Submission package review
If you’re looking for a submission package review specifically, a service that looks at your query letter, 1-page synopsis and first 3 chapters – or up to 30 double-spaced pages – to assess whether your package is ready to send to an agent or editor, do get in touch with the office and we can quote for a number of Workshopping hours to include this.
The focus of a submission package review is on developmental editing: looking at both the macro- and micro- level of story and scene to determine what’s working well and areas to improve further. The service is carried out by Market, Industry and Consultancy editors, and is intended to provide you with a view of the story’s marketability in the current market, as well as a review of how well your current pitch is working. We’d typically recommend 4-9 hours of Workshopping to include a submission package review.
Is this right for me?
We do not recommend booking in for only enough Workshoppig hours for a submission pakcage review before having a full developmental read-through first. Or for beginner authors with a partial or first-draft manuscript. Instead the submission package review is best suited for:
- Writers who are thinking about approaching agents/the trade;
- Writers who have approached agents and feel something in their submission package isn't working;
- Authors who would like the view of an editor who will read the MS as an agent would, with a particular focus on marketability;
- Writers who would like editorial feedback but don't require a full report or full assessment through workshopping hours.
What will I get?
This will be discussed with your editor at the start of the workshopping hours, to determine a plan. However, we'd recommend arranging for your editor to provide you with a mark-up of your submission materials and short report, focusing on your opening three chapters, along with sections on the query letter and synopsis.
How does the process work?
If you're interested in this service, please contact the office, and a member of the team will assess your work (this is complimentary) and your project's suitability for a submission package review through workshopping hours.
Once you've paid, we'll ask you to fill out a short book questionnaire, and will then pitch that alongside your materials to 2-3 editors who would be a good fit, based on their experience in your genre and your manuscript's needs. You'll typically be able to choose from this selection of editors, and we'll then put you in touch with your chosen editor for a 20-minute gratis call to discuss a plan for how to spend the hours (our recommendation above).
At the beginning of the process, you are entitled to a 20-minute gratis call with your editor to discuss your goals for the workshopping, following which your editor will devise a plan. Please note that your editor's reading time of the manuscript and time taken to write feedback for the MS is included in the hours.
At the end of the hours your editor will submit the final log, as well as any materials agreed upon at the beginning (for example, marked-up submission materials, a re-written synopsis, etc). If at this stage you should wish to purchase additional workshopping time with your editor, you can typically do so in blocks of 3 hours – please contact the office to arrange this. The Cornerstones team will be a point of contact throughout the project, if needed. As the number of hours for a submission package review will be shorter than a full read-through, your editor typically won't provide a midway workshopping log.
How long does it take?
We advise that the workshopping hours need to be used within twelve months, though this is at your editor’s discretion. As there will be less hours needed for a submission package review, we'd advise using these within a few to six months.
We understand that life sometimes gets in the way; if you need to halt or delay the workshopping process due to illness or personal circumstance, we will do our best to accommodate this, though continuation of the hours will be at your editor’s discretion.