Beta Reader Group discussion

Dear Authors,
I am offering free and honest beta reader services for books of any genre not more than 70k words for free. I am excited to be of help to old or inspiring authors. I would love to help you evaluate and build up your manuscript
My turn around time is a maximum of two weeks and I offer;
- feedback on characters,plot,pacing etc
- honest in spur of the moment reactions
- corrections and suggestions where necessary
- I will answer any specific feedback or question you may have in regards to the manuscript

Please send me an email via sophiah269@gmail.com

Email sent.

Thank you so much for your read, thoughts, and advice. Your encouragement was very much appreciated, I am intrigued by your suggestions; they are not ones I would have ever considered. on my own, but now will.

To anyone considering reaching out to Sophi and trusting your work with her… do it :) Sophi was very communicative about how she felt, what she was thinking, as she read, and in her final report she further shared how the story affected her, feedback after being so long in the story myself, I was needing to better know what if any final revisions I need to male.

To Sophi directly, thank you for volunteering your time and thoughts. It’s not a small thing to commit to read a novel that is is of a wholly unknown quality, and I want you to know I don’t take your kindness for granted. Sincerely, thank you.

I've sent you an email!

@Rishu Morisato
You're most welcome. Thank you for trust me with your beautiful piece. Say hi to Taso for me.

Email sent, but I also wanted to check in with your word count limit since I'm over it 😅

I understand completely if it's a no-go in that case, but worth an ask on my end

email sent. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Emailed you :)

Email sent! Thanks so much!

I emailed you.

Email sent. Many thanks.

Sophi! Thank you so much for your beta review. You gave me so much more elaborate feedback than I expected to get. To anyone ready for a beta reader, Sophi is def. the person to contact!

Sophi just finished a beta review for me and I was thrilled by her careful, insightful and sensitive read. She not only marked up the 88,00 word manuscript but gave me a full report including the novel's strengths and weaknesses. Her comments were super helpful and her turn-around time was super quick. I am very grateful.
Lyn

Hi Sophie, thank you for your post! If I’m at 91K, should I trim down the 1,000 words before sending it to you?

Hi Sophie. I popped you an email.

Hi Sophia, I've sent an email. Email is kelseydinan@gmail.com

Thanks for offering your services! :)

email sent. thanks for such a generous offering

Dear Authors,

I am still accepting offers of free reads for manuscripts not more than 90k words. Please send me a mail via sophiah269@gmail.com or reply under this thread. I will be expecting your manuscript.

Gosh, I'm not sure how much I can articulate how incredible this service was for me. I requested a review of a novella, thinking I might get a short paragraph on whether Sophie liked the book. TBH: this was all I expected. I had long forgotten reading her offer on Goodreads and all the pleased reviews of her work, so when she delivered my MS back AND attached a separate report, I was blown away. I think I might have stared at it for several seconds, wondering how I'd got so fortunate to have found her.

I have a few questions I generally use for beta readers so I can assess if I've hit my mark or not, because I don't want to overwhelm a beta reader and want to make it easy for them to give me helpful feedback.

What Sophie provided was beyond my expectations, and way past what I might have hoped for. It was heartfelt, encouraging commentary on so many things like plot, pacing, characterization, and more, from her viewpoint. She delivered a marked up MS and a separate report, which I thought was going way beyond what a beta read should be asked to do. In fact, it was enough that I felt like I was taking advantage.

I knew by her comments where I met my mark for my tropes and if they didn't. And she gave feedback that I can put to use immediately.

Thank you Sophie! I am still processing the generosity.

You're most welcome Thea.

Email sent with a request and description. Thanks for your kind offer!

Hi Sophie, just joined and sent you an email request for the beta read, and everything in it. If you can great, if not, I understand. Best Regards
Will

Hello! I am seeking some free beta readers for my novel: Because the Demons Scream So Loudly. The novel is 115k words, so if that's a deal breaker for you, then I totally understand. It is literary fiction- it is a slow burn, introspective, pensive novel. It is an epistolary novel- it is written completely in journal/diary format. The novel is a mixed bag of religion/spirituality/romance/vampiric elements/fantasy.

