WRITERS' SERVICES

We have available to us a team of readers and appraisers who are themselves published writers of fiction, poetry or non-fiction, and who are appropriately qualified both to critique texts and to teach creative writing. We will select a suitable reader/tutor for you once we know the nature of the services you require and the type of work you’re doing.

As well as manuscript appraisal and editing we can also provide a tuition and mentoring service tailor-made for your individual needs. Please click here for more information.

Manuscript appraisal

First, we’ll tell you what we like about your work – where we think your strengths lie. Then we’ll comment on any flaws and will make specific suggestions on how to improve the work. We will, where possible, also make specific recommendations about publishability, marketability and target readership. If you have specific questions or issues that you would like us to address in the appraisal, please outline these in the covering letter.

We do not correct faulty spelling and grammar as part of our manuscript appraisal. If you need help with this please look at our editing services (below).

Fiction

You will receive an annotated manuscript and a written report. The report will focus on key elements: plot and structure; characterisation; style, tone and voice.

Novels:
1. For an appraisal of your idea, the quality of your writing and an assessment of publishability, send a one-page synopsis and the first 10,000 words of your novel: £60 + VAT at 17.5% i.e. £70.50
2. For an appraisal of entire novels up to 80,000 words: £225 + VAT i.e. £264.38
3. For an appraisal of entire novels up to 100,000 words: £275 + VAT £323.12
4. For novels over 100,000 words in length, please contact us for a quote.

Short stories: please send the complete story.
1. For each story up to 5000 words: £30 + VAT i.e. £35.25
2. For each story up to 10,000 words: £50 + VAT i.e. £58.75

Poetry

You will receive an annotated manuscript and a written report focusing on theme, language and structure, and imagery, symbol and metaphor.

1. Single poem (up to 100 lines) £20 + VAT i.e. £23.50
2. For a collection of 10 poems, up to 1000 lines total £75 + VAT i.e. £88.13

Non-fiction

We are able to comment on a wide range of book manuscripts or magazine articles. We do not usually comment on highly technical projects; please contact us before submitting work that might fall into this category to ensure that we have available a reader who has sufficient knowledge of the subject matter to help you.

You will receive an annotated manuscript and written report focusing on the key elements of the manuscript and idea.

1. Articles up to 5000 words: £30 + VAT i.e. £35.25
2. For non-fiction books: Please send a one-page outline and the first 10,000 words of the manuscript: £60 + VAT i.e. £70.50
3. For complete non-fiction manuscripts up to 80,000 words: £200 + VAT i.e. £235.00
4. For complete non-fiction manuscripts up to 100,000 words: £250 + VAT i.e. £293.75

Editing services for fiction and non-fiction

Editing: We will make detailed comments and changes to every page of your manuscript, correcting spelling and grammar and suggesting improvements to style where appropriate: £5 per 1000 words, minimum fee £25. Payment by cheque only, and please ensure that you calculate the amount correctly! If in doubt, contact us.

Proof-reading: £2 per 1000 words, minimum fee £25. Payment by cheque only, and please ensure that you calculate the amount correctly! If in doubt, contact us.

All editing service charges also are subject to VAT at 17.5%.

Translation services

If you are writing in English but it is not your first language, we can help you with editorial ‘translation’ services. Fees are dependent on the nature of the project. Please contact us for a quote.

Sending your work

For appraisals and editing: we accept only typed manuscripts. Please use A4 paper and print on only one side, double-spaced, font size 12 point. Please do not use fancy fonts: they’re extremely hard on the eye. Use Times New Roman where possible, or Arial if you prefer sans serif. Please leave pages unbound; make sure they’re clean and numbered, and include a title page bearing your name and contact details.

Please be sure to tell us how many words are in your document.

We aim to provide your appraisal/editing work within four weeks.

Payment

You can send a cheque (made payable to Two Ravens Press) along with your manuscript.