Beta Reader Group discussion

320 views
PAID services offered > Real time reader's reaction! Partner with an Experienced Beta Reader/Developmental Editor to Perfect Your Story

Comments Showing 1-33 of 33 (33 new)    post a comment »
dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Jessica (new)

Jessica M | 2 comments Fiza beta read a book for me, and her read was amazing. Not only did she leave very useful and entertaining in-line comments in the entire novel, she also gave me a very detailed report at the end with great character notes, ideas for improvement, and lots of cohesive, clear thoughts about sections that could use improvement.

I have hired other beta readers on Fiver that have not put in the work. I'm pleased to say Fiza went well above and beyond what I expected of a beta read. If you're looking for someone professional, timely, engaging, and quick to respond, please look no further. Thanks for all your hard work, Fiza!


message 2: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Jessica wrote: "Fiza beta read a book for me, and her read was amazing. Not only did she leave very useful and entertaining in-line comments in the entire novel, she also gave me a very detailed report at the end ..."

Thank you, Jessica, for entrusting me with your work. Your writing is truly splendid, and working with you has been a fantastic experience. I'll keep on putting in my hard work. Thanks once again!


message 3: by Jessica (new)

Jessica M | 2 comments Fiza does it again! I just had another book read by her, and her work is just wonderful. This manuscript was less well developed than my previous one, and she was great at showing me places that needed improvement, both for the character and for the story overall. Generally speaking her feedback is good, both entertaining and useful in turns. I highly recommend her if you need any beta reading done.


message 4: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Jessica wrote: "Fiza does it again! I just had another book read by her, and her work is just wonderful. This manuscript was less well developed than my previous one, and she was great at showing me places that ne..."

Jessica, thank you for your kind words! It was a pleasure working on your manuscripts, and I'm thrilled to know that my insights were helpful to you. If you need any assistance with future projects, please don't hesitate to reach out. Best of luck with your writing journey!


message 5: by Cameron (new)

Cameron | 2 comments Fiza read a book for me a little while back and I wanted to leave a comment here to say how appreciative I am of the amazing and dedicated work she did. I had worked with a few other readers on this piece, but none did as cohesive and enlightening a read as Fiza. Not only did she leave detailed comments throughout the entirety of the piece, but she even provided a stunning reader report that totaled about 10+ pages featuring an insightful summary of her thoughts on the piece as well as notes for each chapter.

Most importantly, I felt that Fiza put in the effort to connect with and understand the piece in a way other readers have not done. A lot of beta readers you find online are also writers, and it's pretty clear they have a "you should have done it my way" kind of approach. With Fiza, she will take the time to know you and understand why and how you write the way you do. Because of this approach, I felt that her feedback was even more insightful since she empathizes with your personal writing and revising process and uses that knowledge to inform her feedback.

I've told her this already, but thank you so much for all the help you gave me Fiza! I would recommend her 1000x over to any writer looking for a beta reader that is dedicated, hard-working, smart and caring. Thank you again.


message 6: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Cameron wrote: "Fiza read a book for me a little while back and I wanted to leave a comment here to say how appreciative I am of the amazing and dedicated work she did. I had worked with a few other readers on thi..."

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a heartfelt and encouraging review, Cameron! Working on your book was an absolute pleasure, and I'm thrilled that my feedback was helpful. Wishing you continued success with your writing journey, and I'm here whenever you need another set of eyes. Happy writing!


message 7: by Mandy (new)

Mandy Artusato | 1 comments Fiza was absolutely wonderful and by far, the most helpful beta reader I have hired. Fiza was very careful to critique with respect. She knows that writers often wear their hearts on their sleeve and made sure her comments were a positive criticism and not something that will make you want to crawl under your bedcovers and lay there for months or until you have licked your wounds.
I plan on hiring Fiza again. And again. And again if she is still available. I foresee Fiza going far with her career, as either a book coach or something in that vein. Whatever it will be, I know Fiza will succeed. Her understanding to what your story needs is astounding. I cannot rave enough about her. I believe that after her beta read, my story will get to where it will belong. Wherever that is (but hopefully on bookshelves).
Thank you again for your wonderful comments and critique! Forever grateful,
Mandy aka Freya Jensen Brandt


message 8: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Mandy wrote: "Fiza was absolutely wonderful and by far, the most helpful beta reader I have hired. Fiza was very careful to critique with respect. She knows that writers often wear their hearts on their sleeve a..."

