Polish your manuscript to a sheen
and make your readers' eyes shine ✨
About Me
Hi! I’m Maria, a bibliophile (you would hope so!), writer, & an avid learner.
My love for books has extended from simply reading for the joy of it to helping authors burnish their beautiful stories. I have been critiquing published works and reviewing indie & small press ARCs for nearly a decade. I'm happy to say that I received consistent positive feedback! The thoughtfulness and effort I put in my evaluations have led to some returning authors as well. So, now I'm lending a hand to polish your story & make your readers' eyes shine!
The Beta Reading
You may have specific kind of feedback you’re looking for and I'll tailor my services. Or you can take a look at everything I offer. Here is what you can expect.
✧ Answers to Your Beta Questions, if you have any.
✧Inline comments for in-the-moment reactions and thoughts. Plus, catching the occasional typo or two, filter words, and repetition, etc.
✧ Detailed Report on the following:✨ Pacing, plot structure, & story
✨ Worldbuilding (if applicable)
✨ Characters
✨ Writing & dialogue
✨ Readability
✨ Overall Enjoyment
✨ Other elements I catch or have an opinion on
✨ General review and summary
I tell you what’s working, what isn’t, and why. I keep my feedback honest, kind, and constructive.If you want, you can get a free sample review of the first two chapters. So, let’s chat!
Genres
When it comes to beta reading, this girl is not limited! Though fantasy has my heart, I enjoy various genres. If your book is of an atypical, non-popular genre or has unique or weird themes, I strongly encourage you to reach out! I'm here for the learning. Following are the kind of books I loved working on:
✧ Contemporary with a neurodivergent MC
✧ Cybersecurity guide (alpha read)
✧ Political thriller based in South Asia
✧ Historical cosy mystery
✧ Steampunk novel in a non-Victorian setting
What I will NOT read:
✧ Erotica
✧ Content leaning heavily on drug abuse, on-page sexual assault, etc.
If you're unsure whether your book fits the bill, just ask and we can chat!
Author Testimonials
"I think Maria did an outstanding job with her feedback on my manuscript. She was thorough and perceptive, pointing out everything - from pacing and world-building to even tiny issues like a different set of quotation marks. The final review sheet that went into detail on various aspects of the manuscript was extremely useful.
I'd love to work with Maria again as the quality of her work was amazing and she was always friendly and professional."- Rafał Krzystyniak, The Steam-powered City
"Hi Maria,I just wanted to say that I have now reviewed your commentary in detail. Clearly a lot of work went into your analysis, I found your reflections insightful.
I have taken good notes from your observations, which will be part of my upcoming edits.
I’m very grateful for your contributions to this story."- J, author of speculative fiction
"Thorough feedback with plenty of inline comments on the manuscript and a separate document providing detailed assessment, strong and weak points of the novel and suggestions to improve it.
She blends a meticulous critique with a personal touch and the formal assessment with colloquial comments. In her inline comments, she documents her reactions and emotions in a conversational style which I found both amusing and refreshing. The way she roots for some characters and comes across as emotionally invested in my story was heartwarming.
Thorough work at a great price."
- Sohail Ahmed, Alienation
"Provided helpful feedback, both positive and also constructive criticism. It didn't feel sugar-coated. This can be hard to take, but is ultimately a lot more helpful."- Mairi McIntosh, The Glittering Heiress
"Maria captured her in-the-moment reactions, hitting on points of confusion/ interest/ or disinterest. I felt like all her constructive criticism was in line with a careful and generous reading of the text. After she finished the novella, she wrote a detailed review, which helped me understand her overall experience with the book.
The wording in her review was respectful and diplomatic while still offering insight into possible areas of improvement. Her advice was all specific to the text, and allowed for the writer's intent.
She brought herself, her interests and her experiences into her reactions and kept her tone warm and sincere."- Rachel Laurie, a college novella
"We can't thank you enough! Your feedback is so thorough and honest. This will be exceptionally helpful for us as we move on to the editing phase.
It was awesome working with you and if you're interested in working with us again in the future, we'd be honored."- Anne Social, Run Away
Bonus Services (Clients Only)
I love being my clients' cheerleader! So far I have helped with:
✨Brainstorming author website branding
✨Scouring sensitivity readers (extremely niche)
✨Pre-release PR & ARC reviews