Manuscript Assessment

In the highly competitive world of publishing, having a quality manuscript assessment can often be pivotal to success. Once you’ve written a novel, it’s natural to want to send it off to publishers as quickly as possible, but first impressions last, and it is highly advisable to seek the advice of an expert before having potential publishers’ eyes evaluate your work. A manuscript assessment is a valuable way to get quality feedback on your writing to see where your strengths are and where you can improve. Please see our editing services if you require a more simplified package. 

How Does it Work?

A manuscript assessment is much more comprehensive and educational than a copy edit. An appraiser will take great care in reading your novel from start to finish and provide actionable feedback on the following elements: 

• The foundational aspects of your writing such as structure, character arc and plot development. 

• The quality and readability of the story as a whole. 

• Detailed strengths, weaknesses and recommendations for each chapter. 

• An appraisal of writing style, characters, view points, timelines, scenes and sequencing. 

• Suitable publishing opportunities worth pursuing. 

Types of Assessments

Novel Suite offer two types of assessments:

1. An Early Intervention. An evaluation provided during the planning or first draft stage. 

2. A Full Assessment. Ideally completed once a manuscript has been written beyond the first draft. 

Early Intervention

An Early Intervention is recommended as the most valuable investment an aspiring author can make, and it is inexpensive! 

If you are writing a novel, you want to feel confident that you have a sound plot before investing six to twelve months (or more) into completing it. 

We have frequently noticed promising authors who write full manuscripts that were poorly structured right from the start. These early errors send the story onto a misguided path and result in an enormous amount of work that needs to be redone. As a result, we encourage aspiring authors to take advantage of this early intervention approach to manuscript assessment. 

During this evaluation, we don’t focus on the copy, but instead on the overall structure, the story arcs, character journey, and the pacing of events throughout the story. We work with you to create a plan that will succeed. By receiving this personal guidance early, authors can write confidently, knowing that their story is set to engage their targeted audience. 

Full Manuscript Assessment 

A full assessment will refine your story, so it is ready to be appreciated by prospective publishers and readers. 

Each assessment thoroughly examines the technical and artistic merits and shortcomings of the novel. An extensive report will be provided to advise the best way to meet your writing objectives. 

The report will include writing style, overall structure, character elements, and a statement of the integrity of the novel as a whole. The report is designed to include the same type of critique and feedback you could expect from a literary agent or publisher, and your assessor will give reasons for his or her judgments so that they can be incorporated into your manuscript before further submission. 

Ready to Polish Your Novel?