Seymour Proofreading

Testimonials

Curious to know what others think of my services? Read their testimonials below. To see a selection of the projects I have worked on, please also check out my portfolio page.

Victoria saved the day ...

“My doctoral thesis had been returned due to a multitude of small but significant grammatical and textual ambiguities. Grammar and spelling have never been my strong point. Victoria saved the day by meticulously identifying all potential errors and providing options for editing where needed. I was impressed by her familiarity with the minutiae of academic writing and the care she took to ensure that the often-difficult meaning was made clear.”

—Dr Kevin Walker, PhD student

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Excellent turnaround time ...

“Great service, excellent turnaround time; very professional.”

—Kerissa Nelson, PhD student

Very professional and highly organised beta reader ...

“Victoria stands out as a very professional and highly organised beta reader. She is always clear and responsive in her communication. Her feedback was useful to understand what works well and what can be improved. I would recommend Victoria to anyone looking for beta reading/proofreading/editorial services.”

—JU, author

I also learned some writing tips ...

“Victoria is a very professional proofreader. The proofreading was very detailed and helpful. I also learned some writing tips from Victoria's comments. I look forward to collaborating with Victoria in the future for more academic writings.”

—YC, PhD student

Professional with a touch of the personal ...

“Victoria was an excellent beta reader for my novel. Her delivery was professional with a touch of the personal, and honest without being brutal – I felt safe in her hands and have incorporated many of her suggestions into my manuscript, to its undoubted improvement. I hope to use Victoria's services again in the not-too-distant future.”

—Irene Fenn, author

Her work was equal to that of my large publisher ...

“Working with Victoria was a dream. She was professional and considerate the entire time, and she made the whole experience very pain free.

I’m a hybrid author, and finding a copy-editor for my first self-published manuscript was quite daunting, but her work was equal to that of my

large publisher. Thank you Tori.”

—Carlotta Page, author of Claimed by the Alien Outlaw

Victoria did such a good job of preserving my voice ...

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Victoria twice now. Once on a beta reading service she completed for me, and the second on a proof-edit for a sci-fi manuscript (c.100k words). Both were excellent services, completed on time and to very professional standards. The proof-edit in particular deserves praise for combining both a copy-edit and proofreading service all in one. Victoria did such a good job of preserving my voice and writing flow that I could barely tell what parts had been changed until I checked the edited version. The thousands of grammar, spelling and editing improvements she’d made were seamless. I would wholeheartedly recommend Victoria, and I look forward to working with her again in the future.”

—BW, sci-fi author

She was thorough [...] and her feedback was clear ...

“I was very happy with Victoria's beta reading service. She was thorough – even checking the accuracy of date stamps – and her feedback was clear. She kept to the deadline agreed and, in general terms, was highly professional in all my contacts with her.”

—Joanne, author

I can now confidently start writing my next book ...

“Writing your first book is not an easy task, especially when English is not your first language. I’ve worked on mine for almost two years, out of which six months I tried to edit it on my own and I still wasn't happy about it. Then I found Tori online and she’s done it within 2 weeks, but in such a way that all I had to do was to approve the awesome suggestions she’s made throughout the 50,000 words I have written. I can now confidently start writing my next book knowing there is someone I can count on to do excellent work and save me precious time.”

—Silviu Pristavu, author of YOU and Your Own Universe

An important and invaluable source of guidance ...

“Victoria has helped me by proofreading my PhD thesis. She has been immensely helpful beyond the proofreading, with advice on every aspect of presentation and graphics. Professional throughout, she has been an important and invaluable source of guidance.”

—Michael Cassidy, PhD student

Impressed with Victoria's professionalism ...

“From the first engagement to the last I’ve been impressed with Victoria’s professionalism. She accurately forecasted (to the day) how long it would take her to beta read opening chapters and then a full manuscript, and impressively, managed to find many plot inconsistencies and story weaknesses I’d become blind to. Excellent service. Highly recommended.”

—BW, sci-fi author

She is very helpful and responds very quickly ...

“I would like to thank Victoria for her assistance with my story for my gaming project, and for her grammar guidance on contracts and other documents.

Victoria is the first person I think about when I require clarity on grammar or sentencing dilemmas. She is very helpful and responds very quickly, which is highly important for my business. I will continue to use her services for all my story-related projects and key documents.”

—LEJ Works, creator of the Drainball app and gamebox

[She] has enabled me to publish my work ...

