Post by account_disabled on Dec 30, 2023 2:12:55 GMT -5
Every now and then I receive requests from the blog to evaluate the novels of some emerging or aspiring writer, perhaps due to the many articles on writing and publishing that I have published. There have even been those who mistook my blog for the website of a publishing house - and at this point I would advise certain authors to leave the world of publishing alone if they cannot distinguish a publishing house from an ordinary blogger. After a few requests of this type I wanted to think about this fateful evaluation of novels: what does it really mean? Who will evaluate the manuscript? What is it for? Is it really necessary for an author? And how much is it? But let's start from the beginning.
How do you evaluate a novel? By creating a so-called evaluation sheet . And what is written on the evaluation sheet? Wandering around here and there on various sites, I saw that in the form a rating is given to the following Special Data elements of a novel: setting plot personages incipit conclusion language and style Each agency/site/blogger/pinco-pallino that offers this service has its own modus operandi. There is also a lot of carelessness in this service: one intended the evaluation of novels as a simple proofreading . Who can evaluate novels? Certainly not just any Pinco Pallino. Not a blogger without any qualifications except that of a common reader, however strong. A blogger can give a reader's opinion on the novel, but not evaluate it. I am a blogger.
I am also a strong reader – if by strong reader we mean someone who reads a few dozen books a year – but I have no qualifications nor any expertise to evaluate a novel, published or not. Who can rate a novel? In my opinion, those who fall into one of the following 3 categories: The publishing house : because, having received the novel, it verifies its publishability. Is it in line with your catalogue? Does it reflect the requirements that every manuscript must have? Is it a valid work? Can you invest money to publish it? After all, the publisher is an entrepreneur and therefore must evaluate whether that product will be profitable or whether it will be a failure. The literary agency : because it is his job. A literary agency introduces authors to a publishing house. Or it simply evaluates the manuscripts, directing the authors towards a possible improvement.
How do you evaluate a novel? By creating a so-called evaluation sheet . And what is written on the evaluation sheet? Wandering around here and there on various sites, I saw that in the form a rating is given to the following Special Data elements of a novel: setting plot personages incipit conclusion language and style Each agency/site/blogger/pinco-pallino that offers this service has its own modus operandi. There is also a lot of carelessness in this service: one intended the evaluation of novels as a simple proofreading . Who can evaluate novels? Certainly not just any Pinco Pallino. Not a blogger without any qualifications except that of a common reader, however strong. A blogger can give a reader's opinion on the novel, but not evaluate it. I am a blogger.
I am also a strong reader – if by strong reader we mean someone who reads a few dozen books a year – but I have no qualifications nor any expertise to evaluate a novel, published or not. Who can rate a novel? In my opinion, those who fall into one of the following 3 categories: The publishing house : because, having received the novel, it verifies its publishability. Is it in line with your catalogue? Does it reflect the requirements that every manuscript must have? Is it a valid work? Can you invest money to publish it? After all, the publisher is an entrepreneur and therefore must evaluate whether that product will be profitable or whether it will be a failure. The literary agency : because it is his job. A literary agency introduces authors to a publishing house. Or it simply evaluates the manuscripts, directing the authors towards a possible improvement.