Q. What can I expect from a manuscript critique?
A. Your manuscript critique will include a complete read-through of your pages, with some
very light line editing and occasional notes in the margins as needed. It will also include a
one-to ten page letter evaluating your work and making suggestions for improvement.
Q. What is the difference between a manuscript critique and a “reading fee” charged by
literary agents or some publishers?
A. No reputable literary agent or publisher charges a reading fee for looking at your work.
They make their living by taking a percentage of each book that you sell, so it is in their
best interest to read everything that comes across their desks– for free! This is not to say
that it is not a perfectly acceptable practice for agents or some publishing houses to offer
a critique service as a separate business. You should just be very certain what you are
paying for up front.
Q. Will you recommend a publisher or an agent for me?
A. No. But I will tell you how close I think your book is to being ready for publication, and
recommend some resources that will help you find an agent or a publisher on your own.
Q. Does this service include editing?
A. I may suggest editorial rewrites and point out minor mis-usages in style or grammar, but
copy editing is best left to those who specialize in that field. If your manuscript contains
many stylistic or grammatical errors, that point will be made in my critique summary.
Q. I don’t take criticism very well. What if I don’t like what you have to say?
A. My critique will always include both positive points about your effort, and suggestions
for improvement. Remember, I have been in your shoes many, many times, and know how
painful it can be to hear an outside opinion of your masterpiece. However, you are paying
for exactly that– an outside opinion, and it must be an honest one. No one will force you to
accept my opinion or take my suggestions, but if I did not point out the flaws where I
perceived them I would not be doing my job.
Q. What is the cost?
A. A manuscript critique is $2.00 per page
A book proposal (under 50 pages) $100
A query letter and/or synopsis (under 5 pages) $50
Q. How long does it take?
A. Depending on the length of your manuscript, most critiques are completed within two
weeks of receipt. If I expect the process to take longer, I will let you know.
To Submit a Manuscript for Critique, click here
Here is a sample of what one page of a critique might look like. Yours will be
approximately five pages.
TO: Jane Doe
FROM: Donna Ball
RE: “Sinister Sisters”
Dear Jane,
Thank you so much for the opportunity to read your manuscript, “Sinister Sisters”. You
certainly do have a rich, evocative style reminiscent of the very best of Henry James or
Daphne DuMaurier. Your description of the watcher in the garden gave me chills, and
your ability to paint pictures with words is undeniable. I certainly encourage you to
continue with your writing, and with the novel form in particular.
You should be aware that this genre of fiction may be somewhat difficult to sell, since it
seems to be a combination of an old-fashioned gothic novel and a modern-day
slasher/thriller. Editors very often specialize in very narrow markets, and if your book
doesn’t immediately strike them as suitable for their “line” it may be rejected out of hand,
no matter how high the quality of the writing. I believe that a slight change of tone could
remedy this, and suggest you study the books of Dean Koontz and Elizabeth Peters to an
idea of more approachable styles.
I also suggest you consider a change of title, as the alliteration sounds very old-fashioned
and is likely to keep your book from being taken seriously. Perhaps something simple like
“Distant Thunder” or “Night Watcher”, both of which are drawn from the book and portray a
feel for the tale, would be better.
As I went through the manuscript I had a few suggestions and questions, marked on the
pages and noted below:
Page 5: I was confused by the point of view here. From whose eyes are we seeing the
scene?
Page 22: This transition seems awkward. Perhaps you could use a six-space break before
picking up the next scene.
Page 40: Introspection breaks up the action here. I would take this whole section and
move it to the beginning of Chapter Three
Page 50: It’s jarring to switch points of view so abruptly from the killer to the victim. In this
case, choose one and stay with it throughout the scene.
(Cont.)
End sample critique
Critique Services
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