Hi Mandy,

Thank you for your kind words and positive feedback. It's important to me that writers feel encouraged rather than discouraged, and I'm thrilled that you found the balance in my feedback. I would be happy to assist you with your future projects and your belief in my potential for a successful career is heartening.

I'm excited about the journey your story is taking, and I'll be cheering it on, hoping it finds its deserving spot, perhaps on many bookshelves :)

Thank you again for your wonderful words and the opportunity to be a part of your creative process. Happy writing!


message 9: by Megan (new)

Megan Sleigh | 1 comments Fiza did the beta reading for my first book and her review and comments were very insightful and constructive. While very respectful, she points out any inconsistencies and gives suggestions where others just told me they liked my writing.

It was great seeing her comments on my story as she read and then reading her full report after. I am so excited to start editing my manuscript with a fresh set of eyes.

Highly recommended and I will definitely use Fiza for my next book :)


message 10: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Megan wrote: "Fiza did the beta reading for my first book and her review and comments were very insightful and constructive. While very respectful, she points out any inconsistencies and gives suggestions where ..."

Your kind words mean a lot, Megan. It was a great experience working on your first book, and I would love to be a part of your next book too! If you have any questions or need assistance in the future, don't hesitate to reach out to me.

Keep up the great work, and happy writing!


message 11: by K.C. (new)

K.C. Phillips (kcphilli) Fiza was an excellent beta reader - in fact, she functioned more like a developmental editor than a beta! She had thoughtful insight into every aspect of my book.
The book Fiza beta read for me is a dystopian Sci-Fi story. Fiza gave intricate feedback regarding complex worldbuilding and asked pertinent questions. She even found a few small plotholes in the worldbuilding!
Her understanding of characters, story arc, and nuance are all impressive and invaluable to any author seeking beta feedback. I recommend hiring Fiza to beta-read your project before finalizing your draft for publishing.
I especially enjoyed Fiza's inline reader reactions to the story, which both entertained me and helped me identify places where I could be more or less explicit in my use of details.
I will be hiring Fiza again!


message 12: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Kate wrote: "Fiza was an excellent beta reader - in fact, she functioned more like a developmental editor than a beta! She had thoughtful insight into every aspect of my book.
The book Fiza beta read for me is ..."


Thank you for your kind words, Kate. Working on your project was an absolute delight, and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

I hope you take the next step in publishing; your distinct style deserves all the recognition. Whenever you need assistance, I'll be here for you. Thanks once again.

Wishing you a wonderful editing journey!


message 13: by Danard (new)

Danard D | 1 comments Fiza has proven to be an excellent beta reader for me. She was thorough, honest and attentive. Fiza covered all of the areas that I requested and more, all to great detail. Her ability to take time to receive follow up questions and engage in conversations about certain aspects of my manuscript was very appreciated. I’ll be in contact with her again for the next one.


message 14: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Danard wrote: "Fiza has proven to be an excellent beta reader for me. She was thorough, honest and attentive. Fiza covered all of the areas that I requested and more, all to great detail. Her ability to take time..."

It was a great experience working on your manuscript, Danard. I really enjoyed the thrill and mystery of it. Thank you for trusting me with your manuscript. I look forward to working with you again.

Happy writing!


message 15: by Ryan (new)

Ryan P (hartzwolf22) | 13 comments I'm looking for a beta reader for my fantasy novel. Hartz Tale-The Lone Wolf and Orphan Boy. It's about a wolf who's lost his family, and finds himself 1,000 years in the future. Ability, he can't die, as an eternal, though not possible. He adopts a human son, orphaned by a cult's cruelty, he runs to find peace, but he has to train and fight the cult.


message 16: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Ryan wrote: "I'm looking for a beta reader for my fantasy novel. Hartz Tale-The Lone Wolf and Orphan Boy. It's about a wolf who's lost his family, and finds himself 1,000 years in the future. Ability, he can't ..."

