Tag: Writing

Ditching the Beta Read!

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After years of offering free beta reads, I’ve decided to make a shift—one that better reflects both my experience and what authors actually need at a crucial stage in their writing journey.

Starting now, I’ll be offering a paid Editorial Letter service in place of traditional beta reads.

Here’s Why:

Many authors come to me requesting a free beta read, but what they truly needed—whether they realized it or not—is a much deeper level of feedback. To be blunt, most authors reaching out are in need of a full developmental edit—they just don’t want to pay for one. And as with most things, you get what you pay for.

Frequently, they’d also ask for a copy edit or proofreading, when what the manuscript really needed was work at the story level: structure, character arcs, pacing, plot clarity, and world-building.

They weren’t ready for a polish—they needed a thoughtful, professional assessment. And that’s exactly what the Editorial Letter provides.

My Background: Query In-takes

In addition to working with indie authors, I’ve also participated in reviewing author queries as part of the submission process for publication. In this role, I focused on the big picture, looking beyond grammar and sentence structure to assess key elements like:

  • Is the story cohesive?
  • Are the characters emotionally compelling?
  • Does the pacing support the tension?
  • Is the world fully realized and consistent?
  • Are the stakes clear and engaging?
  • Does the story align with the publisher’s guidelines?

When responding to these submissions, I didn’t send a line edit—I sent an editorial letter. This feedback helped authors strengthen their work before moving forward with edits and publication.

Who This Is For:

The Editorial Letter is perfect for you if:

  • You’ve already had developmental edits and want a second opinion
  • You’re not quite ready for a full edit but need direction
  • You’re preparing to publish and want a final assessment beyond surface-level proofreading
  • You want to strengthen your story before querying agents or small presses

What You’ll Get (at a Special Discount)

A manuscript assessment like this typically costs $0.01 per word—the standard industry rate for this level of professional feedback.

However, as a special thank you to the amazing writers I’ve worked with through free beta reads in the past, I’m offering up to 50% off, depending on your manuscript’s word count. This is my way of making high-level editorial feedback more accessible to indie authors who are not yet ready for a full edit. Still unsure of pricing? Let’s negotiate a price point or payment plan that works for you.

What’s included:

✓  A detailed Editorial Letter covering:
– Character development
– Plot and structure
– World-building
– Pacing and scene flow
– Tone, voice, and POV
– Readability and clarity

✓  A 1-hour consultation to walk through the feedback and discuss your next steps

Note: You will not receive an annotated manuscript—this is a high-level critique, not a line or copy edit.

Why Choose the Editorial Letter Over a Beta Read?

In the past, my free beta reads were actually developmental edits. These took up a lot of my time and resources, but I did it to help the authors I believe in. While I’m grateful for the kind words from those who’ve returned again and again, it’s become clear that what authors truly need is more than a simple beta read.

What you need is a professional manuscript assessment that addresses the story’s structure, character arcs, pacing, and plot clarity—not just surface-level feedback. While beta reading has its place, it’s typically useful after your manuscript is polished. If you’re serious about elevating your story, the Editorial Letter offers a deeper, more valuable critique to ensure your manuscript is the best it can be before moving forward in your writing or publishing process.

Whether you need eyes on a first draft, guidance on your next steps, or a final review before you publish, my Editorial Letter offers the clarity and direction to move forward with confidence. It’s honest, actionable, and rooted in a deep understanding of story—not just grammar.

Your manuscript deserves more than a casual read-through. It deserves insight.

Ready to dig deeper and level up your story? Contact me today to get started.

STILL NOT SURE?

I offer a 30 minute free consultation for new clients and a free developmental edit on your first chapter.

To: My Younger Self

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I sit across from her, my younger self, in a small coffee shop near the train tracks downtown. Outside, leaves flutter, crunching under the boots of passerbys. It’s our favorite season–fall.

She’s crouched over, arms drawn in, already uncomfortable in her own skin. She wears tight jeans and an oversized sweater, her brown hair falling over her shoulders. I sit straight in hijab, wrapped in a loose, flowing dress—the confident version of herself we never imagined.

She is full of dreams, searching for adventure, unaware of Islam. A pastor’s daughter, artistic, always on the lookout for her prince. I know what’s coming—the rebellion, the longing, the ache for something more.

The table rattles with a passing train and I wonder if telling her about the Quran will change her, or if she will turn away in her young age. Will her journey still lead her to my husband? Or will the hardships ahead shape her path as they once shaped mine?

She watches me with curious eyes.

“Wait for him,” I say. “Don’t be fooled by others. Trust Allah’s timing.”

She asks more about my husband. Of course, it’s all she thinks about–finding him. If she only knew how perfect he was…

“He’s my truth-teller,” I say, smiling. “Righteous, protective, and real. He’s everything–my soul.”

I tell her about Palestine, about our struggles, about the weight of truth while the world is asleep. She needs to know now, so she can see through the lies she is being taught–the ones that will lead to regret, to rage.

Islam is the only way to find peace in a world of illusions. It holds the answers she is desperate for.

I hand her the Quran.

