Manuscript Assessment & Workshops

Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.

E. L. Doctorow, patron saint of first drafts

Manuscript Assessment

I offer manuscript assessments for writers at any stage of a project. I can help you see what’s coming through, where the writing feels most alive, what I found myself wanting more of, and what might be worth exploring next. The aim is to help the writing become more fully what it wants to be.

What’s included

  • A close reading of up to 5,000 words – this can be a short story, a chapter, or a self-contained section of a longer work
  • An annotated manuscript with inline comments
  • A short written letter summarising my response and suggesting possible next steps
  • A 45-minute phone or video call to discuss the feedback

Who is this for?

This is for writers at any level of experience – whether you’re writing your first story or have been writing for years. If you have a story, chapter or section you’re wrestling with and want an experienced reader’s perspective before deciding what to do next, this is for you.

It’s particularly useful if you’ve reached a point where you’ve been looking at the work for too long and need a fresh pair of eyes.

How much does it cost?

The assessment costs €125 for up to 5,000 words, with a two-week turnaround.

Want feedback on something you’re working on? Get in touch.

Workshops

I also run small workshops for writers in Valencia, both in person and online. They’re informal, exploratory spaces for paying closer attention to your writing and seeing where it might lead. Previous workshops have focused on Paying Attention and Writing Into Not-Knowing.

Interested in joining an upcoming workshop? Get in touch and tell me a little about the project.

Mike Allen's desk
My desk, which is usually more cluttered than this.