We can say what individual services cost, but it’s impossible to generalize sight unseen about what combination of services will be needed for your particular manuscript or screenplay. Some projects may be only a draft away from completion; others may have even more potential but need considerably more work. One function of the manuscript evaluation is to assess the cost, extent, and nature of the work in store.

The $35 critique and manuscript evaluation are the most popular starting points. Your editor can then make an educated recommendation for further services, if needed.

If you just want an overview of potential costs, please see our price list and payment policies.

Editorial memos for manuscript evaluations, our most popular service, generally take about three weeks. Introductory critiques are generally completed within a week. Time for review for consultation, line-editing, copyediting, or proofreading depends on the length of the work and the depth of the editing required.

Yes. Once a manuscript reaches a point where we can be confident in its chances of attracting a publisher, we do offer assistance in finding representation. Anyone interested should check out our Agent Matchmaking Program and Manuscript Marketing Services.

All three. Our initial analysis of a work—the manuscript evaluation—offers an in-depth look at all the fundamentals of an effective manuscript. (For fiction: plot, characterization, suspense, writing mechanics, dialogue, verisimilitude, scene crafting, and so on. For nonfiction: organization, clarity, target market, quality of presentation.) In cases where we take a project on for further work, we generally suggest dealing with challenges relating to content first, because there's no sense to editing style or prose when the content is likely to change.

We let the author know. We're not going to lie about a manuscript's potential just to retain an author's business. We believe in candor and honesty, and will be clear with you about the strengths and weaknesses of a manuscript. "Unpublishable" manuscripts, while rare, are the least pleasant part of our job, but we do turn down projects for editorial work past the Evaluation stage if we see them as unlikely prospects for publication even with the benefit of editing. At the same time, we also offer a clear and comprehensive explanation of the challenges we perceive and what the author can consider to get the manuscript on a better track.

The process begins with an editor experienced in your genre reading your manuscript to get a sense of what you’re trying to do and giving you detailed feedback as to how successful you’ve been in accomplishing it. The primary focus at this stage is your manuscript’s specific strengths and weaknesses, where it currently stands in the context of its competition, and its overall chances of finding a publisher. See our Editors by Genre list to find the best match for your manuscript.

Recommendations can range from a few suggestions to make an excellent book irresistible to major structural or stylistic changes for helping a good idea work better. If your manuscript’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 dialogue, improving characterization, general structural or stylistic changes, possibly including line-by-line editing of your work. The editor will comment on any specific recommendations in the initial report, which can then be discussed further in the follow-up phone consultation that’s included in the price.

Find detailed information on our services for fiction, nonfiction, and screenplays and let us help you take your work from "good enough" to excellent.

Unlike most freelance editorial firms, our work with manuscripts doesn't stop with editing. When and if a manuscript has reached a point where we're confident in its chances of publication, we offer our unrepresented writers a good deal of help in obtaining a literary agent. It puts our reputation on the line, but we feel it's worth the risk to bring recognition to talented new voices. At the same time, we're not going to waste an author's time (or money!) if we feel a work does not have publication potential.

Our goal with any literary agent is to be a reliable source of promising, polished work from authors whose commitment to their craft matches their desire to be published. There's no way we could live up to this goal without being selective about what we take on to begin with. The enjoyment and satisfaction we get out of our work has a lot to do with the quality of the manuscripts we work on and the success of those manuscripts that become published books.  We take pride in our work, in our authors’ work, and in the high percentage of our clients who go on to become successfully published.

It's remarkable how seldom we encounter significant disagreement between an author and an editor. We always try to put our criticisms in context and support them with specific examples. An author is of course under no obligation to follow a suggestion or to accept any criticism we make. We’re generous with our suggestions, careful to separate problem and solution, and we’re always open to discussion. In the unlikely event of a dispute, the best thing to do is contact the Tucson office.

Certainly. If you're an absolute novice, we recommend checking out our book, Self Editing for Fiction Writers, to educate yourself on the basics of story structure and dialogue mechanics. If your work is ready to share with others, a great starting point is our Introductory Critique. At $35, it's our most affordable service, and the feedback can help guide your writing on the rest of the manuscript. If you want feedback on an entire project, the Manuscript Evaluation is the way to go. For general feedback and ongoing dialogue with an editor about your manuscript's direction, you might want to consider Manuscript Consultation.This is best for works in progress, or times when you have a great idea, but can't quite figure out where to begin (or continue) writing.

At the very least we can evaluate what is and is not working with your manuscript and give you some honest feedback as to whether or not it’s worth continuing with the effort. If the manuscript does show promise, we offer many services that can help you bring it to its full potential.

We have a review and phone consultation package available with no minimum page requirement, billed hourly with a nominal per-page fee for the reading.

Yes. As an author, it's often hard to distance yourself from your project and take an objective look at its real strengths and weaknesses. That's why having a professional editor evaluate your manuscript  can make all the difference. You can test the waters with our Introductory Critique or request a full Manuscript Critique, our comprehensive first-pass evaluation, and the best way to nail down the best and worst parts of a manuscript. The manuscript critique includes a phone or email follow-up with your editor, but if you'd rather just talk to someone about your work without receiving a detailed editorial memorandum, check out Manuscript Consultation.

At the very least we can probably tell you why you're not having success and give you some honest feedback as to whether or not it’s worth continuing with the effort. If the manuscript does show promise, we offer many services that can help you bring it to its full potential.

Additionally, we offer our Agent Matchmaking Program, an invitation-only program reserved for Editorial Department clients whose work we know well and find to be outstanding. Over the years, we have built relationships with several dozen agents and agencies, and our reputation for quality helps AMP clients get a leg up on the agenting process.

It's hard to generalize about this, but most of our clients are writers who have taken a complete manuscript through at least a couple of revisions prior to submitting it to us and who have already made the effort to learn the basics of their craft. (Many clients are familiar with our book, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.) While literary talent and/or a great concept can improve the chances of an untrained author’s creating something publishable, a one-on-one relationship with an editor is likely to be more fruitful when a writer has first studied his or her craft.

Never. An editorial memorandum is written specifically for your manuscript, and all our criticisms, suggestions, and lessons on craft are based on examples from the work in question. You can expect consistency in the quality and depth of your editor's review, but rest assured that the editors never work from templates or use canned responses.

Unfortunately, no. We cannot guarantee an outcome dependent upon factors outside our control. What we can promise is straightforward, practical guidance on craft, which, if heeded, is likely to significantly improve a manuscript’s chances of landing you an agent or publication deal.

Additionally, if we believe in a manuscript's merits, we'll welcome it into our Agent Matchmaking Program. It's still not a guarantee, but it means you'll have our years of experience, and of building positive relationships with agents and publishing houses, on your side.

Possibly. We have a few editors on staff who are published writers themselves and are occasionally available to co-write or ghostwrite on certain projects. Our 30 years in the editing business have also put us in contact with other writers who might be able to help you. The best thing to do is to contact the Tucson office and we can discuss your project.

In some cases this is a sensible option, especially when a writer already has an agent for his or her work and has received some specific criticisms. The best thing to do is call or e-mail the Tucson office and we can help you select the best service for your needs.

Yes. We have a team of seasoned Hollywood veterans in our Screenplay Services division. They can assist you with everything from concept development to line editing to marketing.