Manuscript Assessment

Manuscript assessments are vital to writers of both fiction and nonfiction yet they’re often overlooked. I’ve met many writers who are eager to move their work straight to the editing stage, or are quick to submit to a competition without a manuscript assessment being considered.

Here are just a handful of things that a manuscript assessor looks at with a fictional piece:

Character Development – are your characters believable or relatable, and are they engaging to the reader?
Plot – does the plot flow smoothly, without any holes or unanswered questions?
Voice – is the voice (your authorial voice, or that of your protagonist) clear and consistent throughout?
Dialogue – is the dialogue believable, consistent with the characters’ personality and motivations, aiding in bringing those characters to life?
Narrative – is the narrative overwritten or is there a lack of explanation in certain scenes, and does it keep the reader interested in what’s going on?

For nonfiction manuscript assessments, here are just a few things authors can receive feedback for:

Structure – does the structure of topics and chapters jump around, or do they flow from one to the other with ease?
Voice – is your authorial voice suitable for your target readership, or do certain elements need to be adjusted to make it so?
Repetition – are you using unnecessary repetition unknowingly?

What is a Manuscript Assessment?

For those of you who don’t know what a manuscript assessment is, it’s exactly as it sounds: an assessment of your manuscript. What you receive, the author, is crucial feedback on what’s working and what isn’t working with your manuscript.

Before any editing work is commenced, a manuscript assessment is the first step to getting your work to a publishable standard.

Look at your manuscript assessor as being like your 'test reader' or beta reader. They provide useful and crucial feedback on your work before you send it out into the world for others to enjoy.

If you’re serious about producing the best work possible, whether that’s writing for children, adult fiction or a self-help book, a manuscript assessment is an extremely valuable tool and a step closer to achieving this.

For pricing information or questions about Manuscript Assessments, please email Melissa at pentoprintau@gmail.com. Be sure to include your full name, the title of your manuscript, if it is fiction or non-fiction, and the word count.