,

Work with a professional beta reader and developmental editor

  • Work with a genre specialist
  • Craft a story that captivates readers
  • Improve your manuscript
  • Achieve your writing goals

Work with a genre specialist

I specialise in editing stories in the romance genre:
  • contemporary romance
  • YA (Young Adult) romance
  • romantic comedy
  • romantic suspense
  • paranormal romance
  • fantasy romance
  • romantasy​
This means that you can trust your novel to a skilled editor who understands you.
"Maria did a beta read for a romantic comedy I had written, and I couldn't be happier with the feedback she gave. She had an easy to follow format of questions already prepared as she read my manuscript. It allowed me to see her thought process and what she found important as a reader. Her suggestions were very valuable and I hope to use her again."
Pamela Dean, romance comedy writer

Craft a story that captivates readers

I will help you improve the big-picture storytelling elements in your manuscript and help you achieve your writing goals:
  • theme
  • plot
  • characters (goals, motivations, conflict, character development)
  • point of view
  • pacing
  • setting
  • genre conventions
  • scene vs narrative summary (show vs tell)
  • dialogue

We might be a great fit if

  • you are looking for a developmental editor or beta reader to edit the big-picture elements of your story
  • you wrote a romance manuscript and are looking for a romance genre specialist
  • you wish to work with a reliable, supportive and transparent editor to help you improve your manuscript
  • you are looking for constructive, honest and detailed feedback to help you improve the big-picture elements of your story
  • you are looking for an editor that doesn't use AI to edit or beta-read your manuscript
  • you are looking for an editor that does their best to improve your manuscript and respects your manuscript, privacy and confidentiality
​"Maria provided beta reading of my contemporary romance novel, and her feedback was invaluable, especially after I had completed numerous revisions and was struggling to pinpoint where my plot issues were. I appreciated the chance to have a new and unbiased set of eyes on my manuscript. She pointed out an issue with a subplot that I had not considered before, which helped me to focus my revision efforts effectively. Her feedback was timely and thoughtful, and I'd recommend her to any fellow authors seeking beta reading feedback."
Kate Underwood, contemporary romance writer

Editing tips for authors

 Writing, editing and publishing your book can be challenging without guidance. Take a look at my blog, the resources library and subscribe to The Fiction Editing Newsletter to learn all the information you need to know on how to write and edit a compelling romance story.

Services
  • For writers who need detailed and thorough feedback to help them improve their manuscript.
  • Get constructive feedback on the theme, plot, characters, point of view, pacing, setting, genre conventions, show vs tell and dialogue of your story in a marked-up manuscript with suggestions and an editorial report to further guide your revision.
  • Get follow-up support to discuss your story (email or Google Meet).
  • Free sample edit (1,000 words).
  • For writers with partial or first drafts who want to see what is working or not in their story and the potential directions it could take.
  • Get constructive feedback about the things that are working well, things that are not working well, compelling elements that can be used to make the story more powerful, perspective concerns and romance genre conventions in an evaluation report.  
  • ​Get follow-up support to discuss your story (email or Google Meet).
  • For writers who don't need thorough guidance or don’t have the budget for full developmental editing.
  • Get constructive feedback about the theme, plot, characters, point of view, pacing, setting, genre conventions, show vs tell and dialogue of your story in an editorial report.
  • Get follow-up support to discuss your story (email or Google Meet).
  • Free sample edit (1,000 words).​


​
  • For writers who need feedback from the reader's point of view and have no idea how to improve their story​​.
  • Get honest feedback from the reader's point of view about the plot, characters, point of view, pacing, genre conventions and overall impression of the story in a reader's report.​
  • Get follow-up support to discuss your story (email or Google Meet).
 "Thank you for beta reading my manuscript. I found it extremely helpful to have an experienced second set of eyes to verify there were no plot holes or major inconsistencies in my manuscript. Your Beta Reading Report was useful, and covered all of the areas I was looking for...I really appreciated your time and effort. Your communication with me was great, and you were very responsive. Thank you very much!"
Rachel Carrara, romance writer
"Maria offered me feedback on my YA coming-of-age romance novel. It was clear to me that Maria read my manuscript thoroughly, and she gave me thoughtful feedback based on her opinions as a reader. I found her feedback useful and would recommend her as a beta reader."
Sophie Bernbaum, YA romance writer

Meet Maria

  • Developmental editor and beta reader for romance authors
  • Certificate of Completion in Developmental Editing of Fiction Program by ClubEdFreelancers
  • Extensive fiction training
  • Member of the ClubEdFreelancers, the EFA and ALLi
  • Previously worked as an English Language teacher
  • BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Cyprus