How to get the most out of an editorial report
BY Abby Parsons
22nd Apr 2025
As an editor, one of my favourite ways of working with writers was to provide a full manuscript report – a detailed run-down of feedback on a story, highlighting what was working and what could be working harder, including carefully considered advice on how to address any problem areas.
If you’ve been working away on a manuscript for a long time, you might feel like you’ve taken your story as far as you can. Perhaps you know you’ve got more work to do, but don’t know how to go about it. Or maybe you’ve received some confusing feedback and would like another perspective based on a full and thorough readthrough. In these cases, an editorial report from an expert reader might be just what you need to help you see the story clearly again, and feel motivated and supported to approach the editorial work that will help you unlock your manuscript’s full potential.
How can a report help me?
A report can act like a road map to your manuscript – the reader will consider all of the building blocks of your story: everything ‘big picture’, from characterisation, plot, structure and pacing, as well as questions of voice, style and tone – focusing in on the aspects that need addressing.
They’ll tell you what’s working well, and what would benefit from work. Though it’s always a writer’s decision how to act on the points made, the reader might make suggestions for how to go about the changes they’re highlighting, and open up to new avenues of the story to consider.
After reading your report, you’ll feel much clearer and more confident about the direction to take your manuscript in, and the work required to get there.
What kind of reports does CBC offer?
CBC offers full manuscript reports on adult fiction, YA, children’s fiction, memoir or narrative non-fiction.
If you’re stuck part-way through a novel or memoir, we also offer partial manuscript reports for up to 40,000 words. Your editor will provide feedback on the narrative so far and will guide you to the path to enable you to write to the end of your novel with confidence.
Our submission reports will help you make sure your pitch package is in the best possible shape before you send your book out to literary agents. Your editor will provide industry-led, practical feedback on your 10,000-word opening, agent pitch letter and synopsis.
All of CBC’s readers are acclaimed authors with teaching experience or publishing professionals.
Our guidelines to help you get the most out of your report . . .
- Review your work. While some writers can work away on a manuscript endlessly, and others need to see the back of it much sooner, if you’re submitting a full manuscript for a report, it’s worth putting in as much work as you feel you personally can without outside input. A good way to know if you’re ready for a report is to take a break after finishing the story, before carrying out a big picture edit yourself in order to implement any obvious editorial changes that you already know are needed, before you get an outside perspective. You can read our full advice on this process here.
- Outline your concerns. Regardless of the report you’re choosing, think about the problem areas you want your editor to address. If you’re worried about a certain character’s arc or have a niggling feeling about a plot twist – you can outline these questions in a note to your editor asking them to focus in on the questions you’re concerned about.
- Brush up on pitching etiquette. Before submitting your submission package for a report, remember to read and follow our advice on how to write a one-page synopsis and how to craft your letter to a literary agent for tips on what literary agents are looking for. That way your editor can share personalised advice specific to your book and its unique selling points, rather than spending too much time on universal advice.
- Give your editor plot details. If you’re submitting a partial manuscript, remember to include an outline of what you think will happen next in the story, so that your editor can also provide a steer on any pitfalls or challenges to bear in mind. If you’re submitting a full manuscript, we’ll ask you to include a one-page synopsis, so that your editor will have a good overview of what your aims are for the narrative, and can consider whether the story itself is achieving those aims.
- Research our editorial team. Before you sign up for one of our reports, look at our list of editors – as part of the service you can let us know if you have a preference of who you’d like to work with. You might not have a preference, but its worth checking whether there’s a writer working in a similar space or writing about a similar topic. Alternatively, you can tell us about your book, and we’ll match you with one of our expert editors based on the genre and style of your book. Meet our full editorial team here.
- After your report, let the feedback sink in. A report can be a wonderful thing, and help you see your story afresh, energising you to dive back into writing and editing – but it can also be overwhelming to receive pages of feedback, even when that’s exactly what we wanted! After reading your report, take some time to consider what the reader is saying – you might want to reread it, or perhaps even put it aside for a few days to let it percolate. Remember, it’s entirely your decision how to act on the points being made.
If you have any questions about our editorial services, remember that you can email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help.