Having your manuscript read and assessed by a professional throws new light on your writing. It is the second step to being published. The first is having the courage, endurance and vision to write it!

It is almost impossible for the writer to assess their own work, and certainly not as a professional editor would. You are too close to the coal face. And often, too in love with your own words. Also you may not be clear on what to look for. Many authors have a vague idea that something is not working but find it difficult to pin down the problem. That’s my job: to assess whether your writing is working – and if not, why not.

First I look for your strengths, because you can build on them, and because they give you hope. But the bulk of my report will be concerned with areas where you are not doing so well. And there will be many suggestions as to how you can overcome these difficulties.

I seek answers to these questions: Have you snared your reader? Have you built fascinating characters with strong voices? Is the dialogue doing its job? Is the structure working? Is there a satisfying rise and fall in tension? Is the point of view working? Is the tone at odds with the point of view? Does the story seem credible or is the author demanding an unreasonable suspension of disbelief? Is there too much ‘telling’ and too little ‘showing’? Do you set scenes by using the senses? Is the main character obsessed with too much thinking and agonising and too little doing? Is the story grounded in concrete details? Do the love scenes ‘work’? Does the whole story hold together? Does it provide a satisfying read? Does it sustain the reader’s interest? Do the underlying themes enrich the main story?

And your style: Is it intrusive and self conscious? Or so elegant it bores the reader with its charm? Spare is good, but does it risk becoming jerky or too thin. And does your style suit your story? I provide you with a written report of my analysis, with suggestions which will lift the quality of your manuscript and your writing in general. I also consider its market potential and whether you should be considering traditional, self, or partnership publishing. What then? As a result of my assessment you will set to work reviewing and possibly doing a substantial amount of rewriting in order to bring your manuscript up to publishable standards and its final edit. Fees: $500-$1450 The price I quote you will depend on: the stage of development of your manuscript, its length, ($1250 is for a manuscript of 100,000 words) and your ability to write.   If you are a local person I shall include a ninety minute face-to-face consultation to discuss your report. If you are not local, we can talk over the phone or by email.

Quick Advice: I have established this service because so many times over the past years writers have handed me bulky manuscripts representing perhaps 2 to 5 years work. After a quick glance my heart often sinks for I can see the author is not aware of some of the most fundamental principles of the craft of writing. I know much hard work, buoyed up by the writer’s hopes and dreams, has gone into the manuscript. And now there is major work to be done. I would like you to avoid this disappointing scenario. Before you get too far into your project I would like to take a look at the quality of your writing and discuss your project with you. Send me around 2000 words and a one page outline of your project. This will allow me to establish how capable a writer you are; what you may need to learn and how feasible your idea is. In our subsequent one hour session you will learn the particular writing skills that will advance and refine your ideas. And you may arrive at some new ones. We can do this face-to-face, by phone, or by email. My preference, for truly effective communication, is to sit down with you and your writing over a cup of coffee.   (See also Tuition and Concept Development.) Fees: $225.00. This includes my reading and analysis of the writing you have sent me and the subsequent 1.5 hour consultation. Contact Rose Comments: ‘Your advice was truly magnificent.’ Terry ‘I knew my manuscript was not working, but really didn’t understand why. As a result of your input I know what I must do to improve it.’ Garry ‘I was in a state of despair. I’ve done so much rewriting but was never sure if it was working or not. I’ve learned so much about my writing with your help.’ Carol. ‘I was totally confused. Talking it through and then applying your suggestions about character development and the need to provide more tension and depth in the plot has greatly improved my manuscript.’ John