Beta Reader Group discussion
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Accepting new clients, all genre, fast sincere beta reader
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M.J.
(last edited Mar 25, 2020 11:09AM)
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Mar 25, 2020 11:04AM
Hiring Shalini was a great decision. After spending weeks looking for free Beta readers on goodreads, I took the plunge with a paid reviewer. I could not be happier with the results. Shalini is a consummate professional, prompt in answering questions/concerns within a short period. I received my Beta review in less than a week. Her feedback is thorough, with useful comments on track changes along with a separate detailed analysis of the entire manuscript. Shalini will not just tell you what you want to hear to boost your ego. Her feedback is honest and sincere, designed to enable your story to reach its full potential. If you are serious about your writing, don't hesitate to hire Shalini today!
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Shalini provided detailed, thorough, and timely feedback. I really appreciated the great communication as well. The MS word track changes are easy to understand and the overall summary was filled with great tips and pointers. Best of all, her critique was fair-minded, professional, courteous, and helpful.I highly recommend Shalini for your beta reading.
Thank you, Shalini!
Shalini as an excellent Beta Reader. She is an intelligent, compassionate and generous reader, with, incidentally, a sharp eye for a typo or the inadvertent overuse of a word.I first engaged her services in 2015 or 16, when she worked her way through a 150k word draft that in hindsight was conceptually misguided. In some important ways, it was a dog's breakfast.
I couldn't cope with the realisation of that at the time. Shalini was kind, tactful and helpfully honest.
She is culturally sophisticated, erudite and has great intellectual curiosity.
My re-written draft is so much closer to the book I needed to write.
I look forward to working with Shalini more in years to come.
Another manuscript completed and polished up with Shalini's help! Thank you, Shalini, for all you do. You are awesome! Once again, I am at a loss for words to describe how wonderful Shalini is. In a nutshell: she is simply the best beta reader I have ever worked with, and I cannot wait to work with her on the next one. Don't be afraid to give Shalini a try, people. She is simply amazing!
Shalini wrote: "I have been beta reading and editing non fiction work since the past few years including science journals. It's been 4 years now that I have been beta reading and proofreading both fiction and non ..."Hi Shalini, I wanted to say thanks for the recent feedback on my manuscript. It was very thorough and has provide me with lots of insights about areas of the story that were still in need of improvement. I was very pleased with the services you provided.
Thanks again,
Susan
I have used Shalini numerous times over the years. Her talents as both a beta reader and editor has radically transformed my stories. Never would I attempt publishing my work without first having Shalini give me her in-depth analysis of it. Her constructive criticism is spot on. For those with an open mind and are willing to accept what she has to say when it comes to making their writing better, Shalini is truly a Godsend. She is not one to fluff her critiques with false words of praise–– The praises will come after you have taken her advice and incorporated it into your writing. Truly a wonder is her critical eye and analytical mind. You will thank her––as have all the others stacked above this review––once you work with her.
Shalini is an absolute STAR! I hired her to proofread a novel already edited by a professional editor. Not only did she catch mistakes the first editor had missed, but she provided numerous line editing suggestions that propelled the novel to the next level. If you want to publish a professional grade novel on par with traditional publishers, do yourself a favor and hire Shalini today!
It was a pleasure working with Shalini. She provided beta reading services for my 72k word manuscript, and was willing to take a look at revisions as well. The turnaround with her reading was quick, yet she managed to offer very detailed and thoughtful feedback. Her notes included a combination of polite criticism with useful suggestions, as well as praise for areas that were strong. Was willing to answer any and all questions. I would definitely work with Shalini again the future!
She has done two superb beta reads for me. Quick response, including to emails afterward. Her reviews are organized and thorough. Highly recommend!
One the the many things I value about Shalini is her honest feedback. Her candid comments make me want to up my game and when she likes something I know she is sincere. As an author getting constructive criticism is a crucial element if you want your writing to evolve. It isn't the job of a beta reader to do more than state their opinion but she does so much more than that. Not only did she comment on my story chapter by chapter, pointing out missed spelling mistakes and word repetition, she provided a detailed report I receive from my editor and her feedback really helped deepen my characters and my story. I greatly value how quick she is to respond to e mails and also her ability to meet and exceed deadlines. Count your blessing if you are lucky enough to work with Shalini I know I do. Thank you Shalini.
