Manuscript Assessment Service
The CWA is pleased to introduce a new Manuscript Assessment Service for aspiring crime fiction writers, to help you polish your writing, and prepare your manuscript for submission to agents and publishers. These days the competition to achieve a publishing deal is fierce. In view of this competition, we receive increasing numbers of enquiries asking for expert critique of manuscripts. We are now able to offer that advice through our new Manuscript Assessment Service.
Fabulous service! Please pass on my thanks to the reader. I knew the manuscript needed more work, but wasn’t sure where to start. I really appreciate having some direction.
(Sharon, Western Australia)
To join the CWA, a writer must have successfully published a crime or thriller novel. We can offer you this combined expertise and knowledge of the publishing market, and we also have many associate members who are agents and editors working in the crime fiction field. As an organisation we’re committed to the crime genre, and we know what makes a thrilling crime novel. Your work will be read by one of our experienced members, who will provide you with detailed feedback that will help you hone your writing. We have also run the prestigious Debut Dagger competition for several years, which has helped many crime writers meet agents and editors and secure publishing deals.
Submission guidelines
Manuscripts should be 12pt, double spaced, in an easily readable font such as Times, Arial or Helvetica. They must fall within the prescribed word limits. Manuscripts must not include the author’s name or contact details, only the title of the work which will be allocated a unique CWA reference number.
You can save your work as a Word document (.doc or .docx) or as a PDF, and upload the file via the form on this website (links below).
Level A is for manuscripts up to 3,000 words, plus a synopsis up to 1,000 words. If you upload your manuscript and pay the fee today, you should receive your detailed critique within 3 weeks. This will be a minimum of two pages.
The fee for this service is £100, payable in advance to the CWA.
Level B is for manuscripts up to 100,000 words, which should include a synopsis of up to 1,000 words. If you upload your manuscript and pay the fee today, you should receive your detailed critique within 5 weeks. This will be a minimum of four pages.
The fee for this service is £350, payable in advance to the CWA.
While we are keen to encourage your writing, we also hope to assist you in your endeavours to secure a publishing deal. With this in mind, please expect our readers to give honest and constructive feedback.
Leigh Russell
Co-ordinator
CWA Manuscript Assessment Service
The CWA vets all readers working for the CWA Manuscript Assessment Service.
Critiques are the opinion of the individual selected to read the Manuscript.