Hi, Ryan. Your story blurb sounds interesting. I would love to know more about it, and beta read it for you. If you have any questions or want to talk about my services, feel free to drop into my inbox at fizaabbas@gmail.com. I'd be happy to assist you :)


message 17: by BW (last edited Apr 29, 2024 02:32PM) (new)

BW | 1 comments Thanks to Fiza, I gained valuable insight from a reader’s perspective. As a writer, we want to make sure the story is coming across the way we intend it to, and Fiza helped make sure of that. From helpful commentary, to breaking down character development, world building, and plot holes, she offers it all. The Beta Report Fiza offered at the end of her read was insightful and provided crucial details to make my story better. I intend to use her services again and would recommend her in a heartbeat.


message 18: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Brittany wrote: "Thanks to Fiza, I gained valuable insight from a reader’s perspective. As a writer, we want to make sure the story is coming across the way we intend it to, and Fiza helped make sure of that. From ..."

Brittany, thank you for entrusting me with your work. It was an absolute pleasure to work on your manuscript, and I am glad that you enjoyed it as well. Your book was a great read, and I hope to see your book published someday.

I am looking forward to working with you again in the future :)

Happy writing!


message 19: by K.C. (new)

K.C. Phillips (kcphillipsbooks) | 2 comments Fiza is incredible. This is the second book she's beta read for me, and really, her feedback is at the level of a developmental editor in my opinion. I can't wait to have her read my next book.
Fiza is professional, thorough, and has the kind of meticulous eye for detail that every writer should hold their work against before it's released to the public.
Her understanding of character development, story arcs, pacing, formal writing structure, and technical accuracy are underpinned by the emotional core of a lifelong reader. Her beta feedback and inline comments gave me valuable insight into the reader's experience.
Hire Fiza; you won't be disappointed!


message 20: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Fiza wrote: "Brittany wrote: "Thanks to Fiza, I gained valuable insight from a reader’s perspective. As a writer, we want to make sure the story is coming across the way we intend it to, and Fiza helped make su..."

Wow! This made my day. Thank you for your kind words and trust in my abilities, Kate! It's been a great experience joining you on your journey as an author. I can't wait to read your next book and continue supporting you!


message 21: by Cameron (last edited Jun 14, 2024 11:34AM) (new)

Cameron | 2 comments I guess I'm not the only one who goes back to Fiza for reading. This is the second time I've worked with Fiza, and I have to say she blew me away once again. There's something about her approach that's unique to other readers. She doesn't read as if she's manipulating the work, trying to make it fit her own vision like so many others do - instead, she picks up on your own personal style and runs with it, marking moments that diverge from the intention of the piece and highlighting stand-out scenes and lines that make the work powerful.

If you're looking for a reader with a growth-mindset who is committed to helping you make YOUR work better, Fiza is the one to go to. She's inspired me to stay committed to my vision and passions, regardless of what others have said to make me question myself. I'm not even sure she realizes the impact she's had on me as a writer, but it has been profound.


message 22: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Cameron wrote: "I guess I'm not the only one who goes back to Fiza for reading. This is the second time I've worked with Fiza, and I have to say she blew me away once again. There's something about her approach th..."

Thank you so much for your incredibly kind and thoughtful words, Cameron! I really appreciate that my approach resonates with you and helps you stay true to your vision. I've absolutely loved working with you and on your pieces. I can't wait to keep supporting you on your writing journey. Always believe in yourself and your visions!


message 23: by Chris (new)

Chris Tubbs | 42 comments Fiza recently beta-read a Western I wrote and stood out among several other beta readers. Her feedback was a perfect blend of supportive and constructive, honest, and direct. It was clear she invested considerable time and truly understood the story, offering both big-picture observations and detailed insights into character motivations and plot holes. I was so impressed that I wanted her to beta-read another book I'm writing. I absolutely recommend her.


message 24: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Chris wrote: "Fiza recently beta-read a Western I wrote and stood out among several other beta readers. Her feedback was a perfect blend of supportive and constructive, honest, and direct. It was clear she inves..."

