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A manuscript critique can save you time and money
by directing you in making major changes to your manuscript
long before beginning the process of detailed editing.
The problem is, if you just ask friends and family,
business associates, etc. for a critique, you will
have a difficult time getting objective feedback;
and unless you happen to know an experienced editor,
copywriter, and published author like Dr. Pryor, chances
are you will not get the knowledgeable, insightful,
thorough and objective feedback needed early on from
the outset of your project. Dr. Pryor has the expertise
with which to provide you with an extremely detailed,
chapter-by-chapter, typed report, typically 10-15
pages in length or more, critiquing the strengths
and weaknesses, potential marketability, and overall
writing and structure of your book manuscript, as
well as a similar, customized critique of your graduate
thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation, and the prospect
of transforming it into a scholarly published book
"down the road," if that should be the case.
A critique will address your work from the reader's
point of view: which sections do not flow smoothly,
sections that may come across as uninteresting for
specific reasons, which scenes need more description,
where your narrative flow or dialogue is difficult
to follow, etc. The professional Manuscript Critiques
service entails an in-depth, personalized, thorough
report that discusses every aspect and chapter of
your manuscript, from cover to closing sentence, including,
for example, both strengths and weaknesses in:
Nonfiction:
- Thesis development
- Chapter organization
- Narrative flow
- Style consistency
- Description, (and in the case of scholarly works)
analysis, and whether the body of evidence presented
supports the conclusion
- Structure, etc.
While the author of the newly released, groundbreaking
book chronicling The Role of an Environmental
NGO in the Landmark Florida Everglades Restoration
(read a sample chapter on Dr. Pryor's Web site!) currently
specializes in providing detailed critiques tailored
to all nonfiction manuscripts, if your work is fiction,
please Contact
Dr. Pryor or complete the author's
Information
Request form describing relevant aspects
of your project, and you will receive a prompt response
based upon your request. Such manuscript critiques
will discuss, for example, both strengths and weaknesses
in:
Fiction:
- Structuring, plot development, plausibility, consistency
- Settings
- Character development
- Authentic dialogue
- Style consistency
- Narrative flow, pacing, and syntax, etc.
"Some" Examples of Errors,
Issues, or Problems Looked For According to Professional
Editing Service Requested For Your Particular Project:
| Proofreading/Light Editing And Other Projects
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Grammar
Subject/verb agreement |
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Punctuation
Proper use of periods, semicolons, commas,
etc Comma splices and sentence fragments
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Spelling
Commonly misspelled words (embarrass; receive)
Usage mistakes (here for hear; principal
for principle) Consistency throughout (boo-boos
or booboos) Typos |
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Basic Formatting
Same-level headings capitalized consistently
Standardized format used for dates, numbers,
etc. Conformance to style guidelines*(see
examples of style guides supported below)
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| Copyediting/Heavy Editing And Substantive
Editing/Rewriting Projects (Errors, issues, or
problems described above plus the following examples
of style and grammar problems.) |
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Ambiguous
References
Original: Tracy cut the article out of the
magazine and tossed it in the recycle bin.
Revision: Tracy tossed the magazine in the
recycle bin after cutting out the article.
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Awkward Transitions
Original: Dr. Jellinger's legs hurt from
walking all day. He sat on the bench.
Revision: Dr. Jellinger's legs hurt from
walking all day, so he sat on the bench.
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Passive
Voice
Original: He was gratified by their praise.
Revision: Their praise gratified him. |
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Wordiness
Original: Many of those ideas Jennifer barely
understood and they sounded absurd since
it felt to her that no one in their right
mind would ever have thought such a thing
without being told to. [34 words]
Revision: Jennifer barely understood many
of those ideas and felt no right-minded
person would think such absurd things without
prompting. [19 words] |
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| Substantive Editing/Rewriting Projects (Errors,
issues, or problems described above plus the following
examples of content problems.) |
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Clarity
Is the meaning clear at first reading? |
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Flow of Ideas
Do thoughts flow logically? Would paragraph
7 make more sense if it were above paragraph
4? |
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| *Style Guides Supported by Dr. Barbara K.
Pryor |
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American
Psychological Association (APA) |
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Modern Language Association
(MLA) |
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"Bluebook:"
Uniform System of Citation (Legal Citation)
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Chicago Manual of Style |
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Turabian
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Style Guide Preferred For
Your Particular Project (if any, please
request**see more details in How to Order
& Rates section) |
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| Other
Professional Editing Services |
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here