What Is a Manuscript Evaluation? (And Do You Need One?)

It’s the most common developmental editing service you’ll see. Know what to look for and when (or if) you need one.If you google “developmental editor” and start looking through editors’ websites, you’ll see a common service appear again and again:A manuscript evaluation.(Or assessment, or diagnostic, or critique. A rose by any other name, etc.)Typically, in a manuscript evaluation, an editor will offer to read your manuscript and tell you what’s working and what to focus on next to make it even better.It sounds like the dream, right? Someone who will read the book you’ve spent months and months writing, tell you what they think of it, and give you a to-do list.And manuscript evaluations sell like hotcakes because what they’re offering is exactly what writers want.Or at least—what writers think they want.But when you don’t know what you really need, you risk wasting hundreds or thousands of dollars on a service that leaves you disappointed, stuck in the same spot, or even feeling false confidence that your story’s problems have all been solved when they’re not.What if you don’t need someone else’s to-do list for your story? What if you have access to all the evaluation you need right now, without paying a single cent?And if you don’t need someone else’s to-do list, what do you need instead?In this episode, I’m giving you a crash course on manuscript evaluations. You’ll hear:What they are,When they work,Why they go wrong,And the rare occasion when I will agree to do one.Here’s the thing: there are no regulations in the author services industry.That means it’s up to YOU to vet every professional you work with.I’m equipping you with everything you need to know to make the most of manuscript evaluations—or find the service you need instead.Links mentioned in the episode:See what I do inside Story Clarity (instead of doing manuscript evaluations)Hear author John Green read from editor Julie Strauss-Gabel’s editorial letter for The Fault in Our StarsSend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love Alice and Your Next Draft." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers through the mess—and joy—of the editing process. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap the stars to rate, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Loving the show? Show your support with a monthly contribution »

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