Thank you for your kind words, Chris. Working on your Western fiction was a wonderful experience, and I'm thrilled that my feedback was helpful to you. I'm really looking forward to working on your second book. Thank you for your trust and recommendation. It means a lot :)


message 25: by Kassie (new)

Kassie | 10 comments I hired Fiza for in-line comments only, but what really impressed me from the start is getting a long email addressing how she felt about the story and some aspects that stood out to her, which was something I wasn't expecting but it was very welcomed. She also answered my beta reader questions in a good amount of detail so that also was very welcomed.

I only write long reviews for beta readers who I think other authors would benefit from hiring and who I don't think are pressuring me to write a good review. I know it can be stressful to get constant emails to review a beta reader on Goodreads that you don't really want to review or who you didn't think did the best but feel pressured to leave a positive review anyways, especially as a debut author.

I DID NOT feel pressured or felt the need to do that with Fiza! She is amazing and I can say with great confidence she delivers and my review is 100 percent authentic! She made over 1000 comments which took me a few hours to get through but that's nothing but a good thing! It means she took her job seriously and read my book and left a lot of detail. It was very helpful to see her raw and honest reactions as she read because it's helpful for me to see how a reader would react to my story in real time. I never felt discouraged when reading her comments. In fact I smiled a lot and felt very comfortable.

A lot of her comments were very funny and she raised a lot of questions but that's exactly what I was looking for! I really wanted to know what would pique a reader's curiosity or cause confusion so her commenting style was excellent for that. I didn't hire her for a reader's report but the way she communicated with me over email and how she commented made me regret not hiring her for a reader's report as well! I will next time for sure.

She's very encouraging and I can tell she loves stories and her job but she also loves authors. It's good that she's critical but she really tries hard to adapt to author's needs and wants. I felt like my story would be in good hands if I were to hire her as a developmental editor because she would work with my vision instead of try to change it and she really tries hard to make sure I was comfortable which was very nice after some not so nice beta reading experiences. She's very sweet and got my project back in a fast manner. I really appreciate her hard work and how she went above and beyond because she answered my follow up questions in great detail too! She also always answered my emails in multi paragraphs which again is very welcomed. I know she is busy yet she still takes the time to craft very detailed responses. It means a lot to me.

I truly think authors would benefit from hiring her. You'll get raw reader reactions that are so helpful and let you know exactly what to change and what to keep in terms of a reader's perspective. I really enjoyed my time working with her and do wish I asked for a reader's report so in my opinion I would advise hiring her for that as well because she's great, but her in-line comments were superb!


message 26: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments This just made my day. Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed review of my services, Kay! I'm thrilled that you appreciated my style of working. As a beta reader, it's my priority that authors don't feel discouraged by my feedback and understand how readers truly think about their stories. I hope your book reaches many readers because its narrative is so important and inspiring. Thank you for considering me for your second book. I would love to continue working with you. Happy writing!


message 27: by Jeffrey (new)

Jeffrey Hall | 3 comments I recently hired Fiza to take a look at my horror-fantasy novel as a beta reader, and I was extremely pleased with her thorough and thoughtful notes. She took great care to provide helpful feedback on the plots, pacing, characters, and world-building.

I highly recommend Fiza if you're looking for a second set of eyes on your manuscript as I found her service to be supremely helpful. I look forward to working with her again on a future project.

