Manuscript Evaluations Include Unpacking the Following:
Narrative Flow: Is the manuscript moving along at a satisfying pace for the reader, or is it stalling out with too much “business” or detail? Is every scene and chapter moving the story forward? Are there “information dumps?” Are you jumping into scenes late and getting out early? Does one chapter create anticipation of the next?
Style: What is your “voice” and style, and is it consistent throughout the manuscript compared to other published books with any similarity? Is this style working well to bring this story to life?
Logic: Are there any factual or logical errors, bloopers, or contradictions? I will find them.
Thematic Development: What is your story really about, down deep? Is that articulated on the pages through characters, plot, symbolism, metaphor, and style?
Pesky Bits: Are you using your dialogue tags correctly? Are there run-on sentences? Too much telling, not enough showing? Do you repeat the same words unconsciously? Do you have bad writing habits that you are not aware of? I’ll find them.
Fiction: Character Development: Are your characters believable, three-dimensional, and relatable? Do they change over the course of the story? Is a backstory implied? Is there discovery, adventure and resolution?
Fiction: Plot Development: Does the plot have clearly established premise with complications, obstacles, conflict, and setbacks? Does the plot resolve, one way or another, in the end? Are subplots effectively developed to support or reflect aspects of the overall plot thematically?
Narrative Non Fiction: Does your manuscript use key stories for every chapter? Is there a clear arc of events, woven together artfully? What is your take-away and thematic main message?
Your Editorial Report Will Include
A thorough evaluation of your manuscript’s premise, theme, narrative, structure, character, and dialogue. Plus, I’ll rate the overall entertainment factor and your storytelling skills, spotting weaknesses and showing you how to amplify your strengths and unique voice. I’ll suggest next steps and a game plan for your rewrite.
Evaluation includes inline comments, suggestions and light line editing to correct for repeated words or phrases and typos.
6 to 8 PAGES OF NOTES WITH EXAMPLES & SUGGESTIONS
TURNAROUND TIME
Generally, it takes 6 to 8 weeks, depending on my availability. I generally book editing at least two to three months out so take that into consideration.
RATES
My rates are between $20 to $30 per 1,000 words. I will create an estimate based on your word count and a sample of your manuscript.
INLINE NOTES
Using “track changes” in Word, I will make suggestions and corrections about the consistency of tense, missing logic, extraneous text, missing dialogue tags, repetitive word or phrase use, awkward dialogue, and more. Within the line edits, I provide “real-time” questions and suggestions about the material.
EVALUATION SAMPLES