A 2015 ACFW Editor of the Year finalist, I am a fan of Story. As a freelance editor, I make sure every thread is woven consistently throughout a manuscript—whatever the genre—and point out ways to deepen and enrich the layers so the theme is subtle, the story vivid. Plus, I’m great at helping to develop compelling subplots and secondary characters if sequels are on the horizon. A card-carrying grammar nerd, I believe an author’s voice comes from knowing the rules well enough to break them with flair. I work with authors—not just their manuscripts. I’m a content and line editor and a copy editor, and I’ve worked with writers all along the spectrum—from multi-published, award-winning authors to beginners. Because of my love for the Great Author, I make sure stories resonate deeply with readers, connecting and prodding them to consider deeper things.

And I believe a healthy dose of humor can make the revision process fun.

I’m one of the Editor Sisters at A Little Red Ink. You can check out our helpful and humorous blog at www.alittleredink.com

We’re playful but professional, funny but fast.

My clients had this to say:
 

“As an author with a dozen books traditionally edited and published (not all released yet), I found a true gem in Bethany Kaczmarek! This lady has got it going on—she is not a nitpicky editor who hassles the author over idiosyncratic things. She has a very keen eye—a gift—for tracking characterization, story content, plot fulfillment, flow, etc. Truly, her skills amazed me!”  ~Ronie Kendig, bestselling, award-winning author

“Bethany Kaczmarek has been instrumental in my development as a writer, guiding me from the earliest stages with her wisdom, insight, and gentle corrections to my stories. She has fantastic insight into characters, as well as a keen eye for sentences that need more clarity. I highly recommend her services!” ~Susan Quinn, best-selling author of The Mind Jack Trilogy, Kindle Book Review Top Five Finalist, Best Indie Books of 2012

“Bethany delivered a timely edit with astute suggestions for improvement. She had keen suggestions for improving the clarity and flow of scenes, offered insights on smoothing out clunky sentences, and had helpful insights for both grammar and word choice changes. She offered the feedback with a balance of grace and truth.” ~Jody Hedlund, bestselling, award-winning author

“Working with Bethany has been one of the highlights of my career as a novelist. Her keen eye and expansive knowledge of the nuances of grammar made my book not only more readable, but more enjoyable. Her commentary helped me sharpen my skills and cut the fat from my prose. I have no doubt that my book is better because of her work on it. The process was enjoyable and educational, streamlined and efficient. We worked through multiple chapters of my work at a time. The approach made the process manageable, rather than overwhelming. Also, she was very aware of the genre. Since I was writing fantasy, she clarified many of the choices I made in regards to storyworld. At no point did she compromise my intentions for the sake of arbitrary grammar rules. Every suggestions was well documented, well founded, well researched, and well thought-out. I can’t wait to work with her again.” ~Aaron Gansky, author of YA Fantasy series The Hand of Adonai,  The Bargain, and Firsts in Fiction: First Lines 

“Bethany kept me laughing while editing, and sought to preserve and cultivate my vision for the characters/plot. Her communications were regular and timely. Her feedback came in pieces so I wasn’t overwhelmed by the immensity of the entire project. These interactive edits left me feeling 100% certain I could stop listening to that voice at the back of my head permanently. And let’s talk timetable here: this woman is wicked fast.” ~Crystal Collier, author of Moonless

“When I was looking for an editor, I wanted to partner with someone who would not only find typos and fix grammatical errors but also understand my vision for my story and its characters. I was so grateful to work with Bethany because she cared about the people in my tale almost as much as I do. Her eye for detail is amazing and her recommendations are gently (if sometimes sarcastically) offered as someone who is dedicated to helping you produce the best version of your work. Her skill and precision is absolutely vital for indie authors like myself but would be a great asset for traditionally published authors looking to have their work polished before sending it off to an agent or publisher. I wish I had found her years ago, as it would have saved me a great deal of grief earlier in my writing career. I cannot recommend her highly enough.” ~Dave Milbrandt, journalist and author of the Jim Mitchell series

“Erynn [Newman] handles most of my editing, but I’m really happy I started having Bethany do a final proofread. I don’t think most authors realize how important a second set of eyes is. A fresh look can reveal missed error (or errors introduced in a final pass), and I feel really good knowing that the book I publish is the best it can possibly be. It’s been well worth the extra investment. I also love that I’m working with two sisters who function as a team. They understand my style and stories, and it’s really valuable to have two editors who are knowledgeable about my world for a series that spans as many works as mine does.” ~Autumn Kalquist, bestselling author of the Fractured Era series 

“Bethany Kaczmarek opened my eyes to a side of POV I’d never thought about. Her edits are precise and accurate and she shares the whys with the hows. I highly recommend Bethany. Her work is amazing.” ~Cindy Sproles, Director of Writers Advance! Bootcamp, acquisitions editor at Christian Devotions

“A stand-out query letter can make the difference between your manuscript pages going into the trash unread and catching an agent’s attention. Query letters are an art form…and Bethany is a master.”  ~Marney McNall