Romancing the Beta Read
A romance-focused manuscript assessment by Gwen Hayes, author of Romancing the Beat
Yes, the title is a pun. I’m pretty cool like that.
Something isn’t quite working in your romance, but you can’t figure out what?
That’s where I come in.
Romancing the Beta Read is a big-picture story assessment focused on the emotional journey of your romance and the beats outlined in Romancing the Beat. I work with novels, novellas, partials, contest entries, and outlines.
What You’ll Get
Your beta read includes targeted comments throughout your manuscript plus a focused editorial letter covering:
- The Romance Arc — Is the relationship developing naturally and landing emotionally?
- The Beats — What’s working, what’s missing, and where does the romance lose momentum?
- Character & Emotional Arcs — Are your characters changing in ways that support the love story?
- Chemistry & Connection — Do these two people have a compelling reason to fall in love?
- Pacing & Tension — Is the romantic tension building toward a satisfying payoff?
- Revision Priorities
This is a story-level critique, not a line edit or copyedit. I’m looking at your manuscript through the eyes of both a romance reader and a story-structure nerd.
Who It’s For
Romancing the Beta Read is perfect for authors who:
- Know something isn’t working but can’t identify what
- Want a romance-focused second opinion before publishing
- Are polishing a manuscript, novella, or contest entry
- Have revised but want another set of experienced eyes
- Want to sanity-check an outline before drafting
Rate
$0.005 per word
Examples:
- 10,000 words — $50
- 20,000 words — $100
- 50,000 words — $250
For outlines or other projects where word count doesn’t accurately reflect the work involved, I’ll provide a quote.
Timeline & Process
- 50K and under: approximately 1 week
- Over 50K: approximately 2–3 weeks, depending on length
A PayPal invoice is sent before your scheduled start date, and payment must be completed before I begin.
Then I’ll read your book, poke at your romance, and tell you where I think you can make it stronger.