FLOOD MANUSCRIPTS
rationale
Who assesses a manuscript?
Some services maintain that manuscript assessment (manuscript appraisal) be done by independent assessors who remain anonymous to authors in order to maintain objectivity. Hopefully these assessors are hand picked writing professionals with solid track records.
For the writers’ part, they are required to trust the choice of the service provider for a quality assessor. Sometimes that choice is based on availability, not quality, though most providers do their best in the shuffle.
Flood Manuscripts aims to improve the transparency and accountability of this process. Writers will always know who is assessing their work and, if desired, may choose the assessor they consider most suitable from those available. Publishers and agents will see who has assessed a manuscript and make their own judgment accordingly. The stress will be on personal service, not company profile.
Assessors approach the work
in terms of its component parts—form, theme, argument, character, style, grammar
and so on—that is, they do not just give an opinion, they give a
detailed analysis.
Flood Manuscripts is, at present, a new organisation. The Director is the assessor, so you know who you are getting. Click on 'about' for details on Tom. As the need arises, more specialist assessors will be added.
To apply for manuscript assessment (manuscript appraisal), click here