Testimonials

"Dana and Kristine of By Your Side Self-Publishing are amazing. For those of us who love writing but don’t know how to get our words into print and ebook format, they provide the necessary guidance. Dana did a great job of editing my book, which was challenging because of technical jargon, photos, footnotes, and a very tight deadline. Her editing comments and suggestions were spot-on and made the manuscript shine. She also found a book cover designer and ebook formatter for me, saving me lots of time and expense. Kristine—the self-described tech geek—helped me set up accounts with the various self-publishing platforms, many of which were unknown to me, and managed the ebook formatting tasks. Their advice was invaluable, keeping me from making lots of rookie mistakes. 

Together, Dana and Kristine have the experience and expertise to whip your book into shape and get it published. Almost as importantly, they patiently hold your hand and soothe your nerves as you navigate the vast and confusing world of self-publishing and marketing. By offering a smorgasbord of services—all very reasonably priced—you can select what you need, keeping expenses in check. By Your Side Self-Publishing becomes your book’s project manager, ushering it forward to completion and publication. 

I thoroughly enjoyed having Dana and Kristine on my team. I learned so much from them. They’re thorough, highly competent, and delightful to work with. I will definitely bring my next book to them."

~ Rebecca Wallick, author of Growing Up Boeing

"Dana Delamar is a sharp-eyed editor with a wide knowledge base. She always maintains a professional demeanor and seeks to educate the author. I would definitely hire her again. She's also very friendly and approachable."

~ Natasha Blackthorne

 "Looking for skill and integrity as you build your Author-Publisher team of go-to professionals for editing and marketing?  ByYourSideSelfPub.com is the answer!"

~ Laura Taylor, Amazon Bestselling Author, 6-Time Romantic Times Award Winner, 2-time MAGGIE Award Winner, 2-Time RWA® Golden Heart® Finalist, RWA RITA® Finalist , & 1st Golden Rose Recipient

"Dana is a superb copy editor with vast industry experience and spot on when it comes to developmental editing, such as plot and characters. She cares about her authors and partners with them to succeed." 

~ Jodi Ashland, author of Secrets at Synergy, Ripped from Obscurity, and Seeking Sanctuary

"Dana Delamar provided developmental/structural editing for my novel-in-progress. Her suggestions and comments were absolutely on target and inspired me to tackle a much-needed revision. Her feedback is based on expertise and delivered with respect. I am truly grateful for her help."

~Patricia Iverson

"I've really enjoyed working with Dana at By Your Side Self-Publishing. She was spot on with her story edit suggestions, and helped me achieve a deeper level of character development. Because of Dana’s excellent eye, my work is polished and error-free. I'll definitely use her services again."

~ Anne Shaw, author of The Curious Duke and Forbidden Knight

"I attended the 'Self-Publishing: What to Expect the First Year' workshop hosted by By Your Side Self-Publishing at the 2013 Emerald City Writers' Conference. I was very impressed by the way Kristine and Dana offered a well-organized, in-depth, and insightful review of the ins and outs of self-publishing. After leaving the two-hour workshop, I felt more confident in my decision to opt for self-publishing over a traditional publishing house." 

~ Sherri Shaw, Author

"Dana of By Your Side Self-Publishing is the perfect companion for a self publisher, especially one who is a newbie to the whole experience. You get what you expect from a good editor; she is exceptionally thorough. But she takes it a step further by educating her clients about the book publishing experience, provides helpful insight 'in the shoes of the reader,' and links you to other helpful resources as needed.  She is extremely prompt, which was important to me, and stayed on top of the process. Frankly, as a new author, I also applaud her patience. And then enter Kristine, who has been equally responsive and thorough in helping format the book for the different formats. They were worth every penny and then some. I look forward to future ventures with this amazing team."
~ Bradley S. Craig, author of Between Two Homes: A Coparenting Handbook

​"I can't say enough nice things about Dana Delamar. Not only is she a great author, but she's the person you call when you don't want to get tangled up in the self-publishing madness of formatting and editing, and all the other things that go with it. As a self-published author, as well as traditional, I can speak from experience and tell you it takes a lot of time away from your writing to do it yourself. It's not our forte, and we do it only on those occasions when we finish writing a book.

