Manuscript Assessments

Welcome to the manuscript assessment page.

Q: Why do I need an assessment?

A: Excellent question. In short, an assessment can let you know if you're on the right track. Similar to a beta read through, an editor can provide valuable insight to your work, usually in more detail than a beta reader capacity. A good assessment is worth the expense if the editor pinpoints problem spots and showers praise on the areas that work well. Once an assessment is complete, you should have a solid idea if the manuscript is ready for publication or if another sweep through the text is warranted.

Q: What does an assessment entail?

A: I provide comments with notes on the good, the not so good, and anything that doesn't fit. An overview will also be provided with more in-depth information regarding the plot, characterizations, whether the grammar, punctuation, and structure need additional work, and suggestions for anything you might want to smooth over, home in on, or dive back into.

A chapter-by-chapter breakdown is also included with the goal of giving the author critical information in a play-by-play form so they can zero in on areas that deserve another look or might benefit from digging a little deeper into the story.

Overall, an assessment should let you know how ready for prime-time your work is.

A few other notes about assessments…

Keep in mind the difference between having beta readers and an assessment often comes down to the editor being a little more dispassionate about the work. Beta readers can often do the same thing an editor can do with a full read through, but often they're not looking for the plot holes, structural inconsistencies, or character concerns. In my experience beta readers tend to focus more on the voice and style of the writing, which are each extremely important. Beta readers are kind of on the front line, providing terrific feedback on what they like, don't like, or love about the story and characters.

An assessment completed by an editor touches on the voice and style but has a stronger focus on construction. An example: the story is beautifully written but the rising action isn't strong enough to really have a great climax, or the falling action is rushed making the resolution feel incomplete or slapped on. Working in tandem, beta readers and editor assessments can push a manuscript up to the next level.

Okay… what's the fee? (And a reminder of what an assessment includes)

$500 for anything up to 45,000 words

$650 for anything up to 80,000 words

$800 for anything up to 100,000 words

$1000 for anything over 100,000 words

For short stories under 10,000 words, a price can be negotiated.

A great thing? If you opt-in for an editing service, at least half and up to the entire assessment fee will be discounted from the editing price.

What's included?

A full read-through with comments on the overall manuscript.

An overview highlighting key points for plot, characterization, and the nuts and bolts of structure. General notes about the state of grammar and punctuation. This isn't a full edit, but if either need work, it's to your benefit to make corrections before the edits begin.

A chapter-by-chapter breakdown with detailed notes on each chapter.

Suggestions for how to proceed and what your next steps could be.

These are the main ideas behind manuscript assessments. Questions? Concerns? A need for clarity? Please don't hesitate to contact me.

Monti Shalosky