After a long hiatus I am now reopening to ARC requests. If you are about to release your book and need some reviews please feel free to reach out to my contact page, with either the link as to where I can find it on Netgalley or to submit a copy of your book.
I prefer to read the following genres;
- Fantasy
- Scifi
- Paranormal
- Romance (erotica, but with some plot)
- Mystery
- Thriller
- Horror (not gore)
I don’t recommend sending me religious, nonfiction, cozy, historical (if it doesn’t fall into the above genre’s as well), or memoir. I have little to no interest in these books and as such are unlikely to accept them. I have a hard no for books that contain a lot of gore, treat women like lampshades, or have a lot of violence towards women with no purpose. Do not send books like that in the hopes they are different, they aren’t.
I review books of 4 stars or more on my webpage, and also on my Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. I also post them to my Goodreads page, along with books I give three or less stars to, and where possible Amazon. This is for those authors happy to submit their ARCs without guarantee of a response, for an honest review.
If you are curious how I give out reviews, I recommend you read through the reviews I’ve given over the years to see if your book and I would be a good match.
DEV EDITING SERVICES – CURRENTLY AVAILABLE (2024 MARCH).
Update: This will be available late 2023 as a paid service only at 0.02c per word for full length novels (100k or less), or $5 per page for shorter requests. I will leave in line comments in word, as well as an edit letter. Sample reads of the first 1k words will be provided – however I do not recommend sending your opening pages as I leave the most comments on opening pages. Requests that are accepted for full novels will take three months with some exceptions, I’m only taking case by case bookings at this stage, with anticipation to open more fully in 2024.
Below you will find details on the work I do, along with testimonials.
Everyone has an opinion.
When anyone gives you feedback on your writing its important to remember that not everyone is motivated by your best interests. There are people who will compliment what others criticize, but those criticisms shouldn’t be ignored either. We all want to believe we are perfect writers and the fact of the matter is that we are not.
I’m not an editor or a writer when I look at your work.
I’m what I’ve always been; a reader.
And its important to remember that at the end of the day that’s who your story is for, it’s for you, and for readers. To enrapture someone, even if its only for a few hours, with your whole world.
But first, let me tell you what I offer as a reader;
– Critical feedback: if something flat out doesn’t work I won’t ignore it
– Helpful alternatives: when there are issues I’ll suggest alternatives
– Plot development: if I feel like the story meanders or doesn’t hold enough weight I’ll let you know where you can look at sharpening it
– Character development: believable characters carry your plot & if they fall flat its important to catch it as it can dictate their actions for the entire book
– Cookies: when I see something unique, well written, or clever, I’ll tell you. I am a big believer in positive re-enforcement and its good to know from your beta not just where you are failing, but where you succeed too.
If you want to know what that means feel free to check out my blog post on betareading.
Inquiries can be submitted through my contact page, and availability will depend on volume of requests. Please send the following information;
– Name & Genre
– Comps; eg Desperate Housewives crossed with GOT
– Manuscript size
– What you want out of a betareader
I used to not charge at all for this, but after nearly breaking myself doing two novels a month in 2022 I needed to give myself a break, as these were personal bookings only. Given how long I’ve been working at this, and the volume of work I do, this is my first foray into a professional service.
What I promise in return is my complete dedication to your story, to do my best to find where it shines, and help you see it too if you are struggling to find how to make it better. This is also not a guarantee that your story will go on to be a world wide success, I can’t make those kinds of guarantees, or that the work is over.
What I can do is teach you more about yourself, and your story, and how you can help improve it and your writing for the story itself, and the next one you will write.
I believe in empowering authors, but as I’ve learned over the years I’ve been a writer, everyone makes mistakes, and everyone can improve and grow as a writer.
I just want to help you get there.