“I can’t thank Victoria enough for the help and support she has given me. She certainly went that extra mile to help me achieve my writing experience. Her knowledge and the time-consuming advice she has given me as a new writer has enabled me to publish my work. I have no hesitation in recommending Victoria and will hopefully be using her services again in the not-too-distant future.”

—Kathryn Blake, author of Deceive

A keen eye for detail ...

“This is the third time I’ve worked with Victoria. I am so happy with her work on my novel, short story and novella. She is a fantastic editor (for proof-edit and line edit), with a keen eye for detail. She picks everything from punctuation, grammar, strange sentence structure (which is often my case as someone that has spent more than half of my life in non-English speaking countries and practices a different language in my home). I also love her explanations so that we can amend ourselves and grow as stronger more confident writers. I can’t recommend her enough.”

—Opal, writer of fantasy and SF

I like the commitment that she had ...

“Victoria did an excellent job with my story. I like the commitment that

she had, and she also gave more than I expected, definitely her work

was incredible.”

—Mariano Flynn, author

Story assessments are a treasure trove of information ...

“Victoria was kind enough to beta read some of my works and provide feedback. She has a unique talent for catching things that will level up your writing game. She will provide comments useful to tighten your pacing, strengthen your characters, and give your plot a satisfying ending.

Her detailed story assessments are a treasure trove of information. More than once, these handy summaries made me pause and rethink several passages, dialogues, and plot twists, and helped me create an overall more enjoyable experience for my readers. She has a great work ethic, and I would recommend her beta reading service to anyone interested in becoming a better storyteller.”

—Michele Amitrani, sci-fi and fantasy author

Victoria is a very patient, passionate and kind person ...

“This is the second time I’ve worked with Victoria, and as always, her beta reading services are exactly what I hoped for them to be. She is very thorough in her feedback. She helped me point out minor plot-holes that I failed to pick up on, and gave me her honest thoughts about the characters and my story, which helped me determine whether or not my writing successfully relayed the information I was trying to get across to the reader. After receiving her feedback, I have a clearer vision on what needs to be done with my manuscript, what needs fixing, what works the way it is. Not to mention, Victoria is a very patient, passionate and kind person. Working with her has always been a delight.”

—Kenny, author of YA, and sci-fi and fantasy

Very thorough and timely with her feedback ...

“I highly recommend Victoria’s beta reading service. She is very thorough and timely with her feedback. A pleasure to deal with!”

—JF, author

Very helpful in pointing out discrepancies in the plot ...

“This was the first time I used Victoria’s beta reading service, and I’ll be coming back to her with more manuscripts in the future. Victoria was very helpful in pointing out discrepancies in the plot. She was concise in answering questions I provided beforehand and also in her feedback.”

—Kat Devitt, author

The sheet of feedback was very thorough ...

“Victoria was terrific. She was signed on as a beta reader, but her eye for detail, I think, has no idle setting, so she also caught several dozen consistency errors; subtle things like a character was described in one position and in a later paragraph moved to that same position, eye color changes in one character, variations in spelling of my invented words within my fictional world. Very impressive. Her beta reading was very helpful, spotting problems in perspective, noting sentences that worked and confusing ones, noting her reactions. She was done earlier than promised, and the sheet of feedback was very thorough. I’ll definitely continue to use her services soon; highly recommended!”

—JD, author

Very impressed at the amount of time and effort ...

“I would like to thank Victoria for her beta reading service of the first

two chapters of my book. I am very impressed at the amount of time and effort she put into giving me feedback; it’s been so helpful to me as a

newbie into the world of writing. She was very efficient and kept in contact with me. Couldn’t recommend her enough and will definitely be using her services again. ”

—Jenna, author

I will definitely use her services again ...

“I would like to thank Victoria for her professionalism and quick turnaround in proofreading and editing my script. I will definitely use her services again in the near future.”

—Leroy, entrepreneur

She found things that I missed ...

“This is my first time using Victoria’s beta reading service and she gave me exactly what I needed. Victoria’s work is marvelous, outstanding, superb, phantasmagorical. She was such a help in my story, just out of the first draft. Her feedback was wonderful to help me craft a better story. She found things that I missed. Bless you, Victoria.”

—Merry Goodman, author

She pointed out many things I wouldn't have seen ...

“This is my very first time using Victoria’s beta reading services and I am so impressed. She was quick and went in-depth into my novel. She really took the time to comb through my manuscript and she pointed out many things I wouldn’t have seen otherwise ... AND many things other beta readers did not notice. I highly recommend! :)”

—Victoria Ellis, author

Fast, thorough and very extensive ...