Blurb/Excerpt: Entry 148- I still don't know how I managed it, Holy Sonom Soeht; the mind is indeed a powerful thing. My mind had already started to dissociate as the bleeder ran up to me, pinned me on the ground, and sunk his teeth into my neck. I fixed my eyes on the emerging moon as blood dripped down the back of my neck. The night lights blurred with tears but did not disappear. Not a single muscle of mine moved as he released my neck and stood up. To my shock, the bleeder spoke then as my gaze remained pinned on the sky. “It’s been quite a long time since I drew blood without a fight, and from a god woman to boot.” I heard him pick up my broken cleric chain off the ground. His foot pushed against my still frozen face as he stood over me, dangling my chain from his hand. “Such a shame that misery and naivety are not virtues,” he declared with blood still on his lips. The chain fell on the dirt beside me. As I listened to his footsteps turn and leave me, he hollered, “A word of advice, woman. If I can smell the insincerity on you, don’t you think your omniscient deity can?” I’m not sure how many minutes passed after he left, with me still paralyzed on the ground weeping.

If you are interested in beta reading for me, let me know. I e-mailed you as well as you requested. Please feel free to ask me any additional questions. Thank you so very much for your valuable time in considering it! Happy 2025!

Sincerely,
Witny Lit

Hey Sophie!

I've just finished an early draft of a 65K Adult science fiction and am now looking for another set of eyes. I appreciate feedback on any aspects (plot, characters, etc.).

Blurb:
At first people were fascinated by them, then they were discriminated, and now they are eliminated.
A new genetic mutation causes humans to experience extreme emotions, and heightened senses. Not only that, when they feel these strong emotions, they glow. Geneies lived peacefully among normal humans until some started to take advantage of their abilities. The government run program Gene-x was created to control Geneies and keep the peace.
Lana has spent her whole life under the shadow of Gene-x and she is ready to get out and fight for change in the world. When she is offered her dream job at a research lab on the Eastcoast, the last thing she wants to do is go back to her hometown. Over the summer she finds new friendships, attempts reconciliation of family relationships, discovers hidden secrets, and her passion to protect Geneies is ignited with a reminder of who and what she is fighting for.

Let me know if you are interested, thanks!

I am definitely old, but the word count may be too high, I understand
I am seeking Beta Readers for an Apocalyptic Novel. If this interests you, I would greatly appreciate your feedback as a reader, focusing on readability and overall enjoyment. While I welcome any suggestions or comments, my primary interest is understanding your general impression of the book. The manuscript is complete, with a word count of 120,000.

Are you a fan of dark, gritty stories that keep you on the edge of your seat? I’m looking for beta readers for my dark apocalyptic novel, a raw and intense tale centred around two teens fighting for survival in a shattered world.

The story follows their harrowing journey to safety, 130 miles of treacherous terrain, moral dilemmas, and unimaginable dangers. It’s a graphic, emotionally charged narrative that doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of a collapsing society.

If you enjoy stories that blend heart-pounding action with deep character development, I’d love your feedback! Let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll share more details.

Thanks for considering this story. It means a lot to me, and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

I can supply you with the book blurb if this interests you.
Content warning.
Violence
There is some sexual innuendo, no sex scenes, though.
death.

Info.
UK based, UK spelling.
This will not be the first book I have published.
120k.

Review:
Sophie read my novel draft and provided a Word document with four pages of honest feedback. She gave a summary of the plot, descriptions of the main characters, strengths and weaknesses, and her thoughts on the story and the writing in general. The turnaround time was around four weeks.

Review: I invited Sophie to review my book, Beneath the Breaking Lines, in January 2025, and within a week, she returned my manuscript with insightful comments—acknowledging, praising, or questioning various aspects of the content. Along with her annotations, she provided a detailed report summarising her thoughts, with dedicated sections on characters, themes, strengths, weaknesses, and a well-rounded conclusion. Her feedback is clear, well-structured, and makes it easy to identify areas for improvement. Sophie’s sharp editorial eye is matched by her great sense of humour, which helps soften the impact of constructive criticism. If you're looking for a thoughtful and thorough beta reader, Sophie should be at the top of your list.