Shalini exceeded my expectations! This was my first time using a paid beta service and it was more than I thought I'd get. She sent my manuscript back in the timeframe she promised. Having overall feedback as well as chapter by chapter feedback is going to help me take my story to the next level. Shalini left a lot of helpful tips and feedback that I couldn't quite see even after reading through it once. Her comments were polite but straightforward. It was clear she read my story and gave constructive advice to help bring my characters to life and keep my story from falling flat. I liked the detail and attention she paid to the smallest things that would have been easy to miss if not reading closely. I will use the feedback, notes, and suggestions to make my story better and ready to be published in a few months. Thank you so much, Shalini, for your feedback on my story and getting it back to me in the time that you promised! I'll definitely be using her again in the future.
I've used Shalini's beta reading services twice now. She's been thorough, quick, and honest both times. I highly recommend her services. The amount of effort she puts into the beta reads compared to the price is quite a bargain.
Shalini has helped numerous times with my writing. With each book that I write and have her critique, I have become a better writer. She has been an invaluable teacher and for that I am grateful. If you are serious about your writing, you need to ask Shalini for her help.
Shalini to the rescue once more. I recently revised one of my earlier novels. After finishing, I submitted the manuscript to Shalini for an editorial review. Shalini's attention to detail uncovered several mistakes I had missed. My work is always sharper after going through Shalini. Her expertise and responsiveness can't be beat. Thank you Shalini!
Shalini has done an amazing job for me Beta reading. She was clear with what she liked and what needed to be improved. She was extremely professional and very quick at giving me feedback (mine was a 300-word children’s book, so longer work will take longer). She pointed out repetition that I had missed and discrepancies that children could misunderstand. Overall, I will definitely be using her services again!
If you'd be interested, I have a 71K mystery+humor novel Id' like to have read. You can contact me through Goodreads or at garyfjones46@gmail.com.
Shalini has given incredibly thorough and detailed feedback on our memoir. She is very honest in how she felt about our story and has highlighted significant areas which need work. Thankyou Shalini for helping us identify our blind spots, as first time authors we appreciated your input which will help us improve in many areas. Noni & David
Shalini did an amazingly thorough and thoughtful review of my novel, THIRST FOR POWER, a political thriller/romance set in India and London. She highlighted both the strength and weaknesses of the various story elements, displaying a wide knowledge of human behavior as well as its effective portrayal in fiction. She not only provided overall feedback on the plot, characters, and structure of the novel, but also detailed feedback in the text itself. Her comments will be of great value to me in revising my novel. Shalini was professional and pleasant to work with. I strongly recommend her to other writers seeking a reader's perspective on their work.
I cannot say enough good things about Shalini or her services. I have now used her on multiple manuscripts, and found her feedback invaluable each and every time. If you're just looking for someone to stroke your ego, then Shalini's not for you (unless your book is so spectacular that you deserve it, but we all know that first drafts are crap, and it's through the revision process, and listening to advice from professionals like Shalini, that we are able to turn that crap into salable books). Don't be afraid to give her a try. She's well worth every penny. I will continue to use her services as long as she's providing them. Thank you once again, Shalini, for your invaluable feedback!
Shalini was a beta reader for my epic fantasy MS. (over 200k words)It was truly a pleasure to work with her. Never before had I received such detailed and comprehensive feedback. She was responsive in her communication, and her feedback clear and well thought out. For my MS, she gave me very constructive and valuable feedback for each chapter. Obviously well versed in fantasy, she helped me immensely in navigating and avoiding some of the common pitfalls inherent to the genre as well as pointing out the strengths and weaknesses for each chapter. I especially enjoyed the little personal touches that she included such as her feelings (and POV) as a reader, plot issues, and explaining potential problem areas. (Too wordy, too slow in development, character development, etc)
She clearly put a lot of time and work into providing helpful feedback and I would definitely recommend her services. Most importantly, she helped me break my writer’s block.
