The first step is to email me at joannafrank17@gmail.com and tell me a little bit about your manuscript and about yourself. I can then determine whether I am the right person to help you with your book and will invite you to submit either a sample of your material, or the complete manuscript. At this stage, I will inform you how long it will take me to assess your work. You should usually allow roughly four weeks, although this time can vary according to the length of the book and how busy I am. I read and report on all material myself and I operate on a strict first come, first served basis.

Material should be submitted digitally as a Word document, with numbered pages of A4 size, double spaced in 12 point font.

You will receive by email an in-depth editorial report on your manuscript and its length will be determined by how much work I think the material needs. In some cases there may also be annotations on the document. The cost of this assessment also includes a follow-up meeting or telephone call of up to an hour to discuss my report and your next step.

Most authors then undertake some or all of the suggested revisions before resubmitting the manuscript for further assessment.

If and when I believe your book is ready for presentation to a literary agent, I can make submissions on your behalf. No writer is obliged to sign with any agency and as my commission share is paid direct by the client (from future earnings) and not by the agency, my advice on the subject is impartial. I still have strong contacts within the main UK literary agencies and have usually found that individual agents prioritise my submissions.

While I only agree to follow-up work on material which I believe has strong potential, my undertaking to offer further editorial support beyond the initial assessment does not constitute a guarantee of future representation or publication. If we agree mutually to continue working together on your material after the first report, you will be asked to sign a consultancy contract which details fees and commission arrangements.

Please note that fees for an initial editorial report should be paid at the time of submission (see Fees page on this website).