Manuscript Appraisal Service
The SWWJ manuscript appraisal service is open to ALL, although preference will be offered to SWWJ members and Friends of the Society
All the writers and tutors in our appraisals team are full members of the SWWJ with many years of professional experience and expertise to offer. Whether you are new to writing, keen to improve your skills, ready to try for publication for the first time, or just want to take a change of direction by exploring a new genre, a member of our team is ready, willing and available to guide you.
Each of us works in our own way, and every mission we accept will be different too. That’s why we are not going to quote a ‘one size fits all’ fee! You may want an expert eye cast over a single poem or a few pages of fiction, you may be just putting a tentative toe in the waters with your first play, or you may need much more in-depth and ongoing help with a full-length project, so why not tell us about it and see what we can do to help?
Just contact your chosen member of the appraisals team direct, using the contact details below, for a FREE initial chat about your requirements and expectations and to agree a fee before you start. We know there are other critique services out there, but we are confident that the service we offer is second to none… and that our fees are not only fair but also highly competitive. If you don’t feel happy for any reason, there is no obligation to go any further.
Note
Please note that all communications and financial arrangements are agreed and conducted on an individual basis between you and your appraiser. The SWWJ has no direct involvement in the appraisal process and, while it has every faith in the ability and integrity of its appraisals team, the Society takes no responsibility in the event of a dispute.
Meet our appraisals team

Vivien Brown
Vivien is an established short story writer and creative writing tutor, specialising in emotional, romantic, humorous and family-based stories for the women’s magazine (‘womag’) market.

Claire Dyer
Claire Dyer’s novels are published by Quercus, The Dome Press, Matador and Pegasus. Her latest novel is ‘What We Thought We Knew’. She has also had four poetry collections published by Two Rivers Press. Claire teaches creative writing and runs Fresh Eyes, an editorial and critiquing service,

Ann Evans
Ann is an award-winning author with 21 books to her name which include children’s novels, romance and non-fiction. She has also had more than 1,000 magazine and newspaper articles published. She is a former feature writer for the Coventry Telegraph and now works as a full time freelance writer and author.

Doreen Friend
Doreen is a published playwright, a trained journalist and news editor. She was a staff reporter on newspapers based in East London and Essex
