Professional Services: Terms and Conditions

1. I write and read all kinds of popular fiction – stories whose main purpose is to entertain – and I’m happy to review manuscripts in any of the popular genres. I don’t write literary fiction or poetry and I’m not the right person to assess it.
2. I also have much experience in assessing and editing non-fiction. Please contact me via the Contact Form to discuss your non-fiction project, and I’ll tell you if I’m able to assess it.
3. I’m not a fan of gratuitous violence, and I will decline manuscripts that focus on graphic sexual violence, as well as manuscripts that are pushing a political barrow rather than telling an engaging story. I reserve the right to decline a manuscript and return the payment, without further correspondence.
4. Please do not submit first or second drafts. It’s almost always a waste of your money for me to assess early drafts because most of the quality comes from what authors learn about their work during the redrafting process. I recommend third or later drafts.
5. I prefer that manuscripts are submitted by email. Please spellcheck, provide a Microsoft Word file and use standard manuscript format, i.e. a normal font (such as Times or Calibri – no fancy fonts or coloured text), 12 point, double-spaced, with the pages numbered and the author’s name and book title in a header on each page. Also include:
   • A title page with your name and address, and the word count;
   • A covering letter;
   • A  synopsis (i.e. plot summary), no longer than 4 double-spaced pages, which includes key twists and the ending. The synopsis should not withhold important plot points;
   • A note on the genre and intended age range of the story;
   • A half-page author’s bio focusing on publishing credits and relevant experience;
   • A concise paragraph on what you hope to gain from this assessment; and
   • A declaration that this is an original story written by yourself.
6. If mailing a printed manuscript, please don’t submit your only copy. Unfortunately I can’t accept responsibility for loss of or damage to printed manuscripts. If you would like your printed manuscripts returned, please provide a suitable self-addressed envelope and sufficient stamps. Six months after our last contact, if return postage has not been provided the manuscript will be shredded.
7. Unfortunately I cannot review handwritten manuscripts.
8. Once payment has been received, the assessment will normally be done in 4 – 6 weeks. It will typically be around 2,500 – 3,000 words. I may also annotate part of the manuscript for illustrative purposes, though this is not part of my normal service.
9. If you book post-assessment consultations, these can be carried out by email, phone or Skype. Ideally these will take place within two months of the original assessment – if a long time has elapsed it will take additional time for me to refresh my memory about your story.
10. I respect your author’s copyright. The manuscript will not be used for any purpose other than the assessment, nor discussed with anyone outside my office.
11. The assessment will provide feedback that, if taken into account when you redraft and polish your novel, may significantly improve the work. It is up to you how, or if, you choose to use my comments in your story.
12. A manuscript assessment does not guarantee publication – publishers base their publishing decisions on a range of factors of which story quality is just one. Unfortunately I cannot approach a literary agent or publisher on your behalf.
13. The assessment report is copyright to me and cannot be published or posted online without my written approval. If included in a submission to an agent or publisher, the assessment should be submitted in full.
14. To book a manuscript assessment or mentoring, please email me via the Contact Form. By making a booking you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.