“This is the second time I am using Victoria’s services and I am always happy. Living in a multilingual environment my English suffers, and punctuation has never been my forte. Her proof-editing and line editing of my short story was impressive: fast, thorough and very extensive. I trust her completely to find all my errors and heighten my text to the next level. I gladly recommend her services for all editing needs.”

—Opal, writer of fantasy and SF

Very friendly and positive work ethic ...

“Victoria is a very efficient and professional proofreader/beta reader/editor. She gave excellent feedback with the story assessment form she used. It was thorough and revealed things in my story/plot/characters that I needed to hear or was not aware of.

“Victoria also gave me a chapter by chapter assessment which pointed out grammar flaws and story holes that I missed specific to each chapter as

well as to the body of work as a whole. She input her reactions to the

story’s actions, which is wonderful. Places where she laughed, teared up,

or got angry reassured me that the emotions I want the reader to feel,

they are feeling.

“Victoria has a very friendly and positive work ethic that pairs wonderfully with her professionalism. I recommend Victoria and Seymour Proofreading

for any needs that an author may seek. They will get a thorough, personable, and effective critique with quick turnaround.”

—Mj Ellis, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

She saved me from some literary embarrassment ...

“Let’s get right to the point. Ditto to everything stated below. She saved me from some literary embarrassment when I thought I had a fairly tight MS and she’ll do the same for you. Better yet, she’ll do it in a positive, constructive manner. 5 Stars from me!!!!”

—TJ Hawk, Tokyo, Japan

Perceptive, professional and punctual ...

“I would like to thank Victoria for being such a perceptive, professional and punctual beta reader. She is so attentive and thorough in her reading and pointing out the discrepancies in narration. She even took pains to understand a different culture and yet come up with constructive comments and suggestions. I would highly recommend her as a beta reader to anyone.”

—Shruti, author

Her words are kind and encouraging ...

“Victoria has done some terrific beta reading and proof-editing for me. I was amazed at how quickly and efficiently she was able to work. I got my edited story back a full week before I expected it! Her words are kind and encouraging, which is such a relief to a shy writer, and yet she doesn’t miss a thing: grammar, punctuation, formatting, fact checking, consistency, style and more. She found all the little kinks that needed smoothing, asking the right questions along the way. She made me take notice of my quirks so I could consciously decide whether I wanted them in my text . I feel like now I have a stronger piece that I can present confidently. She is the person I want to edit my work and that I will go back to.”

—Opal, writer of fantasy and SF

Her work was professional ...

“Victoria agreed to proofread 50K for free, but I really got a proof-edit. Her work was professional, and editing and comments very helpful to my writing. The work included an edit, spell check and comments on wording, etc. My work included lots of unusual historical world building, but Victoria checked

all the unusual place name spellings. She delivered on time (1 day earlier than specified) and worked to the end of nearest chapter, so a little over 50K. I have no problem recommending Victoria.”

—David Wilson, Perth, Australia

Patient, respectful, honest, considerate ...

“Working with Victoria has been an absolute joy. When Victoria offered to beta read my novel it wasn't even finished yet, and some things were rougher than others, but she took on the job like a pro. Why I’m so happy that Victoria offered me her beta reading service? Victoria is patient, respectful, honest, considerate and extremely articulate when giving feedback. By the end of the service, she provided me with the most structured and thorough feedback I have received to date. Apart from the comprehensive final evaluation, she also gave me feedback as she read

for each chapter.

“Victoria points out inconsistencies, character and story development (her underplot and conflicts), pacing, setting/worldbuilding and even provides little funny comments, like what made her laugh or get teary, her favorite characters and some lines that stood out to her. What I also liked, apart from her useful feedback, was how she’s ready to answer all your questions. Working with Victoria, it’s clear that she takes this very seriously and strives to give whoever she works with the absolute best and then a little more.

“She leaves no rock unturned, and when she points out something that doesn’t work, she does it so gently through suggestions, and it leaves you with this sense of gumption, like, ‘hey, I can do this! I got this!’
My novel has changed for the better and I’m so happy I found her.
All in all, Victoria rocks!”

—Line F. Nielsen, author

Thorough and helpful ...

“Victoria was phenomenal. She managed to go through my draft with a

fine tooth-comb, pick problems, make corrections and advance suggestions, and deliver the final results in record time. I can never thank her sufficiently for being so thorough and helpful, and so fast too. Thanks so much, Victoria for your encouraging help.”