Thanks, Fiza!


message 28: by Ashley (new)

Ashley Neely | 3 comments Fiza provided beta reader services for my book and I wanted to take a moment to highlight her for her excellent work. She was extremely communicative through the whole process, met deadlines, and provided extremely useful feedback on my project. I found her insights to be nuanced and thoughtful, and I very much appreciated her sense of humor. I would definitely seek out Fiza again for any other writing projects in the future!


message 29: by William (last edited Jan 06, 2025 03:57PM) (new)

William E | 1 comments I just hired Fiza beta read my first novel, she was excellent. I would share the good and the bad, but there is no real "bad". I made dozens of changes that she recommended, none of them were sweeping changes, but many were quite important: plot holes, to poorly worded expositions or world descriptions. She was worth every dollar.

What she did well: Read every line and responded whenever something wasn't right, or easy to understand. So while she didn't comment on everything, her comments were in-line and easy to make sense of.

Her and I had to bridge a huge cultural divide and she clearly has enough experience to read through what makes us different, and was quick to pick up where the similarities are. It felt good to think that my book would translate to groups other than my own

Lastly, she finished the work with a report that covered all the things it should - what she liked, what she didn't, where readers might struggle, and where they may be pleased. I felt it was a fair review and I learned a lot about my own writing process.

I hope this helps you decide if Fiza would be a good beta reader for you, I plan on having her bets read the next in the series myself, so count that as a recommendation.


message 30: by Architect (last edited Mar 20, 2025 02:04PM) (new)

Architect . | 3 comments This is my second time working with Fiza, and I'm so glad I did.

First off, I've worked with plenty of beta readers in this group, and one thing that stands out to me is Fiza has a voice while beta reading. It reminds me of how an author has their own voice and style. For example, when I read her in-line comments, I can picture a human, and her style becomes clear as the comments go on. This comforts me, since sometimes I feel beta readers can be too robotic because they're so focused on trying to hunt for stuff to fix. Or some sound like Ads, are way too professional, or just plain rude and cold. Fiza's comments are a blend between professional, funny, and engaging. She talks to the characters sometimes while also commenting on the story and things that are making her ponder (examples below.)

That brings me to my next praise--I love how Fiza focuses on the story. I've come across many beta readers who are so focused on hunting for things to fix that they miss out on a lot of details. Fiza reads it like I want her to: as a test reader. It makes it so much easier to understand what is actually a problem instead of a random nitpick.

I do think sometimes beta readers fall into the trap of being overly helpful to where it harms the story, because they're focused on returning something back to the author. If they just say "it's good as is" it might not feel like they're doing their job. I understand that, but in my opinion, their job is to simply comment on the manuscript as a reader, not give me suggestions where it leaves me confused (like trying to change the name of gadgets or colors in the story, which would dilute the themes.)

Fiza isn't like that, which I enjoy a lot. She makes it really easy to see what a reader is thinking and feeling as the story moves on, and since she's focused on reading to discover/enjoy, all of her comments are very helpful.

Additionally, her comments are detailed. For example, compare these comments:
"Very admirable!"
"Nice line!"
"Excellent plot twist!"
"I mean, I kind of agree!"
These are from another beta reader I worked with.

These are some comments Fiza gave me:
"It’s okay. You’re being too harsh on yourself." (talking to a character)

"Reading this made me realize that in the last chapter, it was mainly Grand Finale who greeted the Rodatundans with the APEX greeting and bid them goodbye. I thought it was peculiar that no one else seemed to follow, but I let it slide, thinking they probably did and it’s just not mentioned there. But here, reading that you mentioned all four of them, it makes me wonder if Grand Finale’s solo greeting and goodbye in the last chapter was deliberate or held some specific meaning behind it."

"This gives a very beautiful insight into their relationship. Even if Leillya and Alantrix are giving a sort of final test to the pledge, they’re still not afraid to have fun with their pledge dad, who is also their supervisor for the test. It shows their friendly and caring dynamics."

Now I know some beta readers will say it isn't their job to be detailed if they don't want to, and that's okay, but if I have to pick between two beta readers who are similar in price, I'm going with the more detailed one. And as you can see, she definitely doesn't just do endless praise--she brings up good questions, shows she's paying attention while giving her own opinion. Her comments were helpful in seeing where I can be more detailed and if my scene landed as intended.

She also writes a ton of comments--in my manuscript she wrote over 500, but that's because she had already read a previous draft. Her comments on that draft were in the 1000s. Even if the comment is simply an emoji, I still find it helpful, because it shows what the reader is feeling.

She also answers all emails with so much detail as well as the questionnaire I sent her. I feel bad ranting to her, but it feels really nice to have someone to talk to and know you'll get a response. It feels like she genuinely cares about authors as humans.

I also love that she is experienced and honest enough to get her turnaround time accurate. I really dislike when beta readers rush through my manuscript just so I can write a review saying they're fast. It actually makes me want to write a negative review, because I can clearly tell they didn't take the time to actually read it (misspelling my characters' names, getting facts wrong, and having a very... messy report are some indications.) And don't get me started on the rise of AI.

Thankfully, Fiza actually takes the time to read the manuscript and actually think about it. She does give in the moment comments just like a first-time reader would, but it's nice to see her ponder as the manuscript goes on as well as in her email responses. For my manuscript, it took her two and a half weeks, but my work was pretty long, and I'd rather a beta reader take their time instead of rush.

And this is just a personal preference, but I like that she has a great attention span. It reassures me that I don't have to spoon-feed readers, and I should trust them, because sometimes I get feedback saying I should "tell" more when I'm not comfortable doing that.

I also love that she splits her payments in two-- half before she completes it and half after. It shows she isn't going to ghost.

She also really takes the time to understand why you write the way you do, so it's nice to see someone who actually respects an author's voice but also doesn't sugarcoat and is honest.

Overall, I'm really picky about who I recommend to hire. Fiza is definitely one person I recommend. It's refreshing to see a beta reader who doesn't skim and tries their hardest to mimic an authentic reader's experience. I only write essays for beta readers that I deem beneficial for authors. I want authors to be able to keep their voice while actually getting honest feedback that's not only something like "change the org's colors" "don't call this a circle, call it an orb instead" (when it was a circle for a specific reason. And the colors mean something.) or just feedback that's confusing because you can tell they weren't reading (or ran it through AI.)

I want authors to shine creatively as they're my community, not my competition.

I find Fiza helpful, her comments are engaging (authors need to be engaged too!) and they're fun to read.


message 31: by S.B (new)

S.B Hampton | 5 comments Working with Fiza as a beta reader was an absolute pleasure. Her feedback was thoughtful, detailed, and consistently constructive, offering both encouragement and insightful suggestions that helped elevate my manuscript. She has a sharp eye for pacing, character development, and emotional depth, often pointing out subtleties I had overlooked. Fiza strikes a rare balance between being honest and kind—never hesitating to address weak spots while always maintaining a tone that motivates rather than discourages.

What stood out most was her dedication. She clearly took the time to immerse herself in the story, asking meaningful questions and offering perspective not just as a reader, but as someone invested in making the book better. Her notes were organized and easy to follow, and she often went above and beyond, suggesting small changes that had a big impact.

If you’re looking for a beta reader who will treat your work with care, attention, and genuine passion, I cannot recommend Fiza highly enough. She’s an invaluable part of my creative process, and I would be lucky to work with her again.


message 32: by Fiza (new)

Fiza Abbas (fizaabbas) | 97 comments Thank you so much for your kind words, Sadie. I really appreciate you taking the time to post a review of my services. You made my day! I would love to continue working with you :)

If you are looking for similar feedback for your manuscript, dear authors. My service rate starts at $0.0015. Do not hesitate to contact me at fizaabbas.562@gmail.com or visit my website at https://fizabbas.com/ to learn more about me and my services.


message 33: by zachary taylor (new)

zachary taylor | 1 comments Fiza did an absolutely wonderful job beta reviewing my first novel. She was very prompt and very responsive. Most importantly, she did a very thorough analysis of Rockstar: Echoes. What she uncovered was instrumental to me being successful. I will absolutely work with her, again!


back to top