Are you stuck in editing limbo? You have polished every sentence, but something in the story still feels… lacklustre. Maybe you've turned it out to beta readers and hearing feedback that doesn't fit the intention of your book. That dazzling tale in your head just isn't flourishing on the page.

But have you delved deep into the heart of your story and studied it from the ground up to ensure all its bells and whistles work? Or did you jump almost straight from drafting to proofreading? That won't fix a story that's bleeding on the inside. Readers crave a story's vital organs to pulse with life – with prose that provokes, characters they adore, and plots that leave them pondering into the small hours. And that is the territory of a structural edit.

Want to gauge if your novel is truly ready to stand on its own two feet?

Vanity presses will take your cash for a flimsy edit. Friends will say 'it's great!' – bless them. AI tools cannot spot a limp plot if it kicked them in the motherboard.

Resuscitation for Writers Who Want knowledge over platitudes.

For €0.01/word, I will give your manuscript an honest and constructive assessment – the kind that explains:

• Where the pacing isn't working and why.
• Where your protagonist is following the story instead of leading it, and what you can do to turn that around.
• How to set up and deliver on those plot twists that have fallen flat, or flew in from nowhere.
• Plus a plethora of other elements.

Or, maybe you already started submitting to agents, and you're not getting any bites.

I can assess your submission package – your cover/query letter, synopsis and initial chapters – and give you an honest breakdown of what will make your offer more attractive, whether it's your pitch or prose that's the main weakness.

With a little story surgery, we can determine if your manuscript needs to be transformed from a terminal diagnosis into a body full of hope.

Best Suited For?

Self-publishers tired of guesswork and who want to publish quality work.

Pre-submission authors who want agents to fall in love with their opening chapters.

Stuck drafters who need a merciless (but kind) eye.

Not for the faint-hearted. I’ll celebrate your strengths and suggest where to cut out the tumours killing your kudos.

Why get an structural assessment over a full edit?

A lot of editing costs stem from the manuscript missing vital elements to make it work. Getting a handle on the bones of novel before focusing on the micro elements can pay dividends and isn't as costly if you are working to a tight budget. It's still packed with the "a-haa" moments you need to:

• Self-edit like a pro (save $€£ on future rounds).
• Rescue a floundering draft before investing in copyediting.
• Check the health of your story’s vital organs before querying.

PLUS: Get your hands on my secret weapon – your choice of a free workbook (Plotting by Fear & Ambition, Dig Deep Character Profiles, Dig Deep World-Building Workbook, How to Write a (Rockin') Novel Synopsis), so you can apply these fixes and ace your next book. (Click on the photos below for product details.)

How It Works

1. Add this product to your account (free; no commitment).
2. Tell me about your manuscript or Submission package (word count of the MS/chapters, word count of the synopsis, if providing, genre, struggles, etc. Use WordCounter.net to check).
3. Get a custom quote.
4. Pay 50% deposit, 50% upon receipt of the completed assessment. Updates throughout, so you’re never in the dark. (payment plans available – contact me to discuss).

The Fine(ish) Print

• Story editing only (I don’t proofread, but I’ll help you write better).
• Private Facebook + Reddit groups & Anvil & Ink on Substack for ongoing contact and support.
• Chapter diagnosis? Deduct the cost from a full assessment later if you already bought a chapter(s) assessment from me for the same project.

Ready to stop floundering in self-doubt and guesswork? Fill out the form and let’s get your story moving!

Why Use The StorySmith?

10 years in small presses, oodles of manuscripts sharpened as a freelancer, years of helping writers understand how to execute their stories to get the best out of them, and decades in the writing trenches myself. No, I didn't do a creative writing degree – I learned from through experience from the ground up, through writing novels and short stories of my own, through breaking down and analysing every trad published book on my shelf, and through every fibre of storytelling in practice. Through every frustration you're going through and insecurity you feel, too. I’ve read the slush pile, seen the same pitfalls time and again, discussed at length with other editors and writing professionals all the reasons why a story stands up and why it doesn't, and I've had to fight for the ones I wanted to see published. I have a commitment to quality. You want your story to be read, and I want to help you produce the best story you can.

Copy editing and proofreading require training, but developmental editing – the story – requires insight, careful consideration, and sharp writing instincts. And I have a ton of all those.

If you'd like to read my own work, or get writing and publishing insights, you'll find me here:

https://anvilandink.substack.com/p/testimonials-539

As I say, give your book the attention it deserves.

Choose your free workbook from the following:

How long should I expect to wait for my assessment?

This depends on the word count and my work schedule, but we will discuss that at consultation stage.

