The Writing Magazine manuscript critique service is an important tool in any writer’s repertoire. An impartial, trained eye sees much that the author of a piece has got too close to, and misses when writing, giving the writer a chance to show their manuscript in its best light when submitting to a publisher or agent. An objective but experienced view can highlight areas that need clarifying, advise on tone and structure and generally help show your story in its best light. The following example of a section from an imagined submission to the service will show you what I mean.
There are a number of errors in the above example, which would be marked up in Track Changes if submitted electronically, as it is here, or on the manuscript itself if submitted through the post. There would also be a written critique, touching on the novel (or partial if you choose that option) as a whole: its story, structure, raising any points that might have been missed or just not occurred, as well as explaining all the comments raised as shown here in more detail, hopefully clarifying things for the writer. Again, the following sample from an imagined critique of the above will show what I mean.