Editing Novels: The First Three Chapters Manuscript Evaluation

I have been editing novels professionally since before my first novel was published in 2000. I worked for publishers and engaged in freelance editing. Throughout this time, I learned to save writers money by evaluation in stages. The First Three Chapters manuscript evaluation is a designed to evaluate the current state of your opening only.

I just wanted to let you know that the first story we worked on has been published! Thank you for all of your great comments, and for giving me confidence in my writing. ~ S. Sanford Blades, BC

Some editors will be happy to accept your entire manuscript and spend hours accurately assessing its strengths and weaknesses. I offer full manuscript evaluations myself. But a full manuscript evaluation is costly and often premature if you are not yet certain that the first three chapters will meet an agent's or an editor's expectations.

An agent or editor will want to see no more than the first three chapters to begin, and only if these chapters impress will you be asked to send the full manuscript. So it makes sense to ensure that those chapters work well before you undertake the cost of a full evaluation. Especially if you are on a budget, take the process one step at a time.

When I asses your first three chapters, I use a 50-point Quick Look Checklist to note the strengths and weaknesses quickly and economically. Every unpublished manuscript benefits from an unbiased, professional eye, and the resulting comments provide invaluable advice that help to improve the entire manuscript.

Later, a full manuscript evaluation may be necessary, but it will be most useful to you when your manuscript is very near completion—when it has been edited numerous times and many of the craft issues have already been resolved. Then, perhaps a few characters will need further development, or the pacing may need improvement in certain places. Maybe some scenes will need rearranging. Editing novels for these sorts of issues is called substantive editing.

First, however, you need to know that your story has a consistent point of view; well structured scenes; concise, fluid, and original diction; effective dialogue; strong, non-intrusive internalizations; good pacing and action/reaction sequencing, a strong story question, and much more. All of this is clear in the first chapter or two, and if any of these elements are weak, it is unlikely an agent or editor will ask to see more. So why take the risk?

Within 48 hours of submitting your first three chapters to me, expect to receive a 50-point list that covers these issues and more. Each point has an explanation and often links to further information, as well as a score that indicates how your novel measures up in each area.

For example, under Characterization, the explanatory line reads Do the characters seem genuine in their actions and realistic in their motivations? Can readers care about them? Even antagonistic or "unlikeable" characters must act in ways the reader will understand. For further help see Creating Characters I, Creating Characters II and Character Motivation.

An evaluation of Strong, Good, or Fair would indicate the strength of the characterization in your ms. and detailed comments at the end of the evaluation elaborate where necessary, to provide as much helpful direction as possible.

The cost to review your first three chapters with the Quick Look Checklist is $99. Should you have any questions after you receive your evaluation, you may follow up in an email and I will respond promptly.

If your manuscript is ready for a professional eye, CONTACT ME and we will get started.

Thank you so much for your evaluation of my manuscript, Raised by Committee. The type of feedback you've given is exactly what I was looking for—succinct, relevant and useful. Your ability to pinpoint two inconsistencies in the text enabled me to make needed edits. Your feedback with the Quick Look exceeded my expectations, and your turn around time was amazing. Thank you, Pearl, it was a pleasure working with you, and money well spent. ~ C. Haynes, Qualicum Beach, BC

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