Rather than combing through the manuscript line by line, an Editorial Assessment offers a high-level, diagnostic view. It highlights your strengths, identifies areas that would benefit from development, and gives you clear priorities for your next round of revisions. It’s designed to help you understand the story you’ve written, the story you think you’ve written, and the version it has the potential to become.
What does an Editorial Assessment cover?
The assessment looks at the structural pillars of storytelling: plot, character arcs, structure, pacing, tension, point of view, tone and genre expectations. It considers questions such as:
- Does the story open in the right place?
- Are the stakes clear and compelling?
- Does the mystery, conflict or central question evolve in a satisfying way?
- Are character motivations convincing and consistent?
- Is the emotional through-line clear and engaging?
- Does the structure support the tension, or are there points where momentum dips?
It offers a reader-centred perspective, but with the benefit of editorial experience – especially within crime, suspense and thriller, where narrative logic and pacing are essential.
What the Editorial Assessment is not
It is not a Developmental Edit. You won’t receive tracked changes, scene-level notes or margin comments. Instead, you’ll receive a comprehensive written report that diagnoses the current draft and guides your revision strategy.
Think of it as a full health check rather than a course of treatment – a clear understanding of what’s strong, what needs attention, and how to move forward with confidence.
What will you receive?
You’ll come away with:
- A detailed written report outlining strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement.
- Specific, practical suggestions for enhancing plot, character, structure and pacing.
- Clear next-step priorities, so you know exactly where to focus your efforts.
- Genre-specific guidance, rooted in crime, thriller and suspense conventions.
Authors who prefer a hands-off approach to their editorial collaborations find that this is a good option, but is perhaps not suited those who want a more specific approach to edits. If you're a debut author, a full Developmental Edit may be more suitable in helping you to pin down the specifics of what's working and where you might need to focus your attention during the revision process.
What do I do with it?
After reading the report, you decide how to proceed – whether that’s diving straight into revisions or booking a follow-up call to chat through the options when you’re ready. The aim is always the same: to equip you with expert insight that helps you elevate your story.
But I don't need that much detail. I just want a first-impressions opinion of the manuscript.
If the 15+page Editorial Assessment is perhaps a bit too detailed for what you're looking for, or you're an experienced author (traditional or indie) who wants a more focused report, or you want a professional's thoughts on a particular aspect of the manuscript, such as genre fit, then you might want to consider my more tailored manuscript reviews: The Reader's Report and Professional Read.
How much does it cost? How long does it take? Do you have availability?
Each one of my quotations is bespoke, as I tailor each package to each author’s needs. So if you’re interested, do get in touch either via the contact form or email info@rebeccamillareditorial.com for a no-obligation quotation. I’d love to hear more about your project and discuss how we can work together.