V. Rud
If you are still available, I'm interested. I'm assuming you do developmental, big picture beta reading. If it something different, I'd still love to solicit your beta skills.
I just completed working through Shalini's feedback on my novel. She gave me exactly what I needed, insightful, chapter-by-chapter thoughts. Along the way she pointed out numerous grammatical mistakes, misspellings, and even plot inconsistencies. Then she gave me a writeup of her thoughts on characters, overall plot, pacing, her thoughts on how to strengthen the novel and make it more a page-turner. Her work has actually caused me to rethink my editing process and how I incorporate beta readers vis-a-vie developmental editing. I highly recommend Shalini.
Annie wrote: "If you are still available, I'm interested. I'm assuming you do developmental, big picture beta reading. If it something different, I'd still love to solicit your beta skills."Hi Annie,
I would be delighted to. Please mail me at
digitalreadslibrary@outlookmail.com or digitalreadslibrary@gmail.com
I am so appreciative of Shalini's bet read of my manuscript. She gave me a great overview of the book as a whole which let me know the general weaknesses of the story. The comments made throughout the manuscript helped me see how the reader perceived the story in much more detail. This allowed me to see the disconnect between my imagination and the reader's. Thank you Shalini!
Despite the fact that the text contains only 500 words, but perhaps precisely because of that (!), Shalini immersed deep into the story and suggested how to make my story richer by adding a few extra action scenes. The story remains the same, but much more harmonious. If you are looking for an honest beta reader, who will not only compliment you but give you useful advice, I strongly recommend Shalini!
Shalini helped me focus my 135k Fantasy story by pointing out the parts that were too abstract and by giving me honest, critical feedback on my characters. Her summations of what she liked and what she remembered were particularly helpful as I sent her a miniature nuke in terms of world-building and terminology, ha! Thanks so much Shalini. <3
This was the second time I have used Shalini's beta reading services. On both occasions, she has been timely, considerate, and provided excellent assessment, feedback, and suggestions. It's been a real pleasure and I do not hesitate to give my highest recommendation to others considering beta reading. In the future, I will seek Shalini's help again. Chris A.
I engaged Shalini to read the third draft of my thriller novel, STRATAGEM. I was so impressed with her insightful feedback that I halted the final proofread on my first novel, NUCLEAR TIME BOMB (which I planned to publish in early March), and sent that to Shalini for a beta read as well. I believe that you will find Shalini to be a highly valuable resource.
I wanted to thank Shalini for her beta review of my first novel. She provided insightful and honest feedback that will help me recraft some key elements. She was fast, detailed and gave me the benefit of a readers perspective and the coaching from an experienced writer. I'll definitely work with Shalini again.
Scott Ousdahl
I just got my feedback from Shalini and wow - she is fab! Shalini looked over my 120K word manuscript in a very impressive(!) 48 hours. In this same period, she also delivered a marvelously constructive report along with in-doc comments pointing out areas that needed to be reworked or polished up. For months I've been bogged down in the minutiae of my plot, unable to see the woods for the trees, etc, etc. After this one beta read I can see things so much more clearly now.
Call me crazy, but I almost want to write another manuscript JUST so I can go through this delightfully clarifying process with Shalini all over again.
Shalini has helped me numerous times on all of my books. I would never attempt to finish up a project without her critical input. She is fast and very in-depth as to her comments. Shalini's professionalism has shined through in all the correspondences I have had with her over the years. Her words are truthful and encouraging. I greatly appreciate her candor, her guidance, as I'm sure everyone who has had the pleasure of working with her has. Thank you, Shalini. reply | edit | delete | flag *
To echo what so many here have said, I have nothing but thanks and good words to say about Shalini's services! She was thorough, thoughtful, prompt, and clearly put time and energy into my project. It was great to get her take, advice, and to hear her questions. I will certainly plan to use Shalini's beta-reading services again!!
Shalini gave me an excellent beta read for my novel. She dug deep and gave a great analysis. Not only was her work helpful, she was also prompt (beating her time estimate by weeks). I had a specific request while she was reading and she fulfilled it perfectly. Writers, you won't be disappointed by having Shalini beta read your work. The next time I'm looking for beta readers, I will gladly reach out to Shalini for another round.
