A manuscript evaluation is a great way to help determine what works and what doesn’t with your manuscript, while putting the major decisions in your hand.
What is a Manuscript Evaluation?
A manuscript evaluation will look at the content, structure, style, pacing, cohesiveness, format, plot and characters from the very first to very last page of your manuscript. A manuscript evaluation is a great option for all authors, especially self-publishing ones who want to see what works in their story, what gaps exist, which characters, scenes or chapters are superfluous, and/or where pacing is a bit off.
How is a Manuscript Evaluation & Developmental Editing Similar?
Both review the content, structure, style, pacing, cohesiveness, format, plot and characters in your work, requires a SWOT analysis (identifies your work’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for growth and threats to success), and requires a certain degree of author-editor collaboration. They both want to answer how readable is manuscript and how successful is your story at portraying what you want to portray.
What is the Difference Between a Manuscript Evaluation & Developmental Editing?
| Manuscript Evaluation | Developmental Editing | |
| Type of Feedback | Feedback is more general with illustrative examples | In-depth feedback with in-text comments |
| Recommendations | Provides recommendations that you may decide how & what to act upon | Transforms/shapes your manuscript and requires editor-author collaboration to decide how and what should be acted upon |
| Finance & Time | Cheaper & Shorter | More Costly & Longer |
Manuscript evaluation better serves earlier iterations of your work where you are not quite sure what needs to be changed, if your plot, characters, writing style, etc. work. Developmental editing comes after you have made substantial edits to your work/ after a manuscript evaluation (should you elect to have one).
What do you offer?
Whether you just finished your manuscript, finished your first round of self-edits, or wherever you are in your editing process, Cats, Coffee, Con Law is here to help!
What you will get:
- An analysis of your overall work
- An analysis of how well your work fits its genre
- Character, plot, and subplot analysis
- Dialogue & action feedback
- Pacing and readability feedback
- Content ordering feedback
- Multi-page editorial letter
- One-hour video chat with editor to discuss your feedback
How much does it cost?
Cats Coffee Con Law believes in transparency!
Manuscript evaluation costs $0.020 per word.
If you choose, you can send a 1,000 word sample to see how well you like my service that I will evaluate for you for free and to get a free-quote on what a half or full manuscript evaluation.