Manuscript Assessment
Starting at $0.015 per word. I quote the full price after I’ve seen the manuscript.
What I guarantee. And what I don’t.
What it is
A manuscript assessment tells you what’s actually on the page, not what’s still in your head.
I read your manuscript once and write you an assessment letter on the big-picture issues—structure, character, pacing, worldbuilding, genre reader expectations—and how ready the book reads for agents or indie publishing. It’s diagnostic, not prescriptive: an assessment tells you what you have, and a developmental edit tells you what to do about it.
When it’s right for you
I recommend a manuscript assessment when you don’t know what to do next. Maybe you’ve worked on pieces of this book over years, and you’ve lost track of which parts you actually wrote and which ones you only worked out in your head.
An assessment gives you enough direction to choose a next step: revise on your own, work with me in a coaching capacity, or book a full developmental edit once the draft is ready.
What you get
Assessment letter
Feedback on how well you’ve built a compelling plot arc, three-dimensional characters who grow, and a believable world, and on whether you’re meeting genre reader expectations. If I see something functioning as symbolism or motif, I’ll note it and say how well it’s working. The letter opens with what’s working in your manuscript, collected in one section you can go back to. It often lists books with elements similar to yours, to learn from or use as comps.
Because an assessment is one read rather than two, suggestions for improving the manuscript are limited, and I don’t mark up your manuscript.
How long the assessment letter runs
The letter is sized to the manuscript.
Straightforward (linear plot; standalone; clean prose): 3,000–5,000 words
Moderately complex (part of a series; substantial worldbuilding): 5,000–7,000 words
Highly complex (layered theme; non-linear timeline; deep worldbuilding; long manuscript): 7,000–10,000 words
Conversation
A thirty-minute follow-up over Zoom, FaceTime, or in person. Ask questions, argue with me, and discuss recommended next steps.
Turnaround
2–4 weeks. The full quote will include an expected delivery date.
Sample edit
I don’t do sample manuscript assessments because I can’t get the shape of your entire story from only a scene.
How we start
Contact me for an estimate or a complimentary half-hour chat!