MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE
A professional, developmental read of your manuscript that shows you what is working, what is not, and where to focus next.
What a critique is
A developmental assessment. A senior reviewer reads your work the way an experienced reader will, and tells you honestly how it holds together as a story: structure, pacing, character, voice, point of view, and how it meets the expectations of your genre.
What it is not
It is not a copyedit, a line edit, or a proofread. It is not a rewrite, and it does not correct your manuscript line by line. It is not a book review, and it is prepared separately from our review and awards programs.
We diagnose. We name the patterns that need your attention and show you representative examples, so you can carry the fix through the whole manuscript yourself.
See exactly what you will receive
Before you order, read a full sample. We applied our format to two well-known public-domain books, so you can see the depth and tone of the report without us publishing a client’s manuscript.
First Chapter Critique sample
Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Download the sample (PDF)What the report covers
Every critique looks at the elements that decide whether a reader stays with your book:
- Structure and pacing: how the story is built, and where it drags or rushes.
- Character: who your people are, what they want, and whether they hold attention.
- Voice and point of view: consistency, control, and whether the telling fits the story.
- Opening and momentum: how your first pages work and whether they pull a reader forward.
- Genre expectations: how your manuscript meets, bends, or misses what readers of your genre look for.
- The through line: your story question, and whether it is raised and paid off.
You get a written report you can act on, not a mark-up. Your reviewer names each pattern once, with a few representative examples, and points you to the work ahead.
Pricing
First Chapter Critique
Your opening chapter or first 5,000 words, whichever is shorter. A two to three page report focused on how your book begins and whether it earns the next chapter.
Full Manuscript Critique
Up to 90,000 words. A six to eight page report covering the whole arc: structure, character, pacing, voice, and genre. Manuscripts over 90,000 words are quoted individually.
Manuscript over 90,000 words? Email indies@readerviews.com for a custom quote before ordering.
Who reads your manuscript
Your critique is written by a senior Reader Views reviewer, chosen to match your genre. Every report is then edited by our managing editor before it reaches you, so what you receive is considered, clear, and useful.
How this stays independent
A critique is honest only if nothing is riding on the outcome, so we keep it walled off from everything else we do. Whoever critiques your manuscript will never review that book for Reader Views, and is permanently recused from judging it for any Reader Views award. The assignment is made blind and logged when you order.
A critique buys you an expert’s honest read. It does not buy a review, a rating, an award, or any influence over one.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as a book review?
No. A review is our published opinion of a finished book. A critique is private, developmental feedback to help you improve the manuscript before it is finished. The two are kept completely separate.
Will you edit or proofread my manuscript?
No. This is feedback on the story and how it works, not a copyedit, line edit, or proofread. We point out patterns to fix. We do not correct the text for you.
What if my manuscript is longer than 90,000 words?
Email indies@readerviews.com before ordering and we will send you a custom quote.
Will the person who critiques my book also review it later?
No, and that is deliberate. Whoever critiques your manuscript is recused from reviewing it and from judging it for any award.
Do you guarantee my book will be published or sell well?
No. A critique is about the writing, not the market. We tell you how your manuscript works as a story. What you do with it is yours.
How do I get my report?
As a written document, delivered by email within the turnaround for your tier.
Order your critique
Choose your tier below, tell us about your book, and a senior reviewer will get to work. Not sure which tier fits? Download a sample above, or email indies@readerviews.com with a question.