Shalini has provided valuable feedback on two of my thriller novel manuscripts so far. I have found Shalini to be insightful, thoughtful, and to provide just the right touch to assist me to hone in on what makes the manuscripts fly higher and faster. Thank you Shalini. I will request your assistance again.
Shalini is my beta reader very special! Every time I work with her I'm greatly pleased by her work and couldn't ask for a better beta reader to work with. Her work is thorough, and it shows she loves her job.Shalini replies quickly and is very available to answer all the questions you might have as you go through your manuscript afterward.
Thanks again Shalini. Working with you is always a pleasure!
Shalini's feedback was honest and constructive and such a great help to me! She said things I needed to hear, which I now know will make my story better when edited. She did such a good job of pointing out both good and bad equally. Her work was thorough and delivered in the promised time. I couldn't have asked for a better beta reader!Thank you so much for your honesty Shalini!
Shalini is the best editor I've worked with so far. She always does an incredible job, and all her comments are very useful and make you see your story from an outsider's point of view. She helps me strengthen my weak points and bring my story to another level.Thank you for all your hard work, I'm so grateful to have you on my team!
Shalini is a great beta reader. Recommended.
Shalini is that special person an author needs in his/her life. She has a great eye for details and her comments are always on point and really make a difference to bring one’s story to another level. Whether it’s beta-reading or editing, I can’t imagine not having her in my team.
Thanks Shalini for all your work. Books are your passion and it shows every time you put your heart into one of my many projects!
Shalini read three of my short stories and her feedback was fantastic--very in depth on her thoughts, what she thinks worked and didn't work, and why. She was kind in describing negative issues and very helpful in providing suggestions for how to improve those issues. She also described what worked and why, which is very helpful also, so that I know also where I went right. Once I have more work available, I'd love to have her take a look again and keep me on my toes!
Shalini was awesome - gave me both positive and constructive feedback and a few paragraphs at the bottom of the chapter of what she liked/what could be clearer. I also provided her a few targeted questions, which she answered in-depth. Her turnaround for one chapter, about 3000 words, was less than a day of me sending it over. She noticed so many little details that I had looked over a hundred times while reading my own chapter. I would definitely recommend her and work with her for the rest of my MS!
I have engaged Shalini three times with excellent results every time. You can't go wrong using Shalini.
A big thanks to Shalini for her expert work on my frustration manuscript draft. Her comprehensive critique was exceptionally valuable in providing genuine and actionable recommendations. Her outline and in-text comments were immensely helpful in pointing out issues that are hard to see as a writer. I highly recommend Shalini as a beta reader for your manuscript.
Shalini is definitely the best beta reader I’ve ever worked with. She knows her stuff, and her service is much more than just beta reading. It’s extensive feedbacks with track changes plus a multi-page feedbacks document focusing on things like character development, setting, pace etc.
Shalini is my go-to person every time I have a new manuscript ready and working with her is always a pleasure.
I recommend her beta-reading services (and many of her other services) to anyone serious about their author career.
Accepting projects for end of November/December
Thanks Shalini for reading Lost Love (reader magnet). Excellent feedback, detailed and thorough. Very helpful.
I'm so l glad I asked Shalini to beta read my novel. Her feedback has been invaluable. Her comments were sensitive, astute and articulate and really an enormous help at this stage of my work. Worth every cent!
I hired Shalini to edit the last four chapters of my novel. She had a hard task to fit in with the previous editing style. She did a nice job, I also want to highlight that she's incredibly fast and flexible. Thank you very much!
Shalini is such a great beta reader - honest, astute, and such a quick but thorough reader! I plan to work with her again for my next book once it's finished.
There are hardly the right words to describe how wonderful working with Shalini was (or perhaps the words exist, but I haven't been able to string them together well enough)! She absolutely went above and beyond, providing pages of extremely detailed and considerate observations, and nuanced feedback for my manuscript, while being considerate of my feelings as a writer - a pleasant mix of constructive criticism and encouragement! I gave her 150,000 words to sift through and the turnaround time coupled with the quality of work was unmatched. I'll be sure to work with her again.
