What is a Manuscript Assessment? Writerful Books, 2 May 202316 October 2024 In the competitive and ever-changing landscape of the publishing industry, a manuscript assessment can become the vital tool for authors in getting their works published. Our manuscript assessment service can provide constructive feedback and advice to authors on how to enhance their work before publication. A manuscript assessment is an in-depth analysis of the story and craft of a novel or nonfiction book after the most recent draft has been written. It is a deep-dive into the manuscript conducted by an experienced editor but can also be undertaken by an industry expert, such as a literary agent, to evaluate the potential of the manuscript by providing valuable feedback to the author. It is different than a book review or beta reading which is usually focused on the content rather than the structure and craft of a manuscript. Manuscript Assessment FAQs A manuscript assessment is also known as an editorial evaluation and can uncover ways to strengthen the storytelling and correct any issues before the book is sent out to agents and publishers. The result of this assessment is a comprehensive report that provides feedback on elements such as the plot, characterization, dialogue, style, and grammar, as well as suggestions for improvement and overall marketability. What Should Authors Expect from a Manuscript Assessment? Authors should expect an honest evaluation of their work in the form of a comprehensive manuscript assessment report. The assessment will provide detailed commentary on the authors’ strengths, weaknesses, and improvements needed, as well as marketability ratings to prepare the author for the traditional publishing or self-publishing process. “The best thing an author can do to increase their chances of success is to have their work assessed,” advises Maria Loboda, a senior acquisitions editor at HarperCollins. “A manuscript assessment can provide a much-needed objective opinion on the work and provide actionable insights and recommendations on how to bring out the best in the story.” How to Prepare a Manuscript Before Submitting it? Prior to submitting a manuscript for assessment, authors should ensure that it is in its absolute best shape. This means that the manuscript should be proofread with a number of rounds of revisions and self-editing, to reflect professionalism and give a good first impression. It should also be formatted correctly, as per the correct guidelines or industry norms, as incorrect formatting can be a huge deal breaker for agents and editors. Be Open to Constructive Feedback When authors receive constructive feedback, they have the opportunity to make significant improvements to their manuscript and improve their writing. They can strengthen the plot, develop their characters, and improve the overall writing style. This, in turn, increases the chances of securing a publishing deal or signing with a literary agent. As a result, authors must remember to take the feedback seriously, revise their work as best they can, and resubmit it for review. Can a Manuscript Assessment Boost Your Chances of Being Published or Land a Literary Agent? A manuscript assessment can help authors determine whether their manuscript is ready for submission and increases the chances of successfully signing with a literary agent or obtaining a publishing deal. It can give authors the confidence needed to move forward in the publishing process and also provides them with a competitive edge when approaching agents and editors. “An assessment can give authors encouragement to take the next steps in their publishing journey,” says Allison Freedman, a literary agent from the Ross Yoon Agency in Washington, DC. “It can also give authors the knowledge they need to make improvements to their manuscript, and identify potential issues that might limit their ability to successfully sign with a literary agent or acquire a publishing deal.” A manuscript assessment is an invaluable tool for authors seeking to increase their chances of success in the publishing process. By providing an independent review, it gives authors feedback on where they can improve their work and strengthens the possibility of success with either a literary agent or a publishing deal. How to Prepare a Manuscript before Submitting it for an Assessment? Before submitting the manuscript for assessment, authors must proofread and review their work to the best of their ability. It should be error-free and easy to read. The manuscript should be in the correct format and meet the submission guidelines provided by the assessment service. Recommended: How a Manuscript Assessment Can Help You Find Your Voice as a Writer Are you Ready to Have Your Manuscript Assessed? A manuscript assessment can be a valuable tool for writers, especially those who might be new to the publishing process. The feedback you will receive can help you shape your work in a way that can make it irresistible to agents and publishers. Our manuscript assessment reports contain constructive and insightful feedback that can help you as a writer to improve your work before submitting it to an agent. The more polished your work, the higher the chances of it being noticed by the agent and securing a publishing deal. Manuscript Assessment FAQs Here’s what our authors had to say.. - Lisa H. I am in receipt of your report. I will be looking it over thoroughly tomorrow, but I glanced at some if it already and it looks like it is going to be very valuable toward helping me improve and strengthen my book. I will let you know if I have any questions. - Lisa H.Read Moreread less - Tom F. Sorry it has taken so long to get to you. I’ve been swamped with day-job work. I also want to thank you for reading and providing thoughtful comments. - Tom F.Read Moreread less - Frank R. Thank you very much for your quick response to my book. You have certainly given me something to think about and work to do. I am in the process of rewriting the first chapter [...] Your comments as to why would be helpful. [...] I guess the next step is to send you another draft for you to assess and once we feel the story has resolved some of the above issues go to some editing. Please let me know if this is how you see things happening. [...] Any other thoughts you have are welcome. I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards, Frank. - Frank R.Read Moreread less - Nikhil S. Thank you for your advice on the manuscript. You are right that this is an earlier draft and it needs some more revising, but I think I have some ideas based on your comments. Take care, Nikhil. - Nikhil S.Read Moreread less - Peter B. I received your beta report and I first want to thank you for the kind comments you made about this story. Your suggestions and ideas were right on, and I’ve already made most of the corrections. I was stunned by the number of typos, etc. in the manuscript. I thought it was pretty clean. Thanks for pointing them out. I know that proofreading my own work will never be perfect, and to compound things, I’ve been proofing four different novels of mine all at the same time. I can see now that I need to take a different approach with it comes to proofing, and that means that I should probably follow your suggestion to hire a proofreader. That will free me to continue writing the new stories that keep swirling around in my head. 