An editorial assessment is a professional evaluation designed to gauge a manuscript’s overall health and readiness for the publishing marketplace. This service provides authors with an objective, expert perspective on their finished work, identifying strengths and pinpointing significant areas that require revision. It is a foundational first step for authors seeking to understand the potential of their manuscript before committing to the more intensive stages of professional editing. The assessment determines if the story’s core structure is sound enough to support the detailed work that follows.
Defining the Editorial Assessment
An editorial assessment, often called a manuscript critique, offers a high-level evaluation of a complete manuscript. This review focuses exclusively on conceptual and structural issues, not line-by-line corrections to grammar or syntax. The primary goal is diagnostic: determining whether the manuscript possesses a fundamentally sound narrative structure and concept. The assessment functions as a comprehensive check on the manuscript’s overall viability and its readiness for the next, more focused stages of the editing process.
Key Components and Focus Areas
The editor analyzes specific elements of the writing to provide a thorough critique of the manuscript’s internal mechanics. The assessment evaluates plot structure and pacing, ensuring the narrative arc is compelling and tension is maintained. Character development and motivation are closely examined to confirm that the cast is believable, acts consistently, and possesses relatable goals. The editor also assesses the consistency of the author’s voice and tone, ensuring alignment with the intended genre and audience. Finally, the assessment considers the manuscript’s market viability, analyzing its potential appeal to a target audience and ensuring the central theme is clearly communicated.
The Deliverables: What You Receive
Upon completion of the analysis, the author receives a structured package of feedback, typically consisting of two components. The first is a comprehensive editorial letter, a multi-page document that summarizes the editor’s findings regarding the manuscript’s overall strengths and weaknesses. This letter offers actionable suggestions for revision, prioritizing the most significant structural and conceptual changes the author needs to undertake. The second component includes sample annotations or margin notes placed directly within the manuscript file. These notes illustrate specific issues discussed in the editorial letter by providing concrete, in-context examples of structural problems, pacing issues, or character inconsistency. These annotations are illustrative examples only, not a complete line-by-line edit of the entire manuscript.
Differentiating Assessments from Other Editing Types
An editorial assessment is often confused with other stages of manuscript editing, but its scope is uniquely high-level and diagnostic. Understanding the differences between these services helps an author commission the correct work at the appropriate time. The assessment acts as a preparatory stage, determining if the large-scale foundations of the story are stable before further investment is made.
Developmental Editing
Developmental editing (DE) is a deep, hands-on, and prescriptive process, whereas the assessment is purely diagnostic. A developmental editor may suggest substantial structural changes, require scene rewrites, or propose adding or deleting entire characters or plot lines. This type of editing often involves a collaborative back-and-forth between the editor and author across multiple drafts to correct the issues identified.
Copyediting
Copyediting focuses on the mechanical correctness and consistency of the language used in the manuscript, addressing grammar, syntax, punctuation, word choice, and adherence to a specific style guide. The editorial assessment intentionally bypasses these details. Fixing mechanical errors is inefficient if the story’s structure is fundamentally flawed and may require major sections to be rewritten. Copyediting should only be performed once the manuscript’s content is finalized.
Proofreading
Proofreading is the final stage of the editorial process, occurring after the manuscript has been copyedited and formatted into its final design layout. The proofreader conducts a final sweep solely to catch minor, residual errors, such as typos, incorrect punctuation, or formatting inconsistencies. Unlike the assessment, which provides creative and structural feedback, proofreading is a technical check that confirms the text is ready for distribution.
When in the Publishing Process Should You Get an Assessment?
The optimal timing for commissioning an editorial assessment is after the author has completed what they believe to be the final draft and has performed a thorough self-revision. It should be conducted before the author commits to the expense and time required for a full developmental edit or copyedit. The assessment serves as a strategic gatekeeper, ensuring that the foundational story elements are solid before moving to the next stage of revision. If the manuscript requires significant structural overhauls, the assessment saves the author from paying for a detailed line edit that would ultimately be discarded. Conversely, if the assessment confirms the structure is sound, the author can confidently proceed to the developmental or line-editing stages, knowing the core story is viable.
Selecting the Right Editor for Your Assessment
Choosing the appropriate editor is important for receiving the most valuable feedback. Authors should prioritize finding an editor with demonstrable experience in their specific genre, such as science fiction, historical romance, or literary fiction. An editor familiar with genre conventions and market expectations will provide a more targeted critique of the manuscript’s viability. It is advisable to check the editor’s credentials, review testimonials, and request a sample edit to evaluate their communication style and expertise. The author must ensure the editor’s approach to feedback is constructive and aligns with the author’s needs for receiving professional criticism. Selecting an editor whose judgment and experience the author trusts will maximize the benefit derived from the assessment.