I asked Sophie to read my memoir, and she sent me a FIVE PAGE REPORT that included her thoughts on the novel, and a seasoned reader's interpretation of the:
-themes/motifs
-narrative style and structure
-symbolism
-emotional and philosophical impact

It also included a detailed list of the strengths of the manuscript and its weaknesses (with examples). And she gave a final verdict. Honestly the most wholistic and helpful review I've received on the manuscript so far. Highly recommend!

Hello, this is a review concerning Sophie's FREE Beta Read of my 1st books manuscript The Reason: Book One - Tribe and Family. a dystopian thriller, military speculative fictional blend of a story ;)

Sophie is very pleasant, caring and takes her time giving her feedback. Which is not a bad thing, but I a great thing. Meaning she's thorough.
She read the goggle doc file and made comments as she read which is great because you could see she was doing it. She's professional and personable and wants to help you out as much as she can. She gives you a report at the end after finishing your manuscript. Mine was 9 pages long! She gives you her thoughts, broke mine down into themes, character analysis, pacing analysis, plot analysis. Strengths and weaknesses of the novel and an in conclusion section.
I couldn't have asked for more and am pleased. She gave me things to consider adjusting, addressing and changing for a better read for the reader. I do believe she even offers a one time call to discuss the project but I didn't think I needed to do that but having the option is appreciated. I plan on utilizing her services again in the future if she's still available.
Thank you Sophia for all the work, time and consideration you have put into your endeavor of helping me with my book.
Will G.

Charles wrote: "Hello, this is a review concerning Sophie's FREE Beta Read of my 1st books manuscript The Reason: Book One - Tribe and Family. a dystopian thriller, military speculative fictional blend of a story ..."

It's my Pleasure Will.

Sophie is a delightful beta reader who invested her heart into her reading and feedback of my manuscript.

Her passion to highlight pertinent points (plot, characters, story arc and many more) in order to elevate the actual craft of my story telling is invaluable. She shone a light on the details that my piece both achieves and lacks. Her comments on my doc. gave me much needed insight into the reader's experience. Sophie clarified aspects like the genre and the audience who would enjoy reading my manuscript and why. Her well-rounded conceptualization of themes in her report enriched my own perception of the level I have established them. She simplified the structure in a gracious and tangible manner as I too needed clarification of it.

I now have actionable direction on the next steps to take (including working on the confusing areas - sorry for that! 😂).

I am thrilled to have had my fledgling manuscript read by a story-cheerleader who is so thoughtful and supportive. You're a gem, Sophie! Thank you for adding your beautiful presence to the beta reader world (and beyond).

Jeannine wrote: "Sophie is a delightful beta reader who invested her heart into her reading and feedback of my manuscript.

Her passion to highlight pertinent points (plot, characters, story arc and many more) in ..."


Jeannie 😂😂😂 your book kept me on my toes but it was worth it. I'm looking forward to Book two dear. Thank you for trusting me once again.

Sophie was kind enough to be a beta reader for my manuscript. She was not only a wonderful cheerleader with her comments throughout the text, but she also provided an insightful report offering her thoughts on its areas of strengths/areas of weakness.

Every suggestion made was done with such a thoughtful and considerate tone. Her ability to nudge you in a new direction or to help you consider things in a new way is done with such care that you feel inspired and not discouraged.

And last but not least, she's FAST!

Thanks Sophie, for the time you spend reading my novel. I'm lucky to have found you!

I cannot thank Sophiah enough for their incredible help and support as a beta reader. Their feedback was not only insightful and constructive but also delivered with kindness and clarity. Their attention to detail, encouragement, and thoughtful commentary made this process so much smoother and more rewarding.

Working with Sophiah was a game changer. They truly went above and beyond, and I’m deeply grateful for the time, care, and brainpower they put into helping me shape this project. Thank you so, so much—you made a huge difference!

