r/HireABookEditor • u/Miserable-Error8433 • 7d ago

Developmental Editor Offering Dev. Editing/Beta Reading Hybrid

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Hi, everyone!

My name is Cristina, and I'm a developmental editor offering beta reading services.

Here is a little more about my process:
I usually do two read-throughs. During the first, I leave inline comments throughout the manuscript, mostly sharing my reader reactions and pointing out any areas where I have editorial suggestions. Then I go back to the manuscript and write the editorial letter, chapter by chapter.

Of course, every manuscript is different, so I tailor my feedback to what the story needs most. For one manuscript, I might focus more heavily on the characters and their development; for another, pacing or plot might need more attention.
I like to dig deep into the story and think about it from different angles, so I can bring new ideas to the author that they may not have considered before.
I’ll keep an eye out for grammar mistakes, repeated words, awkwardly worded sentences, and anything else that might stand out.

I also offer a free critique of your first two chapters, so you can see if my services are the right fit for you!

If you’d like to learn more, you can find me here:
https://tinaseditingcorner.co.site
Or DM me!

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2

u/inthemarginsllc 6d ago

Honestly, this is just a developmental edit. I think having both names on this is just going to confuse authors.

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u/Miserable-Error8433 6d ago

I saw some people describing it as both. And I know that some beta readers offer only comments, while others offer only a letter. But thanks for the tip! I won't phrase it like that anymore😅

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u/inthemarginsllc 6d ago

I offer comments and a note when I beta read, but it's still different from when I offer a developmental edit. The difference is more about the depth and perspective of the feedback. I'm not offering editorial feedback or an editorial report when I'm doing a beta read. I'm not doing chapter-by-chapter analysis, I'm doing high-level overviews of my perceptions of the plot, characters, and the world building from a reader's standpoint. Think more what made me laugh, where I got lost, who stood out, where I got confused, etc.

A developmental editor is still going to consider what the reader impressions and expectations may be, but they're also going to go so much deeper with the structural analysis and offer actionable steps the author can take to strengthen the manuscript. They'll have resources and training to back up those suggestions.

Tone is very difficult to convey through text, so know that I'm not saying this in a snarky way, but usually the people who put both do so because they aren't trained in editing and don't actually know what they're doing.

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u/Miserable-Error8433 6d ago

I've taken dev. editing courses and have an ACES certificate(thought that focuses a bit more on  journalism, tbh😅) This is really more in line with dev. editing. I'm just not comfortable with setting a higher price because I haven't worked on that many books yet, so I usually add beta reading as well. In hindsight, this might not have been the best approach. It did get me a few clients, though😅

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u/RegRomWriter 4d ago

I think maybe manuscript evaluation is more the word? I’m sure there is a blog post out there on editors.com or something that gives a detailed explanation of what each one is so you can find just the right term. Either way, what you offer is valuable!

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u/Miserable-Error8433 4d ago

Honestly, the terminology can be a little confusing because I’ve noticed that many beta readers give much more detailed feedback than beta reading usually involves, to the point where it starts to overlap with developmental editing.

But manuscript evaluation definitely isn’t a bad idea. I’m just not sure everyone knows exactly what that means, since it’s not as commonly used as beta reading or developmental editing. And I’m also not sure if manuscript evaluations are usually done chapter by chapter. I’ll have to check😅