Camille Booker
Manuscript Assessment Services
Author Editor Teacher
Have you finished the first draft of your novel? Congratulations, this is an amazing achievement!
So, you’ve typed ‘The End’. Perhaps you’ve even allowed your mother/brother/partner/writing buddy to read and provide some feedback on it, but now, you’re stuck. You’ve probably read through your story so many times you’re starting to experience ‘manuscript blindness’.
I know how it feels – I’ve been there.
You have no idea how to proceed and you’re unsure whether your manuscript is ready to self-publish or submit to agents, publishers and competitions.
That’s where a manuscript assessment can be transformative.
Manuscript Assessments
Having your manuscript read and assessed by someone with knowledge of the craft and industry experience is an invaluable way to elevate your story before submitting it. In today’s extremely competitive industry, agents and publishers are looking for manuscripts that are structurally-sound and publication-ready.
My manuscript assessment reveals what’s working in your novel and what needs further development.
All of my manuscript assessments scrutinise the fundamentals of compelling novel writing. They are:
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Plot and Structure
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Character development and motivation
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Exposition and backstory
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Point of view
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Pace
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Dialogue
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Writing style
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Theme
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Voice
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Dialogue
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Setting
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Genre expectations
Packages
My manuscript packages are designed with the aspiring writer in mind. They allow you to embark upon structural assessment gradually and in a way that suits your objectives and budget.
Submission Sample Assessment
Perfect for those wishing to dip their toe into the submissions process.
This package includes a preliminary Zoom consultation + assessment of your first three chapters (or up to 10k words) + marked up document + follow-up email exchange
I will complete a close reading of the first three chapters of your document, or up to 10k words, and provide:
1. A written report suggesting improvements to your story based on the essential elements listed above (and your objectives discussed in our consultation)
2. A follow-up email exchange to discuss any significant issues and ways to proceed
Price: $350
Novella or Partial Novel Assessment
Developed for those seeking guidance on their novella or a partial assessment of a full manuscript.
This package includes a preliminary Zoom consultation + manuscript assessment (up to 50k words) + follow-up email exchange
I will complete a close reading of your document up to 50k words, and provide:
1. A written report suggesting improvements to your story based on the essential elements listed above
2. A follow up email exchange to discuss any significant issues and ways to proceed
Price: $950
Comprehensive Novel Assessment
For those wishing to see the full picture, this package includes a preliminary Zoom consultation + full manuscript assessment (up to 100k words) + marked up document + follow-up email exchange
I will complete a close reading of your full document up to 90k-100k words, and provide:
1. A written report suggesting improvements to your story based on the essential elements listed above
2. A marked up manuscript using Track Changes, with comments and edits on the document
3. A follow up email exchange to discuss any significant issues, and ways to proceed
Price: $1350
Please note: If you select a Submission Sample Assessment or a Novella or Partial Novel Assessment and wish to upgrade to the next level service afterwards, you will only pay the difference.
Let's Begin
At the heart of what I do is an understanding of the trust and faith required to share one’s work with another person. Supporting you to elevate your work to a publishable standard begins with getting to know you and your story.
By taking the time to learn what you’re hoping to gain from a manuscript assessment, what your goals for the story are and the type of feedback you’re hoping for, I can tailor my approach to meet your needs.
This foundational work typically takes place on Zoom but I’m happy to communicate via email or phone call if you prefer.
When it comes to elevating your manuscript to the next level, the right guidance can make all the difference. Through honest, objective and encouraging feedback, I can help you get closer to your dream of publication.
Contact
What If You Fly?
A page-turning epic historical adventure that starts in Australia and travels the world through the eyes of Frances, code named Funnel Web.
For Frances Davies the war is far away, and she and best friend Maggie are more concerned with how to spend their time once they graduate high school. That is, until Frances’s older brother, Thomas, is reported MIA in Singapore.
When Frances meets Leo, a boat-loving immigrant from Italy, she falls in love. Local attitudes and something more sinister tear them apart.
To what lengths will Frances go to find her brother and the man she loves? The woman code-named Funnel Web bears little resemblance to little Frances Davies.
Home beckons… and those who betrayed the man she loved should pay attention.
If you want to be a woman in a man’s world, never take no for an answer.
About Camille
Camille is an award-winning author and creative writing teacher at the University of Wollongong.
Her debut novel, What If You Fly?, a WWII historical fiction, was published by Hawkeye Publishing in 2021, it was longlisted for the 2019 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize and was runner up in the 2020 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize (under the working title Coffee and Peaches).
In 2022 she completed the Curtis Brown Creative 6 Month Novel Writing Course, during which she wrote her second historical fiction novel, The Woman in the Waves. It was shortlisted for the 2023 Varuna/Affirm Press Mentorship Award, runner up in the 2022 CYA Conference Competition, won the 2022 Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest, won the 2023 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize and is to be published with Hawkeye Publishing in 2024.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Linguistics and French Language; and a Bachelor of Creative Arts degree in Creative Writing, both of which she completed at the University of Wollongong. She is now undertaking a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Wollongong.
Camille joined the judging panel of the 2024 Hawkeye Manuscript Development Prize and is currently reading and assessing the first 30 pages of entrants' novels.