Our editorial process generally begins with a comprehensive written report that addresses a manuscript’s overall strengths and weaknesses, literary and commercial potential, and what it needs to make it as effective as possible in concept and execution. While diagnostic in focus, this report also offers specific suggestions for making plot, characters, and writing style as compelling as possible.

Recommendations can range from a few suggestions to make an excellent book irresistible through major structural or stylistic changes to help make a good idea work better. If your story’s weaknesses significantly limit the likelihood of its evolution into something with a reasonable chance of being published, the report will address the problems in further detail and suggest how you might go about rethinking the whole project. More often, recommendations include coaching in a specific area such as writing good dialogue, improving characterization, general structural, or stylistic changes. The editor will comment on any specific recommendations in the initial report, which can then be discussed further in the follow-up phone consultation.

Included in the price of the evaluation is up to a half-hour of phone or email consultation with the reviewing editor. This session gives our editors the opportunity to answer any questions about comments made in the report and to discuss and respond to any ideas the author may have about the manuscript. Consultation beyond the time included in the evaluation package is available at a special rate of $45 per hour. (Please click here if you'd like more information about the included follow-up consultation.)

Writers with promising manuscripts that simply need objective editorial insight to improve their odds of success in the marketplace can expect just that. Writers whose work isn’t yet ready for the marketplace will get honest feedback and specific advice to get them on a better track. And all writers can expect a candid, thorough assessment of what’s working and what’s not, whether or not we see the manuscript as having a realistic shot at traditional publication, and what can be done to give it the best chance of success.

Pricing:  For manuscripts greater than 50,000 words, the fee for the Manuscript Evaluation is $2.00 per page (double-spaced, 12 pt. type, 1.25” margins) with a page counting as 250 words.

For shorter works, please see the scale below.

Please note that billing calculations for this service will be based on word count. Manuscripts greater than 25,000 words do generally need to be printed and the printing costs $0.10 per page.

  Click here to submit your manuscript for a Manuscript Evaluation.