Evaluation

The first step in moving toward snagging a literary agent and getting the attention of a publisher is usually to have an honest evaluation of your manuscript’s publishing potential done by a professional.

I do these preliminary evaluations of both fiction and non-fiction book-length manuscripts (between 30,000 and 120,000 words) for $255.

For this, I’ll evaluate your manuscript and give you a written summary of its strengths and weaknesses, as well as an appraisal of its likelihood of being accepted or rejected by an agent or editor. I’ll pay particularly close attention to the first 50 pages, which is about as far as lit agents and publishers will read in deciding if they have a winner on their hands. If appropriate, I’ll point out some key areas that could improve the writing and marketability of your book, and give you a few specific examples. If I feel that your manuscript would benefit from editing, I'll tell you exactly what type of editing is involved, what the work will cost, and when it will be completed. (Note: If the manuscript is longer than 120,000 words, the evaluation fee will be slightly higher.)

Please note that the Evaluation is not meant to be a substitute for a full structural edit. The notes I deliver to you will typically be 3-6 typed pages in length, depending on the number and severity of issues I find. I will let you know the general areas where your manuscript needs fixing, but obviously I cannot go into great detail for this level of service. Many clients, frankly, bypass this step and go directly to a structural and copy edit; the large majority of the others move to a structural edit after receiving the Evaluation.

Why don’t you get started today and find out what your book’s chances are of being published by having me evaluate your manuscript?