LAUREN LANIER
BETA READER & PROOFREADER
All clean reads are welcome!
Hi, I'm Lauren.
I offer beta reading services for clean fiction. That means:
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closed door, no spice romance (kissing only!)
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little or no profanity (rated G or PG; no R)
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no LGBT+ characters (using "they" as a pronoun is just confusing)
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no explicit violence (more Hitchcock, less Tarantino)
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As an avid reader of clean reads myself, you can trust me to provide detailed and honest feedback on your plot, characters, dialogue, narrative/POV, worldbuilding, etc.​
Do you need a proofreader to hunt down those last few pesky grammar errors or misspelled/missing words before you submit your manuscript to a publisher?
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I have over 5 years of proofreading experience in marketing, web content, and publishing. Please see below for further details.
BETA READER
$50 for the first 50,000 words; + 75 cents per additional 1,000 words
For a beta read, I state my thoughts and reactions to scenes from a reader's perspective. I focus on the following areas:
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The Hook (Does the opening scene/chapter grab the reader's attention?)
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Plot (Does the story make sense? Believable?)
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Pacing (Too slow? Time jump?)
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Narrative/Tone (Third or first-person narrative? Satirical or mysterious? Multiple narrators?)
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Conflict (Enough tension to keep the reader's interest?)
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Dialogue (Match age? Correct dialect/slang usage?)
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Character development (Are the characters believable? Too many characters?)
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Setting/Worldbuilding (Vivid descriptions?)
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Readability (Is the story easy to follow? Will the reader stumble over confusing sentences?)
​I will also answer any questions sent by the author in detail.
$0.002 per word
PROOFREADER
​This is the last stop in the editorial process. My job is to check for errors in grammar, syntax, formatting, and spelling. My goal is to ensure that your copy is free of errors and polished to a high standard. I am not a copy editor. As a proofreader, I am checking for the following:​
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Proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation
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Consistency of capitalization and hyphenation
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Correct word usage
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Layout consistency
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Formatting issues
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Repeated or missing words
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Numbers written properly and consistently
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Sentence structure
​I will use the track changes feature in Microsoft Word to point out any errors I've found, allowing you to easily review the changes I've made and accept or reject them as you see fit. I can also work with Google Docs editing tools. Please let me know which you prefer!
My preferred reference manuals include:
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The Chicago Manual of Style
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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
When I have completed the project, I will email you a tracked changes file with all my comments showing.
I will gladly proofread most fiction and non-fiction manuscripts, plus blogs for company websites. Please don't hesitate to contact me for more information.
TESTIMONIALS
"Working with Lauren as my beta reader was an absolute delight. Her thorough and detailed feedback on my draft memoir was invaluable, providing me with a fresh perspective and helping me to bring the story to life. Lauren's expertise, professionalism, and passion for the craft of writing shine through in every comment, and I am beyond grateful for her contributions."
"Truly good independent feedback is hard to find, and Lauren's contributions count among the best I've found. She's thorough, insightful, and always provides suggestions to back up her critiques. Highly recommended as a beta reader, editor, or proofreader."
DAVID CHEATHAM | A HOUSE IN THE COUNTRY: One couple's trials, tribulations, and triumph restoring a remote two-hundred-year-old family home.
STEVE ANDERSON | THE
KNOW-IT-ALLS
"I recently began working with Lauren. She is thoughtful, thorough and completes work as agreed. (I almost hate fawning over her because she might get too busy, but I will anyway.)
She provides clear, concise and insightful feedback and I plan to keep her on my team. I highly recommend her devices."
"When I needed a beta reader/proofreader I could trust to provide honest feedback and fresh eyes for my novel, Lauren was the perfect person for the job. She offered detailed, insightful input on "big picture" aspects of my manuscript (including character, plot, dialogue), while also uncovering pesky typos and grammatical issues I'd missed. Throughout the process, Lauren was my novel's advocate, helping my words on the page be the best they could be."
Karen S. Gordon | LIABLE
PAM MAYER | A SOLDIER'S DAUGHTER