Manuscript Critique

Updated June 2025

What Is a Manuscript Critique?

A manuscript critique—sometimes called a developmental assessment or editorial evaluation—is a high-level review of your entire draft. Instead of making line-by-line changes, the editor reads with a strategist’s eye and delivers a multi-page letter that highlights strengths, pinpoints problem areas, and recommends clear next steps for revision.

Why Choose a Critique First?

If you have completed a draft but suspect deeper work is needed, a critique offers professional insight without the higher cost of hands-on editing. It uncovers structural gaps, pacing lulls, and character inconsistencies early, saving you time and money before you invest in line editing or copy editing. If you’re considering a more hands-on approach to shaping your manuscript, developmental editing offers in-depth collaboration and guidance. For writers on a tighter budget, or those still shaping a story’s direction, it provides an objective roadmap while leaving every word under your control.

What the Editor Evaluates

During the read-through, the editor considers overall plot logic, escalation of stakes, character motivation, point-of-view stability, thematic resonance, and market positioning. They note where tension falters, where clarity slips, and where scenes can be cut or expanded. For authors who prefer detailed feedback and direct revision suggestions, developmental editing provides a more immersive level of support. Genre conventions are weighed as well, so the finished letter explains how your manuscript aligns—or conflicts—with reader expectations.

What You Take Away

You receive an editorial letter—typically ten to fifteen pages. It summarizes what works, what needs attention, and why. Each section ends with practical suggestions, such as tightening the first act’s inciting incident or deepening the antagonist’s motive. Because the feedback stays at the conceptual level, you remain free to revise in your own voice and style. After completing your revisions, many authors proceed to line editing to refine clarity and flow.

How the Process Works at Authors’ HQ

Browse our roster for an editor whose background fits your genre, or ask us to recommend several. You may invite more than one professional to send a brief perspective before deciding. Once selected, the editor contacts you directly, discusses goals and timeline, and supplies a quoted fee. You deliver the manuscript as a Word document; the editor returns the critique letter by the agreed date and remains available for one follow-up email to clarify any points. You can also learn more about our complete range of book editing services to plan your next steps.

Editors You Can Trust

Our critique specialists are seasoned story strategists—former literary-agency readers, acquisitions editors, and award-winning authors who have assessed thousands of submissions for market fit. They know exactly why a manuscript stalls on an agent’s desk and what elevates it to a request for pages.

When you commission a manuscript critique here, you’re working with professionals trained to see structural strengths, market opportunities, and hidden deal-breakers long before the query stage.

Quick Answers

Will the editor change my text?

No. A critique provides commentary only; all rewriting decisions stay in your hands.

Is a critique enough before querying agents?

Many authors start with a critique, revise, then commission line or copy editing before submitting. Your timeline, budget, and confidence in self-editing will guide the best path for you. If you decide to move forward, line editing and copy editing help prepare your manuscript for submission.

Do I need a complete draft, or can I submit a partial manuscript?

A full draft allows for the most comprehensive feedback, but if you have at least a solid first act—about a quarter of the book—the editor can still identify structural trends, pacing issues, and character arcs early enough to steer the rest of your writing.