A professional evaluation of your entire manuscript that identifies its strengths, weaknesses, and what to prioritize in revision.
A manuscript assessment is a high-level professional review of your complete (or near-complete) manuscript. Unlike a full developmental edit, which works through the text with detailed margin notes, an assessment delivers a written report covering the big picture: plot structure, character development, pacing, voice, marketability, and overall readiness. Think of it as a diagnostic exam rather than surgery.
Most writers reach a point where they can feel something is off but can't pinpoint what. A manuscript assessment gives you an expert diagnosis before you invest in expensive line-by-line editing. It helps you spend your revision energy on the problems that actually matter instead of rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship.
Open your work-in-progress and write a one-paragraph summary of what you think the book is about, who the main character is, and what changes by the end. Then ask a trusted reader to do the same without seeing yours. Compare the two. Where the summaries diverge, you've found the gaps an assessment would catch.