£15 per thousand words
(Authors who use this service are also entitled to a 10% discount on other services for the same manuscript)
Editorial assessment
What is an editorial assessment?
An editorial assessment is exactly what it sounds like: an assessment of your manuscript. It takes place once you have a finished draft of your story and are looking for expert feedback on its strengths and weaknesses.
It’s like a mini developmental edit, covering at all the same bigger-picture aspects – including plot, characters, emotional impact, perspective, style, and pacing, as well as suitability for your target audience – but instead of detailed comments directly on your manuscript, you’ll get a separate editorial report highlighting key areas to focus on.
It might, for example, flag that your main character doesn’t have a clear goal, and make a suggestion to help you clarify it. It might suggest that your manuscript is too long for reader expectations in your genre and offer some ideas about how to carve your story up into a number of books instead. It might say that your book is ready for editing and publication, or advise that you spend more time workshopping the story before moving ahead.
It’s a cost-effective option for authors who might be on a budget, or who do not want to make the commitment to a full developmental edit.
What’s included in this service?
You’ll receive an editorial report that covers both the strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript in areas such as:
- Plot
- Structure
- Characters
- Dialogue
- Setting
- Point of view
- Voice
- Emotional impact
- Suitability for target audience
This is a single assessment of your manuscript, not a full developmental edit. I will make recommendations or suggestions for improvements where weaknesses are identified, but this service does not include any direct comments on the text, or any further consultations to discuss your ideas (though of course I’m always available to answer any question about the report itself).
It’s a one-off service, priced to be more affordable than a developmental edit.
What does an editorial assessment look like?
See below the template I use for my editorial assessments, which shows the areas it would cover. The final report is generally around 8–12 pages long.
(Best viewed in a desktop browser. Images and embedded files may not load correctly on mobile or tablet.)
Ready for an editorial assessment?
Great! You can send me a message here.
If you’re looking for another type of editing, check out all the services I offer here.
TESTIMONIAL
“I’m extremely satisfied with the quality of Kate’s work, finding in it ideas that made so much sense, as well as suggestions and insights that can only help me continue polishing my craft. For an amateur writer, as I consider myself to be, there is plenty to learn and apply from it, and it only reflects the keen sense of plot and narrative flow Kate possesses.”
Alessandra P, author of a fantasy novel
