What is a Manuscript Assessment? Writerful Books, 2 May 20236 October 2023 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 be 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 Reading: 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.. - Alarna H. Hello Declan, You’re amazing, this is exactly what I needed. Thank you for such a quick turn around. Kindest, Alarna. - Alarna H.Read Moreread less - Jo V. Thanks so much for arranging this review. I really enjoyed it. I have a bit of distance from the writing now so it’s great to have this feedback and it will fuel my current and future writing. Many thanks! Jo - Jo V.Read Moreread less - Stephanie H. Thank you ever so much! Hope to send more business your way soon. Stephanie Hansen - Metamorphosis Literary Agency - Stephanie H.Read Moreread less - Sarah W. Thank you very much for this, I appreciate your feedback and advice. Thanks again, Sarah. - Sarah W.Read Moreread less - Lhexa D. Thanks for the report. This novella was based on my adolescent understanding of Catholicism and American slavery, so the parallels are deliberate. I won't change dialogue, since it's meant to reflect indoctrination, but I will change the pertinent prose. I will also follow up on some of the other suggestions. Thanks, you've been very helpful. Lhexa - Lhexa D.Read Moreread less Thanks for the good advice. I’ll keep working on it. Read Moreread less - Jeffrey M. I totally get why it took longer to read. I feel a little goofy pestering you so much, I just wasn’t sure. You have nothing to apologize for. You were right, this was a top notch reading which will greatly help my revisions. - Jeffrey M.Read Moreread less - John D. That’s terrific, exactly what I was hoping for (would have been better if I’d sent the final edit version). I would like to purchase another $110 worth in a couple of weeks, if available. John Dawson. - John D.Read Moreread less - Matthew L. Very many thanks for this - hugely appreciated! I am grateful both for your highly encouraging compliments and your suggestions for improvement. I do know what you mean about the danger of repetition with the animals chapters - I had looked at them to try and avoid that happening but I’ll go back and look again! Originally it was one long chapter but I split it up so that it didn’t get in the way of the chronology. I shall ponder and play around with it! Meanwhile, I’m delighted you found it so relatable and that it made you laugh! Many thanks again for your work and kind wishes. Matthew. - Matthew L.Read Moreread less - Tammy A. Thanks for sending it through. Some great feedback. I'm slowly working through your suggested edits.. - Tammy A.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 - 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 - Jodi L. I just read your comments and am feeling deeply grateful. You've given me a new confidence that the subtleties I was hoping to convey are coming through to a caring and thoughtful reader. I will certainly work on the few words you suggested reconsidering. One one of them ("knacker") I was wondering about myself ... whether it had too many other meanings to be clear in that context. Indeed I struggled with hating to use the language of the era, but knowing it was how the characters would speak. I am glad you felt that was a reasonable choice. Also, as this was a new epilogue (after several tries that weren't working all that well), I am quite grateful that you've given it a stamp of approval. I do feel that I'm finally ready to send this book to agents... to let it out of my own little world. It's been a very long road of discovering this challenging craft, and readers like you make it worth it. Many thanks to you, and I quite expect I'll get back in touch for the next one. Rinse and repeat.... that's a writing life! - Jodi L.Read Moreread less - David R. Hi Declan, First and foremost, thank you for the quick prompt service to my story collection, Human Being Human Doing. I will look at this over the next few days and email you with any explanation that may be required. Thanks once again; stay well and all the best. - David R.Read Moreread less - John B. Thank you for providing a very informative and constructive critique. I feel most of the observations were quite valid and I will proceed with further refinements and edits. Thank you again, John. - John B.Read Moreread less - Mark P. Thank you for the helpful and detailed feedback! - Mark P.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. 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