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What to expect

You’ve finished your manuscript and sent it off for an assessment. Here’s what you can expect…

The cost of getting a Manuscript Assessment or Publisher Submission Appraisal starts from just $340 (see our booking form for our full price list).

Download: Manuscript Assessment form

Once you have booked and paid for your assessment or appraisal, we will ask you to send us your manuscript and a one-page synopsis (plus a cover letter to your potential publisher if you’ve booked a Publisher Submission Appraisal).

You can either ask for a general assessment or for one that looks at a few areas in particular.

We prefer that our assessments and appraisals be anonymous, so please don’t include your name on any of these documents. This is to make sure that our assessors are able to look at your work without being influenced by your existing profile or what you’ve written before.

Once your manuscript has been assigned to an assessor, your assessment will be completed within four to six weeks and emailed to you.

The report will include: an overall assessment of your manuscript; an overview of its strengths and weaknesses; feedback on any particular focus areas you asked the assessor to look at; and any suggestions for improvement. It may also include suggestions for other relevant books, courses or opportunities.

Your assessor will let you know whether they think a follow-up consultation would be beneficial. These 90-minute Post-Assessment Consultations can be conducted over the phone, by Skype or in person.

Any further contact or mentoring between author and assessor can be arranged through Writers Victoria.

A Manuscript Assessment gives objective, professional feedback from an industry expert who is unconnected with your work. Because of this, we recommend that your assessor not be the first person to read your manuscript. An assessment is most beneficial when it comes at the later stages of your drafting, after you’ve first received feedback from your peers (e.g. a writing group).

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