A manuscript evaluation (also called a beta read) is an important beginning for any full-length book.

 

This editing service is used to help determine if the work is "on the right track" regarding numerous literary aspects including the effectiveness of the message; the clarity of the book's structure and layout; the cohesiveness of the plot; the strength of the characters; and the overall clarity of the work. 

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Getting a manuscript evaluation early on in the book-writing process can help refocus, clarify, and tighten up the manuscript before the next, more expensive stage of editing.

​Sensitivity reading (also called diversity reading and authenticity reading) is an editing service that's included for many popular books being published today.   

 

Because we live in a complex, globally-connected world, communicating clearly without unconscious biases is critical to reach a diverse reading audience. 

 

As a seasoned sensitivity reader, I  evaluate your work respectfully to identify any stereotypes, unconscious bias, and cultural inaccuracies.

​A developmental edit is an in-depth, collaborative process between the editor and author.  It comes at the beginning of the writing process, usually before copyediting.

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Developmental editing is a time-intensive, deep-dive into the literary work and, depending on the genre, it includes gauging your book's appeal to its target audience and comparable books ("comps") to access  your book's fit in the marketplace. This edit can include evaluating the structure, character development, point of view, dialogue, imagery, transitions, and more. 

 

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The proofreading process usually comes after the manuscript has gone through numerous edits.
 

As a proofreader I look over everything with a finely-honed, pin-point focus. I check for errors in the front and back matter; pagination; running heads/feet; all of the main text; headings; page depth; margins; cross-references; and more.

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This is an important service as it's the last chance to catch small (or large) errors that can be missed previously. 

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An editing best practice says to hire a different proofreader from your copy editor. ​