How It Works... Novels

You send us your full-length manuscript – by email or post – and within one month you will receive a full written report on your work.

These in-depth reports usually run to about 3000 words (about 6 pages) and cover, for instance:

• Storytelling – plot, back-story, pace and dramatic effects
• Style, language and coherence of tone
• Bringing out your voice and individuality
• Form and Structure – a close look at tense, grammar and narrative techniques
• Characterisation – plus showing or telling through action
• Dialogue – strengths, weaknesses and tips on believability and the use of dialect
• Theme and Content – what are you really trying to say and where exactly are you taking the reader?
• Impact – shocking interludes and creating suspense
• Detailed, word by word textual analysis of a selection of pages (link to textural analysis example page/window)
• Help with the work’s relevance to today’s market and a list of other novels/books which will provide insightful pointers

What we hope to do is show you how to progress with the next draft, which could well make your novel publishable.

Follow-up meetings
It can be helpful to discuss the report at length. We are very happy to arrange one-hour tutorials to follow up reports and cover any subsequent questions, on the phone or in person.

“...by far the best and most useful of the literary
consultancies that I have used.... managed to combine
being both efficient and accurate with
a friendly warmth that felt genuine.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                     Bob Palmer