The fact that it's not my forte means it takes me longer to do because I don't know all the nuances of the process. As I've progressed in my career, I now realize I'd rather have someone else handle the process instead of taking ibuprofen to relieve the headache it causes. Wouldn't you rather be writing? I know I would. And that's where By-Your-Side-Self-Publishing comes in.

She wrote my blurb for a proposal, as well as an elevator pitch, for me based on a two-page synopsis. She absolutely nailed it the first time. I'm extremely pleased and relieved knowing I have someone like her who I can rely on. She's got everything you'll ever need.

Thank you, Dana. I feel confident that with the blurb you've written (with all the right power words), my novel will be a huge success."

~ Carolyn Hughey/K.T. Roberts

"As an indie-pubbed author with no traditional publishing background, I’ve wandered through the maze, looking for professionals to hire that would make my published works the best they could be. I’ve had a couple of misses, but finding Dana Delamar was a definite hit. She is a skilled professional who was easy to work with, and the end product stands up to traditionally published books on the shelf. I highly recommend her services."

~ Ashley York, author of The Saxon Bride, The Bruised Thistle, and The Gentle Knight

"After making the switch from traditional to independent publishing, I was faced with the task of finding reliable, affordable, and professional services to help with all areas of publishing. When it came to formatting for print, I was referred to Dana from By Your Side Self-Publishing  by someone I trusted, and boy am I glad for that. The task I gave her included epigraphs, poems, and historical notes on top of the usual front and back materials, and I asked her to format them along with the first book from the series, which was  already in print. I have to say she went well beyond the call of duty. She was a dream to work with. Friendly, professional, responsive and warm, and  I really love what she’s done. It’s easy on the eyes, has lovely scene and chapter breaks, looks beautiful, and is very professionally done. Somehow, she managed to do all that and still make the page count lower than what it was before, which means it can be reduced a bit in price. I put a lot of time and effort into my books as most writers do, but I felt that Dana cared about the finished project as much as I did. Now that I know she also does editing,  By Your Side will be a ‘go to’ for me in future. Very highly recommended!​"

~ Judith James, author of Libertine's Kiss, Soldier of Fortune, The Highwayman, and Broken Wing

"​I thoroughly enjoyed working with Dana on my debut novel. Seeing as I had no previous experience, I made tons of mistakes, but Dana was always professional and understanding and she did her job perfectly. She gave me great advice and went the extra mile for me and my book. I cannot wait to work with her again!"

~L.J. Shen, author of Tyed

"Byyoursideselfpub.com in the person of Dana Delamar has enabled me to move forward toward my objectives in writing. She can’t make it worthwhile or interesting, but with many years experience as a professional editor, she can make it correct. But she is so much more than an editor; she is genuinely interested in helping get it right to my own satisfaction. She is able, through sensible comments and questions, to help me see and reach those shortcomings in my work which I realize but am in need of help to visualize.

For me, navigating the technical, and aggravating, requirements of self-publishing was more than I could bear. Dana has the magic to make it happen painlessly.

“Lagniappe” is a one-word summary of Dana’s ability and her personality. She always gives you more and gives it generously. Go to Dana; your Muse will be very happy you did."
~ A. Vernon Richmond, author of The Cook's House

"As I write this testimonial, I struggle to find the words to accurately describe just how highly I value Dana and the service I have received from By Your Side Publishing.  Having traditionally published my first novel, I considered going down the same path for my second. But there was a part of me that wanted the freedom and control that publishing independently offers. All I lacked was confidence. 

During the edit of The Seer’s Daughter, Dana went above and beyond, tweaking and fine-tuning every detail. She didn’t simply edit, she made insightful and thoughtful suggestions, as well as providing links to helpful resources. She is a writer’s best friend and most valuable asset. Because of the trust I’d developed for Dana and the service she provides, I decided to take the leap into self-publishing. And I’m so glad I did! 