🙂 - Peter B.Read Moreread less - Heather P. Thanks so much for this report, having had a quick read over I’m extremely happy with it. Everything that’s been said is fair, great food for thought and really helpful. I feel much more confident now about self-publishing, so kudos to the reader for not only doing this in such timely fashion but also with such style and understanding. - Heather P.Read Moreread less - Rebecca R. Thank you so much for the report. I am thrilled to receive this kind of feedback! It was so detailed and the reader made really insightful and useful suggestions. Please be sure to thank them for their thorough critique and kind comments. This was beyond helpful for me as well as reassuring that the book is worth my continued hard work. - Rebecca R.Read Moreread less - William Thank you so much for the invaluable feedback on Zoa's Arks. I am grateful for the cogent points you brought up. - WilliamRead Moreread less - Danielle B. Thank you so much for your detailed responses to all of my specific questions and also your general feedback! This all helps SO much. The two most important things I took from your feedback was that 1.)[...] I just thought of some scenes/ideas of how I can do this so now I just have to write them out and see which ones work best 🤞 2.) There needs to be a stronger hook in the first chapter. I can see now that where I started the story probably isn't the best place to start it. And 3.) there definitely needs to be downtime between the intense scenes. Someone actually suggested this to me before but I was wary because I was afraid of slowing down the story and boring the reader but I think I just have to figure out a balance. [...] Best, Danielle Brown - Danielle B.Read Moreread less - Marlane A. Thank you for your feedback. I’ll work through your editing recommendations, which I found helpful and encouraging. Sincerely, Marlane - Marlane A.Read Moreread less - Jodi D. Thank you for the report. Both readers finished commenting around page 200 - I understand one beta reader totally disliked the manuscript, hence not finishing it but was that the same for the second beta reader? I only ask, in case my Word document stopped displaying the comment boxes. Jodi. - Jodi D.Read Moreread less - Michael P. I received your report and took a gander. I’ll have more time later tonight to read it in detail. [...] Generally speaking, you highlighted exactly what I expected (not a bad thing). I knew going into this project that it would be a challenge staying “in the moment” i.e., biblical times/language. It has been fun. The protagonist’s journey – that’s what it’s all about. I’ll be in touch. Thank you. Michael. - Michael P.Read Moreread less - Rebecca A. Thank you very much for your work. It is clear to me you have read the manuscript thoroughly and I appreciate your direct feedback. I already feel excited about the potential for improvement you have outlined that I wasn't able to see on my own. What's more, I've also seen clear evidence that I made the right decision in deciding to get a manuscript assessment from your detailed comments alone. This is exactly what I needed. Thank you again. Rebecca - Rebecca A.Read Moreread less - Anni T. Thank you so much for the quick turnaround on your beta read! Your report was very insightful and will help a lot in understanding a reader's perspective. I am so glad the story came together for you - that alone is extremely helpful. Yes, the subject matter is dark, which is always difficult when trying to write a story that is entertaining! I have lines that I won't cross, esp. when it comes to writing about children. I think writing for shock value is a race to the bottom. I'll go back and work on the dialogue that is stilted/unrealistic - yes, it would be awful for the narrator to have to read stilted dialogue! Also, I have to thank you for ploughing through the story despite it being so messy! My editor is finding 100s of errors and many inconsistencies. I've been under pressure to make a deadline for my audio publisher and I've had issues caused by the border closure in Victoria (we were meant to be moving there). I agree with the border closure, but it's been a difficult time - as have these past months been for many, many people. - Anni T.Read Moreread less - Jennifer B. Thank you so much. This feedback was extremely helpful and I think it will be crucial in assisting me to tell the story I want. I greatly appreciate it! Sincerely, Jennifer Byrd - Jennifer B.Read Moreread less - Rudy S. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I wanted to say the notes were extremely helpful and gave me alot to think about. I don't know if too much time has passed by now but I thought I should try. My only question for the reader to clarify on is that I forgot to mention that this book is the first of a planned series. And she said the characters didn't feel developed, and i'm just wondering if knowing that changes anything? I hope the Covid didn't knock you around too much and that you're feeling better. I've read the notes and first wanta thank you for the feedback. I genuinely appreciate it. - Rudy S.Read Moreread less load more Our team of experienced editors is committed to providing you with the highest quality service possible. If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with the quality of our work, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. We will work with you to address any issues or concerns and either redo the service to your satisfaction or provide you with a full refund. We are dedicated to exceeding your expectations and helping you create the best book possible. You can have full confidence in our commitment to quality and client satisfaction. Book an Assessment Below! Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *FirstLastEmail *Service Required *Beta ReadingCopyeditingDevelopmental EditingLine EditingManuscript AssessmentManuscript EvaluationSensitivity ReadingOther ServiceCountry / Currency *Australia (AUD)Canada (CAD)Ireland (EUR)United Kingdom (GBP)United States (USD)OtherWord Count *Brief Synopsis *Any Questions? *For example: specific areas to request the book editor focus on.Submit Your Manuscript Click or drag a file to this area to upload. CommentSubmit Articles Manuscript Assessment Service