—Jackie, author

Her notes were easy to understand and very concise ...

“Victoria was amazing. Her notes were easy to understand and very concise, clearly showing me where I needed to improve. Not only did she help me

a lot in polishing my work but it was in no time! Before I knew it I had

her proofread, whereas I would’ve waited weeks to get it from others

(I know from experience). If you want your manuscript to have much better grammar and a lot fewer mistakes - plot holes as well - she is the person. Thanks Tori!”

—Stefan, author

Very professional but also very tactful ...

“My work in earnest was in its second draft, and with a great deal of compassion, time, honesty and patience, Victoria helped my work to

become much more accomplished. I couldn’t be more pleased with the

work that she did.

“I needed a lot of guidance with sentence structure and grammar, and Victoria was able to provide constructive and positive instructions to help

me with my project. I found her to be very professional but also very

tactful as well.”

—Paul, author

A delight to work with ...

“I couldn’t have been more impressed by Victoria’s work. She worked on my manuscript as, first, a beta reader and then as a proofreader.

“For the beta read, she picked up so many inconsistencies that I would never have noticed. She also provided a document outlining her thoughts, suggestions and first reactions to each chapter. This was wonderful as it allowed me to view my manuscript as a reader would.

“For the proofreading, she did a fantastic job finding all my little mistakes. For my day job I work as an editor, and I can say that, in my professional opinion, her proofreading was spot on!

“Her responses were timely and her emails super polite. Victoria was simply

a delight to work with.”

—Charlotte, author

A true professional and is worth your consideration ...

“Not quite sure how your plotline flows through each and every chapter? Need affirmation of your show–tell or narrative–dialogue balances? Victoria’s beta reading service is a rock-solid place to get the answers to these and other concerns.

“Victoria is thorough. She has the knack of analyzing your broader writing issues, like plot, storyline flow, consistencies, and balance. At the same time, she details character development, voice, POV, subplots, and grammatical oversights.

“Her recent beta read of my manuscript revealed satisfaction with the number of characters – something that had concerned me. At the same time, she highlighted a need for kick-starting the storyline. Her findings are wrapped with positive explanations and often list alternative approaches. Victoria is a true professional and is worth your consideration.

“If you’re planning to send your manuscript to a literary agent, or self-publish, I would highly recommend using Victoria’s beta reading service first.”

—Terry, author

Timely, considerate, and thorough ...

“Victoria’s beta reading service is one of the most helpful I’ve received for my book. The feedback was as in depth and detailed as I had hoped, hitting all the points I requested focus on and more. A serious, dedicated and fast reader, with honest, open-minded opinions about characters, and sharp eyes for plot inconsistencies and errors.

“Timely, considerate, and thorough, Victoria’s service has helped me see my book’s weakest and strongest points, elements that worked, others that didn’t, all of which provided insight into my story that I, the writer, couldn’t have achieved otherwise.

“I recommend Victoria’s service in a heartbeat as I fully believe in her competence and passion in what she does. She’s all you’d look for in a

beta reader!”

—Kenny, author

Testimonials

Victoria saved the day ...

Excellent turnaround time ...

Very professional and highly organised beta reader ...

I also learned some writing tips ...

Professional with a touch of the personal ...

Her work was equal to that of my large publisher ...

Victoria did such a good job of preserving my voice ...

She was thorough [...] and her feedback was clear ...

I can now confidently start writing my next book ...

An important and invaluable source of guidance ...

Impressed with Victoria's professionalism ...

She is very helpful and responds very quickly ...

[She] has enabled me to publish my work ...

A keen eye for detail ...

I like the commitment that she had ...

Story assessments are a treasure trove of information ...

Victoria is a very patient, passionate and kind person ...

Very thorough and timely with her feedback ...

Very helpful in pointing out discrepancies in the plot ...

The sheet of feedback was very thorough ...

Very impressed at the amount of time and effort ...

I will definitely use her services again ...

She found things that I missed ...

She pointed out many things I wouldn't have seen ...

Fast, thorough and very extensive ...

Very friendly and positive work ethic ...

She saved me from some literary embarrassment ...

Perceptive, professional and punctual ...

Her words are kind and encouraging ...

Her work was professional ...

Patient, respectful, honest, considerate ...

Thorough and helpful ...

Her notes were easy to understand and very concise ...

Very professional but also very tactful ...

A delight to work with ...

A true professional and is worth your consideration ...

Timely, considerate, and thorough ...