WRITE HIVE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
“I was lucky enough to have E.J. Dawson as a 2022/23 writehive mentor, and just, *wow.* My YA paranormal horror was still very rough, and although I knew it needed a lot of work, I was pretty directionless on how to fix it. Ejay was an editing miracle worker. Not only did she give me a top-tier edit letter that was incredibly detailed and encouraging, but she also brainstormed and discussed with me how to make changes to improve the problem areas while still maintaining my vision. Her writing craft and storytelling insights took my manuscript from a rough shadow to a fully-fledged adventure that resonated in my bones, and I’m 100% a better writer because of the things I’ve learned from her. Honestly, I cannot recommend her as a writing mentor enough!” – Hayley Chow
SYNOPSIS WORKSHOPPING
“Ejay provided me honest and valuable feedback to help restructure my novel. She asks the difficult questions to get the best out of you as a writer. She knows her craft inside out and shares her impressive knowledge of story structure and genres generously. It is obvious that she is dedicated to helping others reach their true potential. For those looking for deep-thinking editorial and author services from someone, I can’t recommend her enough.”
Bridie Walsh
BETA READING TESTIMONIALS
“E.J. Dawson brings priceless insight and a shrewd eye to her review process, providing remarkably detailed feedback. Her keen understanding of narrative structure and character motivation, coupled with a shrewd eye for detail, digs straight to the heart of the story. Finding a reader with such capabilities is essential for those who wish to improve their work and are willing to learn and improve.” – Natania Barron
“EJ works so hard all the time that I wondered how she could possibly give the beta read of my little manuscript her full attention. Don’t be fooled by her heavy schedule. She went through my book line by line, made suggestions, offered encouragement and gave me tips when I went off track. She is a miracle of support and caring for her fellow writers, and I wouldn’t hesitate to ask her to help me again. Yes, she’s THAT good.” – Hart St. Martin
“When I first discovered the writing community on Twitter, my knowledge of beta reading only extended to those within a small circle of family and friends and friends of friends who liked reading. I didn’t know how to go about finding someone who I felt would not have a vested interest in my feelings or be afraid to tell me where my stories were lacking. I approached E.J. with trepidation because she was a “stranger,” and I had seen enough of her interactions on Twitter to view her as someone who was both fair and firm, impartial but with strong opinions. My experience having her beta read for me proved that to be so. If you are looking for someone who will champion a story they believe in, who will be critical in a way that pushes you to do better, and who will let you know what she loves, look no further. A pleasure to work with. She walks the line between professional and personal and she walks it with perfect balance.” – Renee Hurteau
“EJ is a considerate, speedy and constructive beta-reader. She was so quick to respond with her feedback and yet her criticism was well-thought-through and included lots of suggestions to help make my story stronger. Highly recommended.” – Madeleine D’Este
“EJ is everything you need in a beta reader. She’s insightful, honest and truly understands the craft of writing. She provides the perfect balance of encouragement and forthright criticism every writer needs if they’re going to improve. If something doesn’t work for her, she’ll tell you, but she’ll also tell you why. She’s clearly dedicated to her own craft and helping others around her and she does it with geniality and professionalism. EJ is a credit to the writing community and I can’t recommend her beta reading highly enough.” – Jonothan Pickering
“E.J. Was so thorough in reviewing my manuscript. She truly understands the craft of storytelling. She identified areas I wondered about, but had convinced myself they were fine. Not only confirming they needed work, but provided feedback to help steer me in the right direction. Wonderful to work with.” – Patti Downing
“Ejay was fantastic at helping me with feedback for my opening chapters. I needed to find someone who could look over my work with fresh (and credible eyes) and her feedback was honest, insightful and very useful. For someone who provides this service for free – to help writers like myself – shows what a brilliant person she is. I would highly recommend sending your work. You won’t regret it. It’s been one of the most valuable things I have ever done to help my craft.” – Aaron Warren
“EJ was very insightful with her edits. She had picked up on mistakes that I hadn’t realized, even after rounds of re-reading! My sentences flowed much more smoothly and certain character actions made more sense. She doesn’t change your work, she sees the potential in it and makes it bloom. Highly recommend!” – Jonathan
“Ejay is a wonderful Beta reader. She has kindness in droves but she is also brutally honest when something doesn’t work for her. This is what you need from a beta. Someone to help you become a better writer. Encouraging but full of helpful corrections for your manuscript. She has a high standard and is very professional. You don’t have to look any further. She’s your girl!” – D.A. Benjamins
E. J. Dawson 