ALL FAQs | O&D MAIN

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I love questions :) The best minds are filled with questions.

Let's take a look at a couple of the usual ones.

If your question is not answered here, please email me!

HELP! I DON'T KNOW WHAT SERVICE I WANT PICK?

You’ve probably heard the term “beta reader” before. But what exactly is a beta reader? Beta readers are a key part of the literary world. They read your book ahead of publication and provide insight, preferably objective and unbiased. Beta readers are there to help you, as the author, improve your work, ensuring it's up to standard before it's released to a larger audience. Beta Reading Feedback can be confused with Editorial Feedback. The lines between them have become a bit blurred, but they are not the same service.

Beta-reading feedback can reveal plot holes, important questions, unintended reactions, or other important inconsistencies. Beta readers react to the story. As the writer, you can use that feedback to decide what to revise and how to execute those revisions (in practice, this can be more complicated than it sounds).

If this is the type of feedback you're looking then let's talk about my Beta Reading Package!

“The dialogue in this scene is great, and I love this character’s wit! I’d love to know why she wants to do this, though.”

“I’m a little bit lost here. Why is this human able to use magic despite the fact that they don’t have magic ability?"

“I found myself skimming through this chapter – some call this an 'info dump.' The scene's details were beautiful, but they were distracting and made it difficult to make sense of what's going on. I had a hard time understanding why they mattered at the time.”

Editorial feedback can also reveal plot holes, important questions, unintended reactions, or other important inconsistencies, but editing is a technical craft. This feedback is more descriptive and offers solutions. It explains what the issue is, why it’s an issue, articulates possible solutions, and explains why those solutions could work. As the writer, you can still take, change, or leave editorial suggestions at your discretion, but you have the feedback as a starting point.

If this is the type of feedback you're looking then let's talk about my Editorial Feedback Package!

“The dialogue in this scene really showcases your character’s witty personality! She's able to banter and engage in playful insults with her peers, which gives the reader insight into who she is as a person and what values she holds dear. This scene would be the perfect opportunity to further expose your character’s inner thoughts and motives, as she can provide more context and reasons behind her actions. This would allow readers to connect with her on a deeper level as they would empathize with her more, making her a more dimensional and relatable character."

“Throughout the book, this magic system's abilities are inconsistently depicted. Additionally, the reader needs to have a clear understanding of this magic system and its limitations. This is paramount to creating a cohesive narrative. Without it, the reader gets pulled out of the story and may lose faith in the mechanics of the world that has been built. The use of magic to resolve conflict is proportionate to the reader's understanding of it. You should consider revising the affected scenes for consistency or offering a clear explanation for why some humans can and some cannot use magic. Doing so would resolve these questions and improve the overall narrative, ensuring the readers remains engaged and immersed in the story as they follow along."

“This chapter has impressive worldbuilding and beautiful imagery. However, it's not immediately relevant to the main story at this point. While I appreciate the effort put into creating this detailed environment but found myself skimming through it to get back to the main plot. What is necessary and what can be removed to improve the story’s pace? When deciding how much information to create for your world, consider focusing on one or two elements (physical or cultural) and how that element relates to your character. Keep in mind, poignant details could still be utilized at another time in the story."

I HAVE A CRITIQUE GROUP. WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?

A good critique group is a gift! However, critique groups are not the same as beta readers. They are two separate but both useful strategies to get feedback on your stories. So what's the difference? Critique groups are made up of writers who are all looking for a critique while a beta reader is hired by the writer. For critique groups, the writer usually breaks up their work and submits only a section of it for a group meeting that focuses on multiple story submissions. Beta readers specialize in reading the text of a story in its entirety. They pinpoint deeper issues related to the effect on the reader.

It is possible to find good, reliable beta readers for free. So, you’re probably wondering why you should bother paying someone like me. The main issue is many writers find themselves with an entire group of beta readers who don’t follow through. If your beta reader doesn't a monetary obligation to beta read, it tends to get lost among other tasks they do for free such as laundry and cooking. Beta reading isn't something I do during my free time. My work hours are reserved for reading your work.

TRUTHFULLY? I'M SCARED TO HIRE YOU.

You're not alone! I get it! I have been in your shoes before. As a writer myself, I know it can be nerve-wracking (even intimidating) to share your writing with someone else, especially a stranger. Writing is a highly personal experience. You have poured your heart and soul into creating your story. You are not just sharing words on a page, but you're offering a precious part of yourself. It takes immense trust to hand over your work to someone else to analyze.

This act of faith requires bravery and courage, and I understand that.

Promising ideas can grow and weak ideas can be weeded out

when bounced off other people.

So, please do not be afraid of me. I'm here to help you and your story!

I will give you things to work on and improve, but you should feel energized. You should not feel destroyed or over-examined. My goal is to encourage you to do well and publish a work you are proud of.

Here's other things I worried about that maybe you worry about too:

Worry: "I’ll lose control of my own story."

Reality: The writer is always the boss. When I beta read or give editorial feedback, you will see comments from me for you to review (and when I share my feedback with you, I take a second and make sure I present it in a way I'd like to receive it if I was the author). I want to preserve your story's core intentions. I may make suggestions but will never demand deletions, additions, new material, etc.

Worry: "Beta Reading / Editorial Feedback is expensive. Is it really worth the investment?"

Reality: This decision and what you can afford is a personal judgment based on your own priorities. I completely respect that. Here is what I tend to ask myself: If I was a reader and about to spend $$$, would I want to purchase a story that has not been professionally reviewed? I think it's fair to say there’s no doubt that the better your book is, the more successful you’ll be in the long run.

Worry: "My story will be stolen."

Reality: Fret not! I will never disclose anything about your story to anyone because I will sign a non-disclosure agreement to you before you submit your work. Additionally, I spent time working in the legal field, so I am well-versed in confidential and privacy laws and practices. More than anything, as a fellow writer, this is my worst fear as well. I would never steal someone else's story or ideas because I know how hard and personal it is. I'd never want someone else to do that to me, which is why I take such strict measures to protect my clients' privacy and their work.

Worry: "I only want to submit a few pages."

Reality: Let's talk! I've gotten "stuck" on small chunks of work that I've needed outside opinions on myself. Promising ideas can grow and weak ideas can be weeded out when bounced off other people.

WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT?

Training. An editor needs professional training (often through editing-specific organizations like the EFA, CIEP, ACES, etc., or by working with publishers themselves) to edit at any level. A beta-reader does not need specific training to be a beta-reader. I, however, have had editorial training. I am a member of the EFA. Plus, I have been through the process myself as a published author.

AT WHAT POINT DO I HIRE YOU?

Everyone is different. Some writers ask for readers throughout the entire editing process.

These are some common times when a writer might ask for beta-reading/editorial feedback:

After a draft is finished, but before self-editing (to get a feel for where their revisions could go).

After self-editing or revisions, but before they seek an editor (to make sure they’ve done all they can personally do for their story before it goes to a professional).

Right before a book is self-published (to get an idea of how readers might react to the story and make sure it resonates with the target demographic).

WHAT ARE YOUR GENRE SPECIALTIES?

My primary genre specialties are fantasy and science fiction, but I'm also familiar with romance, slice of life, speculative fiction, horror, and any combination of these genres. I do offer beta reading and editorial feedback for work outside of these genre specialties.