Manuscript Assessment

Have you written your novel, and now you’re not sure what’s next? Have you received conflicting feedback from your beta readers and peers, and want a professional’s opinion instead? Do you think you’re ready for publication but want an assessment from a professional prior to submission to agents and publishers to ensure your story is ready?

A manuscript assessment, or manuscript appraisal, gives you a big-picture review of your manuscript, and I’m here to make it easy for you!

Essentially, a manuscript assessment highlights what’s good about your novel and what needs work. You’ll receive a detailed report that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of your book, as well as suggestions on how to improve and rework it before you take the next step toward publishing.

Manuscript Assessment Cost: $0.02 AUD per word

A Manuscript Assessment report covers (but is not limited to):

Story structure
Character development
Pacing, tone, voice, etc.
Writing style
Novel strengths and weaknesses
General feedback and recommendations.

Let’s do it

Please note: I work with writers from all over the world. If you are from outside Australia, please let me know at the time of booking. 🙂

Who is the MS assessment for?

Great question!

Manuscript assessments are perfect for:

Writers who aren’t ready for a professional edit of their book yet, but want professional feedback
Writers who are wondering if their manuscript is ready or nearly ready for publication and want an assessment from a professional prior to submission to agents and publishers.
Writers who are getting vague or conflicting feedback from readers and would prefer a publishing professional’s point of view.
Writers who know work still needs to be done on their novel, but they are not sure what work to do or how to go about it.
Writers who want to ensure that their book meets its objectives

Which book genres do you work with?

I work with books in most genres within the realm of fiction.

At this stage, I am not working with non-fiction or children’s books.

How long do MS assessments usually take?

My lead time varies depending on my calendar, but generally, you will be looking at 4-6 weeks for your manuscript assessment.

I will confirm a deadline when you’re all locked in. 🙂

How long will the report be?

This depends on the individual book and the feedback required to give your book the best chance in the market.

Previous reports have ranged from around 3,000 words to 8,000 words.

Do you offer partial MS assessments?

Absolutely!

If you want to know if a draft is working so far and is worth continuing, I can do a partial manuscript assessment of anywhere up to 50K words.

I ask for half your novel (until around the midpoint – typically the first 50% of your story) as well as an outline of the remaining chapters.

We can’t wait to work with you!

Let’s do it

Abbie provided me with a very detailed 6-page (2,500-word) report on my first manuscript. This was invaluable feedback and helped me view my manuscript from different angles. Abbie provided me with solid ideas that greatly improved my manuscript. She was able to highlight what worked and what didn’t, and what publishers and agents would be looking for. Her extensive feedback looked at character development, genre, plot and structure, dialogue, overall writing style, plus the opening chapter and ending. I’m so grateful for the ongoing feedback and discussions to help continue to improve my manuscript in the hope that it’s now at a publishable level. I highly recommend Abbie’s editing and assessment services – she’s been an absolute pleasure to work with.

Susannah M.

As a first-time author, I was overwhelmed with all the rejections I had been receiving from publishers, and I didn’t know how to proceed with my book. The manuscript assessment I received was an absolute game-changer. The feedback was detailed, constructive, and incredibly insightful. It highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of my story (it was so nice to hear that there were things working well), and it provided me with a clear roadmap for revisions. Abbie’s expertise was evident in every comment, and her suggestions were practical and actionable. I highly recommend this service to any writer stuck with their book and needs a shining light forward.