What's a Manuscript Evaluation?

What can you do if you’re an author overwhelmed by the number of editing options out there, unsure of where you and your manuscript need to start? What about if you aren’t sure you need a full developmental edit and want a professional opinion before you commit to the time (and money) of investing in one?

Good news: this is where a manuscript evaluation comes in!

What is a Manuscript Evaluation?

A manuscript evaluation (ME) is like a developmental edit in the sense that they both look at the overall 'big picture' of your book. The plot, the structure, character arcs, the pacing of your story: these are what both services handle (instead of grammar, word choice, sentence structure, etc. which is more your line and copy editing). It’s perfect for a writer who wants a professional opinion before paying for a developmental edit.

How is a Manuscript Evaluation Different from Developmental Editing?

Manuscript evaluations tend to be broader in their analyses than a developmental edit. Both will look at the same things, but the feedback you get is different. For example, when I do a developmental edit of a manuscript I do three passes (or readings) of the book, write comments in the margins, and write a detailed letter to the author. In that letter I’ll provide multiple specific suggestions of how to (for example) help hook the reader more in Ch 1 (if that needs help). But in this same hypothetical story, if I’m doing a manuscript evaluation, the analysis will be more general and leave out the specific examples of shifting the point of view to character 2 or starting at the café instead of the parking lot scene. The letter you get for a manuscript evaluation is much shorter than for a developmental edit (I’ve yet to meet a developmental editor who writes a short letter!).

If you’re wondering whether you need to even hire a developmental editor, an ME can be a good start. While it’s usually a good idea, not every manuscript needs a developmental editor. Sometimes the small suggestions the ME provides are enough for an author who’s been writing long enough to figure out the rewrites on their own. Then they can jump straight to hiring a line editor.

What Do I Get With A Manuscript Evaluation?

This answer varies widely depending on who you hire. The one thing that is consistent is that a manuscript evaluation won’t take as much time to do as a developmental edit, line edit, or copy edit. After that, it depends on the editor and how they set up their service: so be sure to ask questions before hiring someone to make sure you’re both on the same page for what’s involved. But generally speaking you get a manuscript analysis (sometimes called a letter or evaluation, depending on the editor) that runs a few pages. This analysis will look at your manuscript's strengths and weaknesses: does your writing flow, is the pacing consistent, do the arcs of your main characters get lost anywhere (or drop completely), does the story meet genre expectations overall? These and more are questions you should expect to get some basic answers to. Some editors will include a video chat  in their package where you can ask additional questions, others won’t.

Sample vs Commitment

One way to look at a manuscript evaluation vs a developmental edit is: are you ready for everything (potentially) involved in committing yourself to the rewrites needed to a developmental edit? Or do you just want to sample the idea and see what it might be like?  Then the ME is the sample and the developmental edit is the full commitment. If you aren’t ready to commit to working on your draft rewrites with the work your developmental editor may hand you, try a manuscript evaluation first and see what might be involved. The time, money, and commitment should be less than a full developmental edit, you get a feel for the process and working with an editor. Decide after that if you’re ready to move forward in your publishing journey or need to wait until you have a little more time.

Are you looking for a manuscript evaluation, developmental editor, writing, or marketing coach? Contact me and let’s talk about your project!