Author Personal Assistant
As a beta reader, I assist writers by offering a reader’s perspective on a manuscript. The main goal is to provide feedback to help you gauge audience reception.
I will answer questions such as how the writing made me feel, if there was a point that I wanted to put the book down or struggled to continue reading, what parts were most gripping, if I would change anything, how it compares to other books I’ve read in the same genre and any other questions you would recommend me answering.
I have a beta questionnaire, but YOU tell ME what you’d like me to focus on.
I like to think of myself as an amateur sleuth, I’m a critical thinker and as your BETA reader I will sniff out the slack.
Contrary to popular belief, a copy editor is NOT a glorified spell-checker.
The kinds of mistakes copyeditors catch are not life-threatening, but they make the difference between a professional book and one that comes across as amateur.
A copyeditor’s job is not just to check grammar and spelling, but to make sure that every element of your story is consistent, cohesive, and complete.
Such as, checking for inconsistencies within the story. This includes character description, plot points, and setting. Does each character stay true to his or her own description throughout the story? Are there conflicting descriptions of the house? For example, have you described the setting as “a yellow brick home” on one page but “a weathered wooden home” on another page?
As a copyeditor I will focus on both the small details and the big picture, ensuring that your manuscript tells the best possible story while still maintaining your voice and style throughout your manuscript.
Although the terms “copyediting” and “proofreading” are often used interchangeably, they describe different processes that benefit your book in unique ways.
Like a copy editor, a proofreader meticulously goes through your manuscript looking for spelling errors, misplaced punctuation, and grammar mistakes. But a proofreader also searches for layout issues like page numbering, consistency with headings, bad line or page breaks, and more.
Unlike a copy editor, a proofreader isn’t looking to fix your content—just correct any errors they see. Since proofreading comes right before publication, it is the LAST line of defense against errors.
We offer a 5-pg sample copy edits & proofread edit for free. Pages should be formatted as Times New Roman font, 12-pt, and double-spaced with 1″ margins.
For basic copy editing, I charge $20 an hour, at an estimated pace of 5-10 manuscript pages per hour.
For proofreading, I charge $15 an hour, at an estimated 10-15 manuscript pages per hour.
For basic copy editing, I charge $25 an hour, at an estimated pace of 5-10 manuscript pages per hour.
For proofreading, I charge $20 an hour, at an estimated pace of 10-15 manuscript pages per hour.
Unlike most editing companies, I prefer to create a flexible custom payment plan for each and every client custom-tailored to fit YOUR needs to help make my services more accessible. If you are interested in a payment plan, please note that in the “Anything else you feel like I should know” portion of the Services Contact form.
I do require that 30% of the project’s total amount be paid BEFORE I begin edits. This can be done either through a lump sum down payment OR by starting the payment plan in advance.
If you wish to pay the full payment upfront, you are welcome to do so.
Heather Lynn will send you an electronic invoice through PayPal which can be paid via credit card or bank payment.
Heather Lynn 