Manuscript Assessment

Service Description

Manuscript Assessment One of the questions novice writers often ask me is, ‘What is a manuscript’? A fair question if you aren’t familiar with industry jargon. A ‘manuscript’ is another name for the document (e.g. MS Word document or PDF) that will become your novel. When preparing to publish your work, several different assessments should be considered. A ‘manuscript assessment’ covers things like the story’s structure, how the characters develop, how the plot plays out, pace, setting, consistency, strengths and weaknesses. But the assessment does not address issues like grammar, spelling, and punctuation. So, why have your manuscript assessed, I hear you ask? Because how the words on the page read to the author can be very different to how they read to the audience. For example, you may write a historical fiction novel set in Barcelona, Spain. You – the author – have been there. You know the El Born district is an older area within the city; the laneways are narrow, streets cobbled, buildings aged, and people dry their clothes on lines outside their apartment windows, which overhangs the pedestrians below. You can see all of this as you write, but your story reads: Catelina walked quickly down the passeig, anxious to deliver the message entrusted to her. She ducked and weaved her way until she reached her destination. You know that in 1635 the passeig was a residential area; Catelina ducked and weaved her way around the excrement and rubbish the residents emptied into the street, that children played on the unmade road, drying linen formed a canopy and varying aromas assaulted her nose. Supporting Indie Authors JAYMAH | ABN 78 544 969 914 INFO@JAYMAHPRESS.COM.AU | M: 0468 878 714 A manuscript assessor will be able to point out what detail is missing. Can the reader see what you, the writer, can see? Is it clear? Does it set the desired tone? Here’s an example of another way to write that same passage. Walking quickly down the dim passeig, Catelina jumped small puddles and avoided the scraps that lay in the street, thrown down from the crowded residences. The narrow path, enclosed by tall homes, threw shadows on the bedding and clothing that whipped and rustled overhead in the blustery weather. What To Expect A manuscript assessment will give you an unbiased view of your work. It will help shed light on what works and what doesn’t or what needs more work/consideration. You will receive a written report that covers (but is not limited to) the following: