Manuscript Appraisals

These are also called developmental edits. If you would like to create the best possible version of your manuscript, have it appraised before sending it to a publisher, or publishing it yourself.

Yes, your friends have done a Beta read. That’s important. Now you need a professional

Why do you need it?

  1. It is done by a qualified person who will give you an objective and constructive report.
  2. You’ll have a better product to submit to publishers or to publish yourself.
  3. You’ll learn about your strengths and weaknesses as a writer.
  4. It will reveal problems with storylines or holes in plots.
  5. It identifies unnecessary or incomplete characters.
  6. It reduces the time spent rewriting. And yes. There will be re-writing.

Is my work ready for a Writing Appraisal?

  • You will learn a lot about your writing from an appraisal.
  • Appraisals should come towards the end when you’ve been writing for a while and are comfortable with your work.
  • They’re also useful if you’re concerned about the structure or can’t identify what is missing.
  • Receiving feedback is a big, brave step for any writer.
  • I will be kind, but honest.
  • When I submit my own work that is what I expect and I have assumed the same about you. I will help you identify the good parts of your story and I will show you where you can improve.

What is not included in a Writing Appraisal package?

  • I do not edit the manuscript.
  • I do not represent publishers.
  • This is an advisory service and cannot guarantee that the manuscript will be published. The appraisal is a signpost towards creating a publishable manuscript.

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