Will this hurt?

Only your ego (temporarily). Don't worry. I'll give you honest but constructive feedback and will treat your manuscript with the utmost care and respect.

I have a specific launch date set up and I need my MS assessed ASAP. Can you prioritise my manuscript?

That's highly unlikely, though not impossible. Again, it depends on the size of the work and my schedule. I do my best to meet deadlines and fit people in where I can, so contact me to discuss. My best advice is that you book your MS assessment at least six months in advance of your launch date, as an average guestimate. However, be prepared that if it still requires a hefty revision, plus copy edits and proofreading after I have worked with it, even six months might be a little ambitious. Working on the story elements is best done before any copyediting or proofreading.

Is it possible to buy coaching rather than an assessment?

For sure! Just message me to discuss what your requirements are. All consultations are free.

I need a beta reader. Can you help and what's the difference between that and an MS Assessment?

Yes, I also beta read. The same process as the MS assessment: fill out your project details and I'll contact you to discuss and create a custom quote.

A Structural MS Assessment will focus on elements such as writing techniques, plot, character and worldbuilding, tension, execution, etc ON A MACRO LEVEL. I.E. in a general sense, not paragraph by paragraph; line by line. It will also give you suggestions on potential remedies or alternatives to consider where needed.

A Developmental Assessment analyses both the structural, macro elements of a story and the micro moments. It considers each line and paragraph in respect of their effectiveness in creating the desired reading experience, as well as the overall effects and makes suggestions to strengthen or remedy weak areas, how to develop characters, settings and plot using writing techniques, etc.

Beta reading will also give you feedback on the MS, but focuses more on the experience of the reader and doesn't suggest how to remedy weak areas. Beta reading remarks on the reader's potential interpretations of the characters and their actions, the plot intrigue and the pacing (where it lags and where it pops), and where tension points elicit the right emotions or where they fall flat. Overall, beta reading informs the author what's loveable about the story and what still needs work, but it is for the writer to recognise what techniques are needed to work out the solutions themselves.

What else can I expect from your services?

Along with the assessment, you'll also have support from me in developing the MS. Once you have received your completed MS, you can still ask me questions to clarify any of my comments and bounce ideas around with me for the next stage. I must stipulate, though, that any further readings of revisions and any further feedback on those revisions will require further payment.

I also have a Facebook group that you can join for support. If you are not a fan of Facebook, I have a new private group on Reddit. You can also follow my blog on Substack.

What's the difference between a structural assessment and a developmental assessment?

There are some items that occasionally arise where I might not be able to continue with the work.

• Illegal/ethically questionable material – child abuse or any kind of erotic or abusive content that seeks to exploit or encourage to commit harmful behaviours or views. Aside from my personal sensibilities being unwilling to work with these elements, legal boundaries and grey areas prevent me from putting my name to a work that employs them. That's not to say I can't or won't work with erotic scenes or with the genre overall, or the transgressional, or trauma stories generally, but if there is material that I deem legally or ethically too risky, and the author desires to retain the problematic material in the works, I reserve the right to withdraw my labour and my name from the manuscript.
• In this instance, The Author (that's you) agrees to pay The Editor (that's me) any outstanding fees for the work: up to 50% of the overall quote where work has stopped prior to the halfway mark, or, where the halfway mark has been surpassed, for all work carried out up to and beyond the halfway mark, and we agree to terminate the contract. The Author will receive the work carried out by the Editor for feedback purposes only. The Author agrees not to credit my personal name, my business name or any other identifying markers with any part of the work, either in the work or in any medium or form (including word-of-mouth).
• Illnesses and emergencies – let's hope not! But, just in case anything untoward does happen, I reserve the right to withdraw from the project. In such cases, The Author agrees to pay me for the work I have already carried out, but further payments of work are no longer under obligation.

There might be some instances when you wish to stop the work mid-project. In this case:

• The Author agrees to pay up to 50% of the project quote upon cancellation, should the work be stopped prior to the halfway mark. If the project is beyond the 50% mark, The Author agrees to pay The Editor to the percentile of work already carried out. I will send you the final invoice and payment will be expected within seven days, unless otherwise agreed.
• If The Author decides to continue with the editing work at a later stage with the original manuscript, and The Editor agrees to continue, this payment will count towards the final payment, and The Author need not worry that they will be required to pay the same amount again. There will be a 10% additional fee of the whole project amount to cover re-reading/refamiliarisation time.
• If the manuscript has been significantly changed (and, therefore, The Editor must start again from the beginning), a new quote will be issued.