Do you need a response to your text?
It is difficult for every writer to know whether what is written gets its message across and whether it is clear and inviting for the reader. The writer knows very well what it is all about, but the question is whether the reader does too. At times a text may be technically challenged.
- Is the text sufficiently clear about where in time and space events take place?
- Are the people alive and unique or are they limping along under the burden of a stereotype?
- Is the text alive with clear images, original descriptions and believable dialogue?
- Are the feelings and senses expressed with true warmth or as a cold string of words?
- Are there repetitions, negative linguistic patterns, clichés, and ways of speaking? Is there anything that blurs the message in the text and its entertainment value?
- Is the humor spot on, or does it feel forced?
- Are the depths revealed or is the story superficial?
- Can the target group, for example children under age six, understand the story as it was written?
- Does the beginning feed the flames, and does the ending satisfy the reader’s demand for closure?
- Is the poetry alive, fresh and colourful? Can it be understood, or is the intention that it should not be understood, but that the beauty is in the subtle word play that compels the reader to reflect?
- Is there drama? Can the reader see and hear what is taking place?
- Is the reader lulled by the fairytale, safely nestled in its warm blankets with the feel of childhood and a world of mystical, newly-discovered possibilities? Or, is the story too narrative, thus inhibiting the experience of adventure?
All of these questions and many more can drive the writer insane when there is no audience to answer them. Frustration increases if the audience available is only able to judge the text as good, bad or confusing: What exactly makes it good, bad or confusing? An evaluation of the manuscript answers all these questions. The aim of the evaluation is to help find the heart and personality of the text so that it can become alive like the author.
Which kinds of texts do I evaluate?
I evaluate novels, short stories, lyric poetry, drama, film scripts, non-fiction, essays and other exciting creations that combine different genres of texts, whether it is a question of detective novels, thrillers, suspense, romance, erotica, science fiction, fantasy, humor, adventure, children’s literature or something else.
If you need a response to your story while you are writing it – e.g. to one chapter at a time – you can choose Writing coaching instead.
Languages
I receive texts written in Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and English. I will give my response to your texts in either Danish or English by your choice.
Our contact
If
you are interested in having your manuscript evaluated, please email your manuscript as an attached file and include your name and address. Afterwards, you will be informed of the price and the date you will receive a response. After the price has been agreed upon I will start reading your text. Contact
Price
A full response to a novel usually covers between 12 and 25 pages, depending on the length of the novel, and includes constructive suggestions for improvements and writing tips. It is very comprehensive and is really a private writing course tailored to your writing skills and habits, which you can use in all your future writing.
The more pages the book has, the lower the price per page. In addition, the level of polish your manuscript has when I receive it matters. The more polished and well-written it is, the lower the price. If you’ve written nonfiction, the price may also depend on the complexity of the material. Poems, short stories, and other shorter texts require relatively more work per text, as they are small, self-contained units. All of this is factored into the price calculation, so it’s difficult to provide a precise estimate. Please send me an email with your manuscript in .doc, .docx, or .odt format to receive an estimate.
It is possible to request a more general response instead of a full response, which will lower the price. Most writers benefit from the full response. Please feel free to contact me to hear about the possibilities.