Analytics and first-pass sorting of manuscripts for publishers

The service integrates with the publisher's mailbox — read-only — and reviews every incoming manuscript: it provides analytics, extra context and a recommendation, and sorts the whole flow into three groups.

Usually the author states the genre and synopsis in the cover letter — but that is only their own view of the text. The service shows what is actually in the manuscript.

On top of that, the service brings order to the manuscript workflow.

Sorting into three groups

Spam and emails without a file are filtered out automatically. By the quality of the writing, each manuscript is placed into one of three groups:

Strong

High potential

Polished language, steady pacing, a solid structure. Worth opening first so a strong author isn't missed.

Mixed

Ambiguous

Promising texts of uneven quality. They need an editor's attention: develop them, or decline with clear reasons.

Weak

Candidates for rejection

Texts with critical flaws in style, logic or structure. Nothing to develop.

Inbox queue: each manuscript shows its group-recommendation, genre, length and tags.

Manuscript card

For each text the service produces a breakdown:

  • Recommendation — a preliminary status: priority read / needs assessment / candidate for rejection.
  • Form score — plot, character development and pacing, plus at-a-glance metrics: dialogue share, momentum, vocabulary level.
  • Positioning — genre boundaries, setting, key themes (tags) and the target-reader profile.
  • Strengths and weaknesses — a concrete list of the text's successful choices and problem areas.
  • Editing effort — an estimate of the editorial and proofreading work needed to reach print-ready quality.
  • Risks — markers of sensitive content (18+) and deviations from length norms.
Example breakdown of a strong manuscript
Example breakdown of a weak manuscript

The editor's workflow

From there the editor decides — in a few actions:

  • Opens the manuscript card with its breakdown and recommendation.
  • If the manuscript looks promising — clicks “Take to review”.
  • Reads the text right in the service or downloads the file.
  • When ready to decide — “Accept for publication” or “Reject”.

The service adapts to your editorial process and does not replace the editor

It assesses the form of the text, sorts the flow and gives recommendations — but the decision on each manuscript is made by a person.

This is our own in-house product: we flexibly adapt the analysis criteria, tune the selection filters to your standards, or embed the service into your established manuscript-handling process. We'd be glad to show how it performs on your manuscripts and to answer your questions.

Let's talk about your team's needs →