How to Write Love

First Chapter

First Three Chapters

Great openings are hugely important. They really make an impact on the reader, and for editors who have to wade through many, many submissions, you want to get the tone just right. Send the first chapter (to a maximum of 5,000 words) to us for feedback on how the opening works.

$250 USD

First Three Chapters

Want feedback on a more substantial chunk of your book? In a three-chapter (to a maximum of 15,000 words) assessment, we'll be able to evaluate not just the strength of your beginning, but also get to see and give feedback on more elements, such as characterisation, dialogue, tension and pace.

$500 USD

Prepare to Submit

Selling your book to an editor can hinge on a really punchy synopsis. It needs to be concise and yet somehow, magically, convey tone and vibe, all in a short amount of words. It's an artform indeed! If you want help massaging your synopsis into shape, as well as writing a cover letter and nailing your first chapter, this option is for you (to a maximum of 1,000 words).

$350 USD

The Whole Package

Prepare to Submit

Are you ready to submit to editors? This option will give you feedback on your cover letter, synopsis and the first three chapters of your book, so that when you send it off, you can be confident it's in the best shape possible. Word limits apply.

Up to 50,000 $1000USD

Up to 75,000 words $1150

Up to 100,000 words $1300 USD

The Nitty Gritty

While undertaking a manuscript assessment doesn't guarantee your work will be published, this is an opportunity to gain professional input from successful industry insiders so that you can hone your book before sending it off for consideration, or prior to self-publishing it.

Like all creative advice, manuscript assessments are subjective, and ultimately your own creative expertise should be exercised when weighing and making changes.

Prior to undertaking your assessment, the How to Write Love team will contact you with a timeline in which to expect feedback and which of the instructors will be undertaking the assessment. Payment will be required to confirm your assessment slot (contact us to discuss payment plans). Slots will not be held without payment.

Please note, while requests for instructors and timelines will be considered, we cannot guarantee any specific assessor or response date owing to individual schedules and publishing commitments. You may choose not to proceed with the assessment once we have responded with the details in an official quote.

Manuscript Assessments are offered on a discretionary, first come, first served basis. Having completed a HOW TO WRITE LOVE course gives you an option to apply but does not guarantee an assessment will be available. There are a very limited number of assessments available per year, owing to publishing commitments, so while we would love to help each and every applicant polish their work, acceptance is not guaranteed. Sorry!

We will not consider conducting assessments on works that contain offensive, bigoted, racist or inappropriate content (because we're all about the love, baby).

Ready to go? Click through to register now.

Manuscript Assessments

First Chapter

First Three Chapters

First Three Chapters

First Three Chapters

First Three Chapters

First Three Chapters

Prepare to Submit

Prepare to Submit

Prepare to Submit

The Whole Package

Prepare to Submit

Prepare to Submit

Ally Blake’s manuscript assessment helped me take a fledgling story and turn it into a manuscript ready to soar, polished enough to enter competitions and pitch to publishers.

The Nitty Gritty

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