Miya’s avatar

Miya has been freelancing as an alpha/beta reader and editor since 2019; she has also worked as a proofreader, refining novels for publication. After a hiatus from college, she is now pursuing her Creative Writing major full-time, specializing in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

About

Alpha reading is an early stage of manuscript review that focuses on enhancing a story’s core elements before progressing to more comprehensive revisions. Unlike beta reading, the alpha reader provides feedback from the perspective of both a writer and reader, resulting in more insightful comments.

In my service, I give feedback on the following areas: Plot and Development, Structure and Flow, Mood and Tone, Emotional Impact, Believability, and Characterization.

I also provide a Reader Report, where I grade your story in each of these areas and explain how you got such a score.

How it Works

I provide feedback using MS Word with Track Changes enabled. The reviewed story is delivered as both a DOCX and a PDF file. If preferred, I can also work in Google Docs, and the deliverable will be a GDocs file.

The Reader Report is provided in a separate PDF.

Pricing

For just $10, I will alpha read any story up to 3,000 words. For longer manuscripts, I can provide a custom quote.

Reviews

5-star rating on Fiverr

This service was previously hosted on Fiverr under the name Lizonka. Thus, the Fiverr rating above.

For information about the scope of work, deadlines, refunds, etc., please read my Terms of Service.

© Miya. All rights reserved.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Could you elaborate on the differences between alpha reading and beta reading?

In the editing process, alpha reading is often the very first step, while beta reading occurs toward the end. Alpha reading is like sharing your story in a workshop setting, where another writer provides feedback on it from the perspective of both a fellow writer and a serious reader. They will highlight the writing techniques you’ve employed and assess whether they effectively achieved your intended goals.

In contrast, beta reading involves presenting your work to members of your target audience, who will share their genuine emotional responses to the story. Beta readers approach your work only as casual readers. As such, they should only ever read a draft that’s already gone through several rounds of editing, allowing you to better evaluate whether your story resonates with them as you intended.

2. Who is this service for?

My alpha reading service is for writers who have just finished a first draft and wish to enhance it before progressing to the more comprehensive stages of editing and review. It is not intended for writers with drafts that are already well-polished and only a few steps away from publication.

3. Will you correct spelling and grammar errors?

While I may address minor spelling and grammar errors at my discretion, such corrections fall outside the scope of alpha reading and are not obligatory.

4. How long do you typically take in alpha reading a story?

The time varies depending on the length and complexity of the manuscript. A 3,000-word draft typically takes me around three to five days, while a full 50,000-word novel may take one to three months. After you place your order, I will contact you via email to discuss and finalize the timeline.

5. Can I ask you questions about your feedback?

Yup! You can email me with questions to clarify the feedback I provided. However, I will not address questions regarding revisions you made after I have completed the alpha reading, as those would count as a new order.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

How it Works

If using MS Word:

  1. You send me an editable DOC/DOCX file of your story.

  2. I open it in MS Word and enable track changes.

  3. I leave comments with inline commenting.

  4. When I’m done, I export the document, along with my comments and revisions, as DOCX and PDF.

  5. I email you the files.

If using Google Docs:

  1. You send me an editable DOC/DOCX file of your story.

  2. I upload it to my Google Drive and convert it into a Google Docs file that I own.

  3. I leave my comments in Suggesting mode.

  4. When I’m done, I transfer file ownership to you.

For Reader Report: I will write this on a separate document, export it to PDF, then email it to you.

How to Order

For stories up to 3,000 words:

  1. Go to my Ko-fi Commissions page

  2. Click “Request this” on the Alpha Reading listing.

  3. Fill in the Ko-fi Order Form.

  4. Go back to the Ko-fi listing.

  5. Read through the Terms, then proceed to payment. Your order is now placed!

  6. I email you within 24 hours to acknowledge your order.

For stories exceeding 3,000 words:

  1. Fill in the Quote Request form.

  2. I email you with the quoted price within 24 hours.

  3. If you’re okay with the price, fill in the Custom Order Form.

  4. Wait for a PayPal invoice from me, then pay 50% of the invoice upfront.

  5. When I’m done with your story, pay the remaining 50%.

  6. Once invoice is fully paid, I send you the files.

Terms of Service

Due to the differences in the payment processes and word count limits between Ko-fi Orders and Custom Orders, the terms vary slightly for each. As such, I have created separate Terms of Service (TOS) for the two of them to reflect these distinctions. Read the one that applies to the type of order you wish to make:

Please carefully read the TOS, especially the Termination and Refund section.

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