Our Services
At Alternative Literary Consultancy, we believe in clear, honest, and practical editorial support. We’re not here to sell you false promises or ‘insider shortcuts’—instead, we offer expert guidance to help you develop your manuscript in a way that is both creatively fulfilling and industry-aware.
We also believe that writers deserve full transparency about what they’re paying for. Every service we offer is designed to provide genuine value, giving you the tools to refine your book and take the next step in your publishing journey with confidence.
Editorial Assessment
There’s a point where we all get stuck on a draft. You may have submitted to agents, you may have received no reply or any feedback. We can’t promise that our assessment will mean your next draft will be submission ready – in all honesty, there is still going to be work needed by you after we’re done – but our aim is to get you moving in the right direction and aid you to strengthen your work before another draft, so you don’t lose time going round in circles. Our assessment aims to provide you with a clear, actionable path for your next steps.
An Editorial Assessment is a comprehensive, big-picture report on your novel, covering plot, structure, pacing, character development, voice, and commercial viability. Our feedback isn’t just a checklist—it’s practical, constructive, and tailored to your book’s specific needs. We’ll also offer next-step guidance, including industry insights on how to assess where your manuscript might sit in the market. You can expect a detailed, 3,000+ word report that gives you a clear plan for revision.
If you are interested in learning more about our services or would like to set up a call to discuss which service would best suit your book either use the contact form below or email editorial@alternativeliteraryconsultancy.co.uk
In-Depth Editorial Assessment
For writers who want both big-picture guidance and hands-on editorial support, this service combines our Editorial Assessment with a full line edit of your manuscript. We'll go through your work page by page, offering sentence-level feedback on clarity, style, dialogue, pacing, and flow, while also addressing any structural concerns. This is a great option if you want a deeper level of editorial insight, whether you're polishing a final draft or strengthening an early version of your book – we’d probably not recommend this for a very early version as the standard editorial assessment will be more useful to focus on the bigger picture. An in-depth report is very useful after you’ve done some level of rewriting and need a professional to help you answer the question, does this work?
Submission Package Review
This is likely to be a popular choice, as it is both cost effective and really zones in on the key documents you are submitting to agents and publishers for their review. We all know a compelling submission package does make all the difference when approaching agents and publishers, and many authors just want someone to tell them, am I ready to submit? Sadly, it is never that black-and-white, as agents and publishers want different things, but what we will do is work with you to refine and strengthen your query letter, synopsis, and first three chapters, ensuring that they showcase your book at its very best. We’ll then offer detailed feedback on how to make your submission more engaging, industry-ready, and aligned with general publishing good practice. A lot of writers find the submission process daunting but we genuinely believe this review will get you on the right track.
Coaching and Mentoring
We also provide a more individual, one-on-one mentoring and coaching at £100 an hour where we offer flexibility and personal guidance, helping you develop your manuscript at your own pace. Whether you need help with:
+ Structuring your novel
+ Strengthening your prose
+ Revising key chapters
+ Overcoming creative roadblocks
+ Preparing your submission package
We’ll work with you to provide the support and insight you need, when you need it. This service is entirely bespoke, allowing you to focus on the areas that matter most to you. Sessions usually are in batches of 3 to 6 and can be stretched out over weeks or months, according to your needs and schedule (we all write at different times and have different commitments). We will start of with a discounted Discovery Session to understand your writing goals, challenges and what kind of support you need One-to-one sessions will usually be over Zoom however an in-person session can be arranged.
If you are interested in learning more about our services or would like to set up a call to discuss which service would best suit your book either use the contact form below or email editorial@alternativeliteraryconsultancy.co.uk
Contact us
We have experience working with and developing with writers of all levels, and would be keen to hear more from you and set up a call discuss how we can best support your writing.