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For indie authors

Mechanical proofreading for indie authors who still want editorial control.

Dainty is a narrow proofreading tool for fiction writers who want to catch the clear errors, keep a visible review step, and avoid a rewrite-heavy editor sitting between them and the manuscript.

Create your free accountSee real examples

One-time packs instead of subscription math.

Fits self-editing workflows where review control matters.

See the proof on fiction-style passages

These examples show visible corrections, mode differences, and the kind of restraint Dainty applies when the line is already working on the page.

Gentle

Catches only undeniable errors and stops before broader cleanup.

Focused

Goes deeper on punctuation, sentence boundaries, and clear local grammar.

The paid value comes from deeper mechanical coverage and the same visible review workflow, not from rewriting your prose.

typos

Correct clustered typos without changing the narrator

Both modes catch obvious drafting mistakes fast, with Focused adding the last bit of polish.

Demonstrates visible value even before the user reaches the deeper punctuation cases.

Original

I recieve the letter on thursday and for a minute i dont open it because the return adress makes my hands shake.

Gentle

4 changes97% match

I recieive the letter on thursday and for a minute iI don't open it because the return address makes my hands shake.

Focused

6 changes96% match

I recieive the letter on tThursday, and for a minute iI don't open it because the return address makes my hands shake.

Original

I recieve the letter on thursday and for a minute i dont open it because the return adress makes my hands shake.

Gentle

4 changes97% match

I recieive the letter on thursday and for a minute iI don't open it because the return address makes my hands shake.

What changed

  • Gentle fixes the spelling mistakes, restores the pronoun casing, and repairs the missing apostrophe.
  • Focused adds the weekday capitalization and comma that complete the mechanical proofread.

What stayed intact

  • Keeps the first-person hesitation and the sentence shape.
  • Does not dramatize the narrator or add extra polish.

grammar

Clean up a paragraph-level mechanical problem, not the voice

Focused resolves the broken grammar and sentence boundary while preserving the ominous reveal.

Shows the commercial value of deeper proofreading on a paragraph that is visibly wrong but still stylistically specific.

Original

The porch light was still on, it shouldnt have been, and Eli knew that before he even touched the gate because nobody leave it burning that late.

Gentle

1 change100% match

The porch light was still on, it shouldn't have been, and Eli knew that before he even touched the gate because nobody leave it burning that late.

Focused

3 changes96% match

The porch light was still on, i. It shouldn't have been, and Eli knew that before he even touched the gate because nobody leaveft it burning that late.

Original

The porch light was still on, it shouldnt have been, and Eli knew that before he even touched the gate because nobody leave it burning that late.

Gentle

1 change100% match

The porch light was still on, it shouldn't have been, and Eli knew that before he even touched the gate because nobody leave it burning that late.

What changed

  • Gentle fixes the undeniable apostrophe error and preserves the rest of the paragraph.
  • Focused repairs the sentence boundary and the broken verb so the passage reads as a proofread paragraph, not a rewrite.

What stayed intact

  • Keeps Eli, the gate, and the ominous porch-light beat in the same order.
  • Does not swap in moodier or more literary phrasing.

tense consistency

Fix one broken verb when the correction is objective

Focused makes the tense consistent without touching the reveal beat.

A smaller example, but still a useful proof that deeper modes fix errors Gentle intentionally leaves alone.

Original

He opened the drawer and finds the ring exactly where she said it would be, tucked beneath the receipts.

Gentle

0 changes100% match

He opened the drawer and finds the ring exactly where she said it would be, tucked beneath the receipts.

Focused

1 change98% match

He opened the drawer and fiounds the ring exactly where she said it would be, tucked beneath the receipts.

Original

He opened the drawer and finds the ring exactly where she said it would be, tucked beneath the receipts.

Gentle

0 changes100% match

He opened the drawer and finds the ring exactly where she said it would be, tucked beneath the receipts.

What changed

  • Gentle leaves the line alone because the safest mode avoids broader tense normalization.
  • Focused aligns the verb with the surrounding past-tense narration.

What stayed intact

  • Keeps the discovery and the sentence rhythm intact.
  • Does not embellish the image of the ring or the receipts.

What Dainty fixes, and what it leaves alone

What Dainty will fix

  • Mechanical punctuation and sentence-boundary errors when the correction is clear
  • Typos, missing apostrophes, and local grammar mistakes
  • Objective proofreading issues that block readability

What Dainty leaves alone

  • Scene pacing and sentence rhythm
  • Deliberate fragments and stylized fiction voice
  • Dialogue attitude, subtext, and character texture

Why this matters

How Dainty handles this fiction problem

Reach indie authors looking for practical, budget-aware proofreading help without subscriptions or team-oriented software.

Budget clarity

Public pack pricing and one-time words make the cost model legible before signup.

Author-side review

The writer still decides which corrections to keep.

Fiction-specific positioning

The product is trying to solve a narrower problem than a generic all-purpose assistant.

Questions before signup

The questions writers usually ask on this topic

No. It is better understood as a narrow mechanical pass you can use while revising your own draft.

Keep exploring the fiction-proofreading surface

These pages cover adjacent questions writers usually ask before they decide whether a proofreader is safe for fiction.

Problem page

Chapter Proofreading For Novelists

Capture writers looking for chapter-level proofreading workflows rather than full manuscript upload promises.

Problem page

Manuscript Proofreading By Section

Serve authors evaluating manuscript proofreading workflows and looking for section-based review.

Pack options

Pricing

See the free allowance and one-time word packs up front.

Workflow

Fiction proofreading

See how the product handles fiction passages and visible review.

Questions

FAQ

Get direct answers about account gating, voice, and packs.

Bring a real passage once you are ready to test the full workflow.

Create an account, verify your email, and use the free allowance on your own draft instead of guessing from generic grammar advice.

Create your free accountSee pack options