connect with other writers and beta read each other’s stories.

Paid beta readers
You can find professional beta readers in social media such as Facebook groups, LinkedIn and Substack. If you are looking to hire a professional beta reader, it is best to check their LinkedIn profiles to see their background, education, training and experience.

You can also check sites such as Upwork and Fiverr to find beta readers or post beta-reading jobs. Make sure to include the kind of service you need, the genre, the word count of your story, your estimated budget and your desired deadline when you post a job. You can also check the EFA’s Job List and Member Directory to find and hire a beta reader.

You can also search online at the websites of different beta readers to see what kind of services they offer. Every beta reader defines their service differently, so make sure to check what the beta reading service entails, the process, the cost, and the deadline to find the right beta reader for you.

I am ready to discuss my book. How do I do that?
Check out my beta reading service and contact me for a customised quote for your manuscript.

Further reading
What is the developmental editing service?
What is the manuscript critique service?
How to find the right editor for your fiction story
9 important questions editors ask authors before working with them
​