Sophie ❤️ wrote: "Dear Authors,
I am offering free and honest beta reader services for books of any genre not more than 90k words for free. I am excited to be of help to old or inspiring authors. I would love to hel..."

Email sent. Hope to hear from you soon!

I was extremely impressed with Sophie’s work and turn around time. Her feedback suggestions help me make my story much better and I thank her for that!

Hi Sophie ,

Do you accept work in progress work by chance? If so are you still accepting submissions?

Thanks ,

Mila

I can’t not thank Sophia enough for her thoughtful and detailed feedback on my story. I truly appreciate the time and care she put into her notes—it really shows and it made me incredibly happy reading her thoughts. Her insights were not only useful in helping me spot areas that needed more development, but she also pointed out what was working well, which is incredibly encouraging and made me eager to write more.

I especially liked how she formatted her feedback. It was clear, organized, and easy to follow, which made it much easier for me to act on her suggestions. Her balance of constructive critique and positive reinforcement made the whole process really enjoyable.

Thanks again for being such a great beta reader! ❤️❤️

Hi Sophia, your reviews are great, would you be interested in another read?

The Promises is a 50 k literary buddy caper about trauma, ageing, friendship and love.

Paris editor-turned-Tarot-healer Cacharel leads the Bali AA women’s Promises meeting, when English sidekick Bullit shares her fears about her ex. A 6 foot fighter blonde who last left Bullit in a burning house in Kharkiv, Ruslana is coming to visit. Avoiding tactful Australian Roman, and protective of Bullit, Cacharel decides to meet the ex. What could go wrong?

My novel Motherborn was published in the UK by Lendal Press in 2021.

To say that Sophie's beta-reading feedback on my romcom went above and beyond would be to drastically understate the value of her contribution. Her detailed analysis of characters, themes, strengths, areas for improvement, and overall thoughts would have been a bargain for a paid review and is downright extraordinary for a free beta read. If you're searching for a beta reader to shine a light into the parts of your story you may not have considered, she should be your first consideration. Thanks, Sophie, for the thought you put into your feedback!

Hi Sophie! Are you able to do children's books? Mine is 4k word children's chapter book. It's aimed towards girls in grades K-2 and explores themes of friendship, self-worth, and luck. TIA!

Hello! Are you still offering your free beta service? I have a work in progress manuscript ready to receive feedback. It is part memoir/part guide about grief and surviving it—with humor along the way

Dara,

This person is offering their services. Is that what you're interested in? Please be sure that you are posting in the correct folder.

Thanks,

Lisa

Steven wrote: "To say that Sophie's beta-reading feedback on my romcom went above and beyond would be to drastically understate the value of her contribution. Her detailed analysis of characters, themes, strength..."

The pleasure is all mine Steven, glad I could help.

Anna wrote: "Hi Sophie! Are you able to do children's books? Mine is 4k word children's chapter book. It's aimed towards girls in grades K-2 and explores themes of friendship, self-worth, and luck. TIA!"

Send me an email Anna, i'd love to help.

Liz wrote: "Dara,

This person is offering their services. Is that what you're interested in? Please be sure that you are posting in the correct folder.

Thanks,

Lisa"

Thank you so much Lisa, for looking out for me. I don't know who that guy is. Let's all be safe please.

Hi I am looking for a beta reader to read my COMEDY MURDER MYSTERY novel, complete at 104 K - so if you could read first 70K ???

Margo, is not thinking about her Californicating husband. She’s in her bubble: her beautiful, esoteric work as a patent attorney (not the focus of the plot, just where Margo hides and a vehicle for geek comedy). So she’s definitely not thinking about whether he is behind the carjacking on her drive or whether he murdered a neighbour. And to make sure it stays this way, she’s going to have to hoover the evidence before the police .

I'd love to hear your comments on my story!

Cheers
H

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Sophie,
I have a short (17,724 words) Police Procedural/Thriller that I have been working on. I have gotten to the point where I need a few sets of new eyes to look at it.

If you have the time and inclination I would be interested in having you read it.

Thank you either way.
Pat