Your manuscript is ready to be presented to agents and publishers. You're certain it's perfect, otherwise you wouldn't be submitting it.

What the agent, or publisher will do is to evaluate it. If, after reading the first two or three pages, they are not hooked on your story, it will be married to a rejection letter and sent back to you. It's rather like a show-jumping competition. You have very little time to get it right; once you've picked up faults, there's no turning back and trying again. Your round is over. The next competitor takes over the arena.

It may be that your writing makes a promising start, only to fall apart further down the line: the characters lose their credibility, the plot becomes befuddled, the story loses its impetus, the reader loses interest, and you lose your chance. It's unlikely you will ever know why, nor how near or far you were from winning an acceptance. When a manuscript is rejected, very seldom does the publisher or agent tell you why - their job isn't giving advice to writers.

A writer's friends and family are sometimes put into the uncomfortable position of being asked for an opinion. It's a brave person who is prepared to give an honest view if it risks offending or hurting somebody they care for.

Where does that leave the writer who is hoping to win a publishing contract? Do you just cross your fingers, kiss a chimney sweep, or touch wood?

Not only  have I worked as an editor for nearly 20 years, but as an author with three books published by Random House since 2003,  working with top-flight in-house editors has given me an excellent insight into just what a publisher is looking for in a finished manuscript. My books have been published in paperback, hardback for the visually impaired reader, and in audio book format.

I can give you an honest and unbiased appraisal of your writing. Whether you have written a novel, or a work of non-fiction, I will point out its strengths and weaknesses.   You will receive a written detailed and constructive analysis of style, plot and characterisation as appropriate, including margin notes on your manuscript.  For rates, see here.

If your work could benefit from editing, I will indicate to what extent. It may need a simple tidying up of punctuation, or possibly the grammar requires polishing.  Or, you may have already produced the perfect manuscript. 

An evaluation cannot guarantee that you will find a publisher. It can, however, ensure that your work will not be rejected because because of poor presentation.

 "You can't imagine how helpful your appraisal is and it is really well done, step by step and easy to understand and full of good ideas and suggestions. I can't wait to start writing!"     Monika Brewster

  "I am really grateful for your help, it goes beyond anything I expected, and even from my brief glimpse at your corrections I notice some really good points you have picked up on. I am so pleased I sent the MS to you for scrutiny and evaluation, you have really provided me with so much valuable information."    Judy C.