What is the manuscript critique service?

The manuscript critique (also known as manuscript evaluation or manuscript assessment) service is a less intensive version of the developmental editing service. (If you are not sure what the developmental editing service includes, read what the developmental editing service is.)

The manuscript critique addresses the manuscript’s strengths and weaknesses and provides comprehensive feedback on the following issues:

• theme
• story structure
• characters (goals, motivations, conflict, character development)
• point of view
• pacing
• setting
• genre conventions
• scene vs narrative summary (show vs tell)
• dialogue

It does not address line editing or copyediting issues such as grammar, spelling or punctuation.

The editor reads the manuscript and provides constructive feedback in an editorial report. The main difference between the developmental editing service and the manuscript critique service is that the developmental editing service includes margin suggestions (comments) in the manuscript document and an editorial report, while the manuscript critique service includes only an editorial report.
​
Free sample edits
The editing process
5 reasons to choose the manuscript critique service
​
Free sample edits
Most editors (especially copy editors and proofreaders) offer sample edits. However, it is difficult for developmental editors to offer sample edits because the big-picture issues of a manuscript can cover several pages or chapters.

My solution is to ask authors to send me their completed manuscripts. I read chapters from the beginning, middle and end of the manuscript to get a general idea of the story and identify potential issues. I perform a free sample edit on the first 1,000 words of their manuscript (4-5 pages).

I explain to the authors that the purpose of the sample edit is to:

• assess the author’s writing style, and identify potential big-picture storytelling issues.
• set scope expectations and ensure that my style of feedback aligns with what the author is looking for. 

For the manuscript critique service, the author gets only an editorial report of the first 1,000 words of their manuscript. I might provide more feedback on the editorial report than a 1,000-word manuscript typically needs to give the author an idea of my editing style and make sure that it aligns with their expectations.

The editing process
First read-through
The editor reads the entire manuscript as quickly and as comfortably as possible to gain a general understanding of the story and to write down basic information about each chapter.

Edit the manuscript
The editor reads the entire manuscript the second time slowly and carefully and takes extensive notes in an editorial report to guide the author.

Review and send documents
The editor finishes writing the editorial report and sends it to the author.

Author review
The author reviews the editorial report and asks the editor any questions they may have through email or a video call.

5 reasons to choose the manuscript critique service
You are a new author who needs to learn more about the writing craft 
If you are a new author without a lot of writing craft knowledge, then the manuscript critique service might be the right service for you.

The editorial report of the manuscript critique service gives you an overview of the most important big-picture storytelling issues that cover multiple chapters in your manuscript without overwhelming you with detailed page edits. It states the big-picture storytelling issues and offers solutions to guide you in how to further improve your story.

You are an established author who is confident in their writing-craft knowledge 
If you are a published author with a fair amount of knowledge of the writing, editing and publishing process, then the manuscript critique service might be the right service for you.

Established authors usually don’t need detailed page edits and thorough guidance. An editorial report addressing and providing solutions to the big-picture storytelling issues of their story seems more suitable to their level of writing craft knowledge and editing experience.

You have not received any offers from publishers/agents
You have sent your manuscript to multiple publishers and agents and haven’t received any positive responses yet. You feel frustrated and overwhelmed thinking that you will never publish your manuscript.

Go back to the rejection letters sent by the publishers and the agents. Read them carefully and note down common issues that they mentioned in their rejection letters e.g lack of character development or slow pacing. They will probably be issues that cover several pages and chapters of your story rather than just one or two chapters.

Hire a developmental editor to edit your story and provide constructive feedback to help you improve these issues. As a result, you will have an improved manuscript with a higher chance of getting published.

You are too close to your own story and you need another pair of (professional) eyes 
You are struck. That’s it. You have rewritten and edited your story multiple times, and you don’t know how to further improve it. You probably feel that something is missing but you can’t pinpoint what exactly that is.

Hiring a developmental editor will help you identify the big-picture issues of your manuscript and provide honest feedback in an editorial report to help you improve your story.

You don’t have the budget for a full developmental editing service
​Developmental editing services are typically more expensive than copyediting and proofreading services because of the intensive feedback the editor provides. Many authors are reluctant to hire an editor for their story because of the cost of the service.

If you are an author with a limited budget, then the manuscript critique service (a less intensive and cheaper version of the developmental editing service) might be the right one for you.

If you are not sure how much the manuscript critique service costs, you can look the EFA’s editorial rates and estimate how much the service can cost. The rates published on the EFA website can give the author a rough idea of what the cost of different editing services are.

If you want to learn more information about hiring an editor, read how to find the right editor for your fiction book and 9 questions editors ask authors before working with them.

Every editor’s circumstances are different and the cost of the service depends on a lot of factors such as the manuscript’s turnaround time and the editor’s training and experience.

As a new developmental editor, I offer significantly lower rates than those of the EFA to get honest testimonials from authors and grow my portfolio.

Every editing project is unique. Contact editors and get a no-obligation quote based on the specific needs of your manuscript. 

I am ready to discuss my book and the editing service I need. How do I do that?
Check out my editing services and fill in this form to contact me. I will respond to you as soon as possible with a customised quote!

I am not ready to book an  edit yet. How do I keep in touch?
Sign up for my newsletter to get free monthly writing and editing advice, updates and exclusive offers.

Further reading
What is developmental editing (vs other kinds of editing)?
How to find the right editor for your fiction story
9 important questions editors ask authors before working with them

---

About the author

​Maria Georgiou is a professional developmental editor for romance authors. She specialises in editing contemporary romance, YA romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance and romantasy. She is a member of the EFA and ClubEdFreelancers. 
Learn more about the author: About me
Get in touch: Facebook and LinkedIn
Learn about fiction editing: Resources Library and Blog
Get a quote for your writing project: Get in touch with me form