Dana’s support, advice and service have been exceptional and flawless. She is a true professional, and yet so personable. I truly discovered a diamond the day I found Dana, and cannot recommend her highly enough. I will most certainly be using the services of By Your Side Publishing for all my future writing needs."
~ Athena Daniels, author of The Seer's Daughter, The Alchemist's Son, Girl Unseen, and When Darkness Follows

​"I am a first-time author, and I was struggling with a few problems. I was recommended to By Your Side Self-Publishing, and I am so pleased I was. Dana has done a brilliant job with my book and made various suggestions and corrected some spelling mistakes my proofreader missed. She has been faultless in everything she has done and been extremely quick in replying to emails. I have lost count of the number of times I have asked for help and she has been there throughout. I have one regret, and that is I didn’t discover her at the very start. Excellent value for money. I will be recommending By Your Side Self-Publishing and using Dana’s services in the near future." 

~ Julie Harrison, author of From Cancer to Clear

"Despite its many pleasures, writing can also be a lonely experience, perhaps especially for first-time authors. Dana Delamar leaned in to make the self-publishing process navigable. Most prominently, she is a sharp copy editor. After writing, reading and re-reading my own work, it is easy to not see my quirks. Dana called these out, and provided sound suggestions for how to improve them or alter course. In addition, she served as an effective sounding board, helping me work through creative concepts and other sensitive topics. Upon completion of the book, she stepped up again to provide sound recommendations for how to market it. Writing can be an intimidating experience, but it delivers rewards. There is nothing like holding a print copy of your own work, or seeing it online, or on display at a local book store. Dana guided me to this place. Certainly, when I go down the writing path again, she is among the first people I will engage."
~ Jerome Stewart, author of Standing on the Edge: Dealing with the Aftermath of Suicide

"Dana Delamar was an invaluable help to me on my fourth novel.  Excellent insights, great resources, and, most importantly, understanding and caring support. She dug deeply into my story, helped me understand my own characters better, and pushed me to go even deeper.  I will use her again and recommend her without reservation to any developing writer.  Good luck out there!"
~Drew Holiday

​

"By Your Side Self-Publishing helped me every step of the way making my book—The Essential Guide to Writing a Novel, 2nd ed.—available at Amazon.  Dana was remarkably knowledgeable, professional, and prompt.  Her fees were reasonable and competitive, and she was a pleasure to do business with."

~James Thayer

"As a publisher and an author, the quality of my brand must meet my high expectations with every campaign. I take painstaking efforts to ensure the books I publish are near as perfect as can be. After over six years of seeking for one-stop shopping for my publishing needs, I finally found a winner. Dana is the answer. Dana prides herself in going the extra mile. Competitively priced and delivers on time. Highly recommended. Five Stars."
~New Paradigm Publishers

​"Dana gave me great advice in getting my ebook self-published into paperback formatting.  Her knowledge and expertise were worth so much more than the fee she charged, especially when she took care of the last few technical glitches all by her lonesome. I highly recommend Dana for her  professional knowledgeable and guidance.  I am hooked and she will be hired for my next book."
~Kyle Morrow, author of Black Iron Brandy, Belt Buckle Bunny and Two Crow Omen

​

"Five stars for By Your Side Self-Publishing! Knowledgeable, professional, organized, detail-oriented and efficient: Dana Delamar is all of those, topped with a big dollop of kindness, humor and patience. She and Kristine provide the outstanding service, guidance and support that are critical to self-publishing neophytes. In short, they care. I’m grateful beyond words to them for making a potentially nerve-wracking experience a pleasure instead and for providing excellent value for the money. I’m tempted to write another book just so I can work with them again . . ."
 ~Janet Elder, author of Placed Out: Children of the Train

"Good morning, Dana. I just wanted to send a special note to you.  Your last e-mail that had so much wonderful information about Author Central, etc. and the publishing process was so very appreciated by me. You went far above your job of formatting my ms and helped me in so many ways.... You're absolutely on my side as an author and it means so much. You took extra time and effort to ensure I had everything I needed to get the ms published!!! Take care and, because of you, my latest novel is perfect!!!" 

~Sue Chamblin Frederick, author of Grandma Takes a Lover, The Front Porch Sisters, and A Good Year for Roses