“Everything you’re searching for is already written. So read,” I say. “You’ll love this life more than anything you have every known. Nothing and no one is worth losing it over.”

Flower Child by Atiyah Brinkley

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“Speaking of friends, I gained a new one a few months ago when I met my editor, HALOMARI. Not only was she my editor, but she became my companion. I love you for the sake of Allah, and may Allah allow your skills to flourish, Ameen. She was my therapist for writing, and what I loved the most about working with her was that she didn’t change my book, but instead, she enhanced it in exquisite ways. I’ll always be grateful for you guiding me through the pages of this book.”

“HALOMARI did her thing with my edits. I’m in love with them! She understood the assignment and more. She’s an outstanding editor. I highly recommend her. Alhamdulillah.” See more testimonials.

Summary: After losing her father, Aleena’s faith in Islam is tested by depression, bullying, and a boy she never expected to fall for.

Aleena is depressed. Her father is gone, her family has moved on from his death without her, and her freshman year of high school is about to start. Trapped in a spiral of deteriorating mental health and bad habits, Aleena begins to lose the joys she has left—baking and gardening.

When she meets Zayn, a kind-hearted boy who believes she can overcome her pain, Aleena realizes it’s okay to ask for help. But relentless bullying at school threatens to unwind her progress and deepens her despair.

Can Aleena embrace her imperfections to learn that being unapologetically Muslim is a source of strength to heal herself?

Flower Child is a heartwarming coming-of-age story that challenges young Muslim girls to accept their flaws, be strong, and understand their religion.

Review: Okay, okay, I’m biased—I’m the editor of Flower Child. But you should read it and decide for yourself just how much you love it. I was blessed to help bring this story to life and couldn’t be prouder of Atiyah for all her hard work. We need more stories that celebrate halal friendships and love—books that stay true to Islam while empowering young girls to navigate bullying, loss, and romance with strength and faith. Flower Child does exactly that.

I love seeing Muslim sisters already connecting with Aleena, seeing themselves in her struggles. Atiyah wrote this book for them—for our younger selves and for every girl searching for her place in this world.

Working on this book was precious to me, especially the deep developmental edits—rewriting full scenes and chapters to bring the story to life. While some scenes I loved didn’t make it into the final version (and will, hopefully, be in the next book), what remains is still a powerful, heartfelt story that I believe in.

Atiyah added a brilliant touch to the “haraam police” concept, turning it into something positive. She teaches sisters how to speak the truth without watering down Islam for approval. I can’t wait to see how readers respond to these powerful messages.

I poured so much into this book, and like any editor, I always wish for just one more round of edits! But I’m still so proud of the final result and give it five stars. I hope you love it as much as we do.

Get your copy HERE and experience Aleena’s journey for yourself!
Meet Atiyah on Instagram.

Thank you, Atiyah, for your wonderful testimonial.

Fiction Novel Outline

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Outlining guides the writing process and ensures a cohesive plot by helping authors organize their ideas in a smooth sequence. The following is a basic novel outline that applies to multiple genres.

Introduction:

  • Hook the reader with a description, dialogue, or event. The opening chapter should intrigue the reader, and raise questions or conflict while invoking relatable emotion. Create a sense of urgency, mystery, or problem the protagonist faces.
  • Set the scene with a unique tone and mood. Include vivid descriptions of the setting and sensory details, giving the reader a clear picture of the time, weather, place, or environment. Show how the environment influences the story with cause and effect, weaving the setting into the action with specific imagery. Include relevant historical or cultural elements.
  • Introduce the protagonist’s goals, desires, struggles, personality, and internal monologue.

Inciting Incident:

  • Set the story in motion with a triggering event that disrupts the character’s normal life. Give the character a reason to act, pushing them toward their literal or emotional journey.
  • What are the new challenges and goals the character must address? Keep raising the stakes until the story’s climax resolves the character’s problem.

Rising Action:

  • Raise the stakes higher as complications arise
  • Introduce secondary characters, allies, and enemies.
  • Develop subplots that intersect with the main plot.

Midpoint:

  • The midpoint redefines the direction of the story. A plot twist or dramatic event changes the protagonist’s approach to conflict. New information is usually revealed, intensifying or shifting the character’s goals. Their beliefs and strategies are challenged, forcing developmental growth.

Second Turning Point:

  • Something forces the protagonist to confront their fears or desires, driving them closer to the climax of the story. Magnify the consequences of the character’s choices.

Climax:

  • The climax is the peak point of tension and conflict. The protagonist faces their main challenge emotionally or physically.

Falling Action:

  • Events that follow the climax resolve the conflict, tying up loose ends. This is the aftermath of the character’s actions and decisions, the consequences of the climax.

Resolution:

  • Satisfy the reader by concluding the story. Include reflection, address any remaining subplots, and show the protagonist’s new status quo. It should be clear by now how the events in the novel changed the character and their world.

Outlines are not set in stone. Revisit and revise your outline as your story develops. Share your outline with me today and I’ll provide insight on plot holes and inconsistencies. If you need help constructing an outline, I offer video or email/chat consultations.