An editing glimpse is a comprehensive edit of 2,500 words from your manuscript.

The 2,500 words can be from anywhere, although preferably it’s from the beginning. The beginning of a manuscript will usually foreshadow what issues will reoccur.

The glimpse is intended to give you a sampling of what to look out for when you revise and copyedit.

If required, a brief report will also be compiled to explain the issues you need to address.

An Editing Glimpse costs the flat rate of $250.

A manuscript assessment provides a report about your manuscript, and what issues you need to consider.

These issues can range from copyediting (spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.) to expression (clarity, over/underwriting, focus, etc.) to structural (content, characterisations, cohesiveness, etc.)

What you’ll ultimately receive is a comprehensive and constructive report to help you when you revise.

An assessment will not touch your manuscript itself, although I may cite issues from the manuscript as an example.

Click HERE for Manuscript Assessment rates.

‘Les Zigomanis is one of the best editors I have worked with. His comments and suggestions, at both a structural and sentence level, are astute and invaluable. Les knows how stories work, and he is an expert at not only finding the parts of stories that don’t work (which is easy) but offering constructive advice on how to fix them (which is hard).’
– Ryan O’Neill
Their Brilliant Careers (Black Inc 2016)
The Weight of the Human Heart (Black Inc 2012)

‘Les Zigomanis has an analytical mind of the highest calibre and brings to his editing work a refined sense of craft and rock-solid integrity.’
– A.S. Patrić
Atlantic Black (Transit Lounge 2017)
Black Rock, White City (Transit Lounge 2015)

‘Les is a perceptive, astute and honest reader and editor, easily spotting and teasing out areas where character, plot and narrative arc can be improved, all the while retaining the integrity of the writer’s voice. Judicious, sharp and easy to work with, I highly recommend Les as a reader.’
– Kim Lock
The Three of Us (PanMacmillan 2018)
Like I Can Love (PanMacmillan 2016)

‘I go to Les for manuscript assessments because I know I’m going to get an assessment that is not only honest, but true to my voice. Les uses his skills and experience as an editor and writer and storyteller to bring out the best in my work. I go to Les because I know he isn’t going to advise me to make my book something it isn’t to cater to the establishment’s definition of literature.’
– Koraly Dimitriadis
Just Give Me the Pills (Outside the Box Press 2018)
Love and Fuck Poems (Outside the Box Press 2012)

‘Les Zig is the writer’s writer. A lover of the craft and a lifetime student of storytelling, he has an eye for what makes stories tick. If you want to submit with success, or just gain a better understanding of writing, I cannot think of a better assessor than Les.’
– Laurie Steed
You Belong Here (Margaret River Press 2018)

‘Without a doubt, Les is the most talented editor I have taught during my four years with the course, and one of the most gifted I have come across in over twenty years as a published writer.’
– Andrew Morgan
Good on Paper (Simon & Schuster 2013)