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1. What is the most helpful? (A) a beta read, or (B) a manuscript assessment (also called a manuscript appraisal), or developmental edit (also called structural edit or substantive edit)?

A beta read…

Beta reading can be helpful in assisting you to know the flaws or areas for improvement in manuscript so that you can repair those flaws or make those improvements, prior to handing your manuscript over to an editor for the final editing stages. However, beta readers are not qualified editors and it is not their job to explain to you how to fix or improve your manuscript. So after you have applied what you have learned from the beta reading stage, you may then need to seek the services of an editor to help you work out how to address the remaining problems or improve the structure, of your manuscript.

A manuscript assessment or Developmental edit…

Compared to a beta reader’s report, an editor’s manuscript assessment or a developmental edit will be far more specific and more helpful in assisting you to understand any problems in your manuscript, and how to improve/correct your manuscript. In either an assessment or an edit, he editor will offer you suggestions and options for improving specific issues in the manuscript.

• Read all about manuscript assessments here.
• Read about a structural or developmental edit here.
• Read about the difference between a beta read and manuscript assessment here.

Remember, it is not the editor’s role at this early editing stage to edit the manuscript for you: their role is to give you, the writer, suggestions or recommendations for correcting or improving your manuscript.

2. At what stage should I look at having my manuscript beta read, assessed or edited?

Prior to requesting a beta read, manuscript assessment or developmental edit, it’s a good idea to:

• make sure your manuscript is finished to the best of your ability without outside assistance or guidance, and
• self-edit (including rewriting sections if necessary) it as well as you can without outside assistance or guidance.

Then, you will need to decide whether to go down the route of beta reading, manuscript assessment or a developmental edit. We suggest you talk to an editor at this stage, to work out which of these options best suit your budget and/or your manuscript.

2. How do the costs of beta reading, manuscript assessment or a structural edit compare?

The difference in these costs reflect the level of qualifications and editing experience of the person you are hiring to do the job, as well as the time it takes to do the task.

Beta reading is usually done by people who are not editors, and costs far less than a manuscript assessment or developmental edit, which need to be done by a professional editor. A developmental edit is far more detailed and time consuming than a manuscript assessment therefore costs a lot more.

How much it costs for any of these tasks depends on the wordcount of your manuscript. A beta reader can usually give you a fixed quote prior to viewing your manuscript, whereas an editor may need to view your manuscript prior to submitting a quote for either a manuscript assessment or developmental edit.

3. How will I know the beta reader or the editor has the skills to do a good job?

Before you hire a  beta reader, make sure you they are experienced in beta reading, and well read, in the relevant genre. They should tell you exactly  what you will be getting for your money (e.g. a report, and a timeline for that).

Before you hire an editor to conduct a manuscript assessment or developmental edit, make sure they are a full member of Institute of Professional Editors (IPEd), because that way you can be sure they are qualified, experienced and bound by Australia’s peak body’s code of ethics. Make sure they are experienced in the specific genre of your manuscript. And again they should tell you exactly what you will be getting for your money (e.g. a standalone report, or a report and track changes comments in a manuscript.) 

For beta reading services, we recommend: AJ Collins – Australian beta readers.

For editing (including manuscript assessments, and structural or developmental editing) we recommend: On Time Typing, Editing and  Proofreading.

If you need your manuscript sensitivity read, contact us here to discuss what you need and we will either offer the service ourselves or refer you to an appropriate sensitivity reader.

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