Plot Assessment
From £149.
This plot assessment service provides a comprehensive report on your synopsis. Simply send us up to 1,200 words outlining your plot and we will review it, offering insights into how you can strengthen it before you pursue your first draft in earnest.
Why plot assessment?
Many aspiring writers we speak to have an idea for a novel, but aren’t sure where to take it. Creating a detailed outline to serve as a roadmap for the first draft isn’t easy, whether you’re new to writing or an experienced author. Plot assessments are your opportunity to start as you mean to go on; strong and confident.
We specialise in all genres of fiction and writers of all levels are welcome to submit.
What's Included In The Plot Assessment?
Have you correctly identified your novel’s genre? Would a publisher know where to place it on a bookshelf? A plot assessment will help you ensure that your story is consistent with the expectations of your genre and that where you deviate from expectation, it is appropriate, impactful, and purposeful.
Our editorial consultants provide actionable advice to support you in strengthening your plot and certify that your story is grounded in its genre, without diluting its originality.
Genre
Is there a causality to your plot’s events? Is your synopsis structurally sound and robust? Does your manuscript include layered conflicts, with realistic obstacles for your characters to face and overcome?
In long-form texts like the novel, striking consistency and believability in your synopsis can be a delicate and difficult process. Your consultant will help you untangle your plot’s individual threads and create a credible events sequence.
Story
Are the characters in your synopsis authentic and three-dimensional? Are they unique and recognisable? Does each character have a clear journey, and the opportunity to demonstrate change or growth?
Our literary consultants will help you ensure that your characters have goals, obstacles, and a purpose, and that they effectively serve the book’s story.
Character
What our customers are saying about us…
★★★★★
"Marginalia took my writing to a whole new level and opened doors for me I’d only ever dreamed of being able to one day walk through. It has honestly been a life-changing experience and I will 100% be coming back to them in the future. If I could give them more than five stars, I would.”
Sarah. B
The Benefits Of Plot Assessment
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A comprehensive report of at least 1,500 words
We don’t enjoy feeling constrained by an arbitrary word count.
Our plot assessment reports come in at around the 1,500-word mark, giving us plenty of words to work with to address all aspects of your plot comprehensively. Your detailed report will provide actionable advice for writing your draft.
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Reduce editing & redrafting time
Many novels undergo several complete redrafts before the author considers submitting to literary agents. During this process, the initial plot changes dramatically. With a plot assessment, you can identify and resolve the foundational problems with your story, massively reducing the time spent editing and redrafting further down the line.
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Increase your chances of being published
Our manuscript and plot assessors have extensive experience of the publishing world and an informed understanding of what publishers and literary agents are looking for in a manuscript. Our plot assessments are designed to help you ensure that your story is not only attractive to potential readers, but to publishers and agents too.
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Ascertain & improve commercial viability
If your aim is to publish traditionally, it’s important that you are aware of where your story might sit in the current market. Our plot assessors will advise you on improving the commercial viability of your story if necessary—without limiting the story’s distinctiveness and originality.
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Get inspired & overcome obstacles
If you are feeling stalled, aimless, or disheartened by the obstacles you’re facing in your writing journey, our plot assessments will give you a sense of direction. All the advice in our plot assessment reports is actionable and paired with manageable recommendations for improvements.
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Absolute confidentiality
We speak to many writers who have reservations about sharing their work and are understandably anxious about the confidentiality of their ideas. We make privacy a priority—and to that end, we’ve signed an NDA. This makes us, and all our consultants, legally bound to confidentiality. In other words, we can’t share your ideas or your manuscript with anyone!
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Lay the groundwork for your writing journey
A plot assessment is ideal for authors who are in the early stages of writing their manuscripts, authors who have yet to begin writing and would like to find out if their story has legs, and authors who are struggling to finish their manuscript and believe the root cause of their issues are plot-related. Plot support in the early stages plays a critical role in laying the groundwork for your novel.
With our flexible payment plans.
We’re committed to making our editorial services as accessible as possible. To that end, we’re always looking for new ways of helping authors manage the cost of our assessments.
We've partnered with PayPal so that eligible customers can split the cost of their purchases across 3 months—entirely interest-free. Choose PayPal at checkout, then ‘Pay in 3’ when prompted to complete the purchase on the PayPal platform.
Buy Now, Pay Later
Plot Assessment FAQs.
Can I see an example of a plot assessment report?
You sure can! You can download and view real plot and manuscript assessment example reports that we delivered here. For the sake of confidentiality, we’ve completely anonymised the reports, changing character names and even elements of the plot.
How do I know my ideas won’t be stolen?
We’ve signed an NDA that applies to every purchase made with us. This makes us, and all our editing consultants, legally bound to confidentiality. In other words, we can’t share your ideas or your manuscript with anyone!
Can I speak to my literary consultant?
To ensure that your initial report is entirely objective, we act as intermediaries between you and your literary consultant, passing on any questions. If you’d like to speak to them after your assessment, you can book a consultation.