Editorial Assessments & Manuscript Appraisals
In-depth story analysis and objective feedback reports
Explore your work’s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities
You’ve finished your book and now you want to take the next step towards publishing. So that means getting your book edited, right?
On the contrary, editing is probably going to be your biggest expense if you are self-publishing, so you want to make sure that your book is ready for this investment. In most cases, what you need before editing is objective feedback on your work that evaluates its strengths and weaknesses and assesses its readiness for publishing.
If you haven’t yet finished your manuscript, an appraisal and feedback (also known as an editorial assessment) can be a great way to get professional help on solving any challenges you have and helping you chart a path to completion.
What you get
With the editorial assessment and feedback you get an in-depth analysis and written report of the book’s strengths and areas for improvement.
- In fiction, I look at things like plotting and premise, structure and pace, dialogue, showing vs telling, voice, and starting strong with memorable opening lines. I’ll share insights from my book Write Masterful Fiction to help you take your writing to the next level.
- For nonfiction, I look at whether your argument comes across clearly and if you are successfully making the point you wish to make. I will look at aspects such as style, expression, logical flow, and chapter organisation. I will also check to see whether you are addressing the needs of your intended audience.
I deliver:
- A written report of 5 to 12 pages identifying what works really well and what needs further clarification or development.
- A worksheet with guided steps to help you work through any problem areas with structure or plot.
- Specific input on any questions you have about the text or problems you haven’t been able to solve.
- Email follow-up to answer your questions and review new ideas.
Mini review
Up to 8000 words- Opening chapters plus final chapter (if written)
- 5-10 page report
- Problem-solving on specific questions you have
- Worksheets (if required)
- Email support after delivery of report
Standard manuscript
60,000 words- Review up to 60,000 words
- 5-12 page report
- Problem-solving on specific questions you have
- Worksheets (if required)
- Email support after delivery of report
Long manuscript
80,000+ words- Review up to 80,000 words (for longer manuscripts, price on request)
- 5-12 page report
- Problem-solving on specific questions you have
- Worksheets (if required)
- Email support after delivery of report
Invest in your talent
Professional feedback should be seen as an investment in your growth as an author. If you haven’t had professional author coaching or feedback yet, then it’s a really good idea to get it before proceeding with editing or publishing. Even experienced authors with major publishing houses get editorial assessments and problem-solving support from their editors. So if you need help with specific aspects of your work or just can’t wait for some supportive feedback, do get in touch and find out more about assessments or other author coaching options.