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Manuscript Critique

My manuscript critique services involve looking at your story from the reader’s perspective. While there is some basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation checking, the main focus revolves around character development, believability, pacing, and plot holes. I look at what you excelled at, what could be improved, and what would make readers quirk their eyebrows, and say, “I don’t think John would really do that,” or “Even if they were mates and had some sort of preternatural bond pulling them together, a guy who has been very homophobic throughout the story wouldn’t be so quick to accept that he is now mated to a man, even one as effeminate as Todrick.”

Authenticity Read

July 31, 2021August 2, 2021

Authenticity read icon featuring a navy blue book with a pair of fold glasses on the book's open pages

An authenticity read (also known as a sensitivity read or a targeted critique) is a great tool for authors writing outside their areas of knowledge and experience, who want to make sure that the representation in their book is both authentic and avoids harming the reader.

If you’re an author who is writing cross-culturally and have some hesitation on whether you’re writing in your blind spot, then an authenticity read is a good way to check in with someone of that culture to point out any inaccuracies or aspects you may not have considered.

I am particularly equipped to read for the experiences of:

  • Fat, Black cis-gendered women
  • Black people in majority White spaces
  • Southern African nationals raised in the USA (e.g. impact of matriarchial and non-traditional/Western family structures)
  • People who travel extensively
  • People with family members with alcohol abuse/dependency and mental illness—narcissism, borderline personality disorder, depression—and the impact within the family
  • Individuals with trauma-based social anxiety
  • Chronic illness (asthma, chronic sinusitis, ligamentous laxity)
  • And any intersectionalities that occur therein

At the end of the targeted critique, you’ll receive an editorial letter outlining major representation issues, as well as in-manuscript comments directing your attention to finer concerns.

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Hello, Lovely!

Welcome to The Ribbon Marker blog!

My name is Kate Marope, and I'm a developmental editor who adores HEAs and helping authors fine tune their books to build engaging and emotionally complex reading experiences.

If you are looking for lots of self-editing tips, in-depth reviews, case studies to learn from, and just general bookish tomfoolery—you've come to the right place. So take a look around, and I hope to hear from you soon!

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Don’t know where to start in writing an age gap romance? Here are 5 ways you can handle the age gap in your book to get you started! Plus examples 😉
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Title: Sinners Anonymous by Somme Sketcher
The setup of your book is super important! Not only do your opening chapters introduce your characters and the world you've created, but they also set up reader expectations for the character and romantic arcs and the plot (i.e. the rest of the book).
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Normally my word for the year reflects my general attitude and approach to life that year. For 2022, it was Fotseke. I was chasing away my fears and self-doubt.⁠

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About Me

My name is Kate Marope, and I am a developmental and line editor with eight years’ experience working with traditional and self-published authors, both as a freelancer and as an editor at various publishers →

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Please be aware that this website uses affiliate (referral) links, and any purchases made using those links in posts may result in me earning a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full affiliate disclosure here.

 

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