A Manuscript Evaluation is right for you if your manuscript is incomplete and you want some feedback on story, structure, character, or voice. It’s also appropriate if your manuscript is complete but you are unsure where to start with end-stage editing.
A Manuscript Evaluation is a letter—typically three (3) to six (6)+ pages—detailing your manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses in broad terms. You’ll see advice for, and certainly not limited to: your story’s main arc, character arcs, side characters or “NPCs”, worldbuilding, cohesiveness between character and story, cohesiveness between your main story and any subplots, believability, your story’s structure and POV (point of view), and your story’s point (your “why”). This feedback is often essential to authors in need of a place to start with their heavier edits and manuscript cleanup before investing in developmental editing.
If you are an experienced author–typically an experienced author has published, either traditionally or Indie, at least 5+ books–a manuscript evaluation may be the only thing you need to guide you through major revisions.
Is your manuscript ready for big edits and cooperative guidance? Try developmental editing!