Manuscript Evaluation & Structural Editing

A manuscript evaluation and a structural edit both focus on big-picture issues, such as pacing, structure, character development and the organization of ideas. But they serve distinct purposes and offer unique benefits.

A manuscript evaluation is often seen as a first step on the journey to publishing. Its scope is broad. The aim is to provide a high-level overview of the work, including its strengths and weaknesses, as well as an overall evaluation of its structure, coherence, pacing and potential appeal to its target audience. A manuscript evaluation provides tangible feedback and editorial advice that can then be applied by an author before the manuscript is submitted to a future editor, agent or publisher.

Unlike a manuscript evaluation, a structural edit (or developmental edit) dives into the intricacies of the manuscript. Its scope is comprehensive, often resulting in significant changes to the manuscript. If you have completed initial revisions to your manuscript and are now seeking detailed, hands-on guidance to further refine your manuscript at the big picture level, then a structural edit is probably more appropriate for you.

Manuscript Evaluation

A manuscript evaluation is also known as a manuscript assessment, manuscript appraisal, manuscript critique or editorial evaluation.

What you may expect from me:

a high-level evaluation providing general feedback on the manuscript (basically, what works and what doesn’t)

I would not:

provide any in-manuscript comments

suggest specific textual changes

make any changes to the manuscript

perform any other types of editing or proofread your manuscript

Partial Manuscript Evaluation

I also offer a partial manuscript evaluation service where I look at the first 20-25 double-spaced pages of your manuscript. But please note that, with such a short excerpt, I probably would not be able to comment on overarching story elements such as:

overall structure and plot
character development and arcs
themes

This is because 20-25 pages would not provide me with enough information to offer you any useful feedback in these areas. But I would be able to glean enough to know whether the writing flows, if you have believable and lively dialogue, if your opening scene or scenes are impactful, etc.

Structural Editing

Structural editing is also known as developmental editing, substantive editing, manuscript editing or content editing.

When working on nonfiction, I would analyze different elements of your work and how well they fit together with the aim of ensuring a logical progress of ideas. I may:

suggest passages, sections or chapters to be deleted or combined, or new ones to be added

identify missing information and ask you to supply it

query factual inaccuracies and gaps in the research

query whether necessary permissions have been obtained to use images, long quotations or other third-party material

When working on fiction or memoir, my focus would be on:

the elements of storytelling, such as point of view, voice, plot, narrative pace and thematic elements, and how well they fit together (e.g., how well the characters and their arcs fit with the theme of the story)

how the story is shaped into chapters or parts

What you may expect from me:

a structurally-edited manuscript in Microsoft Word (.doc of .docx) that has been marked up using the Track Changes and Comments features with my notes, suggestions and any questions that I may have

an editorial letter or memo providing specific feedback on its overall structure, explaining my suggested edits, etc.

I would not:

make the changes to the manuscript for you

And it’s up to you to decide on the level of engagement you want from me. It can range from where I provide you with the structurally-edited manuscript and editorial memo only (and you weigh and apply the feedback yourself at your own pace) to a fully collaborative relationship where we work closely to refine the manuscript (e.g., it may include extensive revisions and multiple rounds of editing).

Manuscript Evaluation versus Structural Editing

Not sure which editing service you need?

Check out the table below, which highlights the basic differences between a manuscript evaluation and a structural edit.

Type	Manuscript Evaluation	Structural Edit
Scope	• Focusses on big-picture elements • Generally, the focus is more overarching and conceptual than a structural edit	• Focusses on big-picture elements • Delves into the specifics, engaging in a detailed, line-by-line analysis of the narrative, characters and style
Feedback	• Offers an overall evaluation and actionable feedback to be applied by the author at their own pace • May include select, illustrative examples of ways to improve the text • Highlights the strengths and identifies the weaknesses without delving into specific textual changes • May comment on the potential market appeal of the work	• Offers more detailed, specific and actionable feedback, and the author decides on the level of engagement they want with the editor • May include concrete examples of possible ways to improve the text • Often includes direct revisions or rewrites within the manuscript • May comment on the potential market appeal of the work
Collaboration	• None; it is a one-time service provided by the editor	• Is typically a collaborative process to reshape and refine the manuscript
Timeline (Turnaround Time)	• Depends on the manuscript’s length and the editor’s workload • Is generally quicker than a structural edit	• Depends on the manuscript’s length and the editor’s workload • Because of the detailed nature of a structural edit, it is generally a more time-intensive service than a manuscript evaluation
Cost	• Is typically more affordable than a structural edit	• Is typically more costly than a manuscript evaluation
Best Suited	• Authors who are seeking an initial evaluation of their work’s potential • After the initial draft is completed and the author is now seeking a professional to gauge its overall strength and identify major areas for improvement	• Authors who are further along in their writing process and are ready to invest in a comprehensive (and collaborative) effort to enhance their manuscript • Authors with a manuscript that has already undergone initial revisions (i.e., self-edits) and are seeking detailed, hands-on guidance to further refine their manuscript at the structural edit level