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10,000-Word Agent Teaser/Mini Edit

Make your query submission stand out from the slush pile

Agents often ​request to see the first few chapters of your manuscript to determine its potential. Having a professional and polished sample will show off your writing skills and help you stand out from the many other submissions they receive.​

What is a 10,000-word agent teaser?

Agents often like to see the opening chapters of your story to determine its potential. Remember, they don't get paid unless you do, so they're picky about who they choose to represent.

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But they receive hundreds of submissions every day, so you want yours to be of a high enough quality to stand out, allowing your story-telling skills to do the talking.

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This is a combined line and copyedit of the first 10,000 words of your manuscript so you can query with confidence.

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It's also a way for self-publishing authors with minimal budget to get editorial feedback they can apply throughout their manuscripts, meaning they publish something of a higher quality than if they published without seeking a professional's guidance.

Who it’s for

Writers looking to query with agents and/or publishers who want their story-telling skills to stand out amongst the crowd. It's also super handy for self-publishing authors who really don't have the budget for a full edit and want to be guided on a small portion that they can apply throughout their entire manuscript.

What you get

My deep line-by-line edit of the first 10,000 words of your manuscript looks for many things, including:

 

  • Inconsistency in text and formatting

  • Correct use of vocabulary

  • Confusing sentence structure

  • Redundancies and filler words

  • Clichés and misused words

  • Style, spelling and grammar issues

  • Unusual paragraph and sentence flow

  • Lacklustre word choices

  • Conscious language

  • Correctly used dialogue tags and beats

  • Appropriate dialogue to character

  • Tense and/or POV changes

  • Basic fact-checking​

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You'll also get:

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  • A custom style sheet detailing all the editorial decisions made to keep your manuscript consistent

  • A report with general observations you can apply throughout your entire manuscript

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Typical duration: 1–2 weeks

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Price: £349*

* Prices are based on manuscripts of 50,000 words and over. For short stories and children's books, please contact me for a tailored quote.
 

How it works

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1

You send your first 10,000 words at least 24 hours before the edit is due to commence. This allows me to ensure there are no issues opening it and work can start as planned.

2

I complete an intense read-through of the extract, making direct changes and leaving comments as appropriate. I'll provide you with a weekly update and query anything I'm unsure on.

3

I return your track changes copy so you can see all the insertions, deletions and suggestions, along with a custom style sheet and general observations report.

4

You review the edited manuscript, accepting, rejecting or amending as appropriate and query with confidence or apply your new knowledge throughout.

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