Services

SAMPLE AND WHOLE

MANUSCRIPT ASSESSMENT

What is manuscript assessment? It’s an editorial evaluation of a manuscript to determine its strengths and weaknesses in terms of plot, character development, flow, dialogue, and overall narrative structure. It identifies areas for improvement with the goal to meet readers’ expectations, whether you’re aiming to get published traditionally or to self-publish.

Manuscript assessment is not a review; it's an extensive and complex service similar to a developmental edit. It delves deep into every aspect of the text and offers plenty of guidelines for self-editing, from which both experienced writers and newbies will benefit.

Main things I focus on

Conflict. How is it developed and resolved?

Motivation. Are the protagonist's motives clear?

Logic. Do the characters’ actions and the storyline make sense?

POV. Is there a lot of head-hopping or authorial intrusion?

Scenes. Are they too short/long or even necessary?

Dialogue v. narration. Do both serve their function?

Use of language. Are there specific grammar problems that should be addressed? Overused words and phrases? Is the writing right for the intended age group and genre?

How long should the text be to be properly assessed?

The length of the text is entirely up to the author. I can assess the whole novel, half of it or just a few chapters. A sample will of course cost more per page than the whole manuscript, but if you’re unsure of what to expect or if you’d like an opinion on only certain bits of the book, it can be arranged.

Regardless of the type and size of font used, I quote for the service based on the standard manuscript page, which is 250 words or roughly 1,800 characters (including spaces).

How long does it take?

Usually about 2 weeks, although it depends on the length and difficulty of the text, as well as my general availability.

How to order

To order fill out the form on the Pricing page. Specify which service you’re interested in and include the genre of your novel and a short synopsis so that I can get an idea of the storyline. If you’ve previously submitted to agents, let me know what specific criticism you received, or if you have particular concerns regarding the manuscript.

After establishing the details of service and the terms of the agreement, payment in full will need to be made before I can start working on your text. Currently I only accept payment via Paypal as it monitors all transactions and offers protection for both parties. You don’t need a Paypal account for this, you can transfer money directly from your bank account. I do not accept cheques or direct transfers through my website.

To see detailed pricing

and contact me, click below.

Pricing

What else might need to be flagged

anachronisms
plot holes and follow-up on what has happened in previous chapters
switching between the tenses within one scene or paragraph
too many internal monologues
mental shortcuts
inconsistency with names of characters and places
repetition of facts already known to the reader
unusual solutions to problems, e.g. deus ex machina

How to format the manuscript for assessment

The text should be in a format that will be readable by Microsoft Word, as I use its Track Changes to mark up the relevant sections and insert comments (the changes are easy to remove). I can also mark up EPUBs, and I accept PDFs but I’m not able to mark them up, so in this case you’ll only receive a standard report from me. The report does talk in-depth about the text but without the comments in the file you’ll be missing out on that extra bit of help.

The font or spacing between the lines are not important. I can change them to something that will be comfortable to work with. This does not affect the price of the service; my quote is based on the standard manuscript page, which is 250 words or roughly 1,800 characters (including spaces).

What happens after?

You will receive your manuscript back with practical feedback within the file as well as a separate report detailing the steps you can easily implement when self-editing. How long your report ends up being depends on factors such as: the length of the assessed text, the number of issues that I have found, the complexity of the story, and how experienced you are as a writer. You can expect several pages; less if the issues have already been addressed in the file itself. If it's needed, the report can run as long as twenty pages but it’s certainly an exception rather than a rule.

If after you’ve read and processed my comments some things still require clarification, I offer further advice to ensure all your questions have been answered.

I offer consultations at any stage of the writing project, whether you need help generating ideas, organizing your research, polishing your style, or navigating the world of publishing.

As a writer myself, I know all the ins and outs of novel creation and the psychology of writing. As an editor, I can answer most questions on the technicali-ties of the English language. And as a self-published author I have a wealth of knowledge to share about the publishing industry and can help you decide on the best way to get your book out there.

The consultation service can happen via the introvert-friendly email or Skype/Zoom. If it’s email, for the price of £45 I'll answer 5-10 of your questions about the manuscript you’re working on or any aspect of writing, editing or publishing. If you prefer to talk face-to-face, it will be a one-hour coaching session, during which we'll tackle as many questions as time permits.

CONSULTATION