One of the most important investments you’ll ever make in your work
Peer Review Fee — $350
All fees are payable in United States currency and are subject to applicable taxes wherein you reside. Services are invoiced via Stripe at the time of signing with the first payment due upon receipt, at which time the contract becomes active. We offer payment options in monthly installments with a total net of 120 days. Please let us know how we can help you.
What is a Peer Review?
The purpose of a peer review is to afford the author viable and constructive feedback, allowing them to complete a brilliant piece of work that accomplishes the purpose for which it is truly written, speaking successfully to their target audience. This is achieved through a fine critiquing of their work on key literary points.
Are you a writer or author? Do you have a book up your sleeve? Do you have a message? Have you begun to draft a work? Are you getting ready to publish? If you answered yes to any of these, what you need is a peer review. That means a peer in the industry provides you critical feedback on your work that affords you a greater chance of successful completion. Therefore, choosing your peer by whom your review is obtained, is of critical importance. I strongly suggest staying within the niche of your genre. If you are certain I’m the right person, I’m honored to be chosen as the one you trust to review your work critically.
What You Can Expect From Your Investment
Your investment in a quality peer review should pay the highest dividends. It should protect your work and be strategically performed, hitting all the fine points an author would need, desire, or expect in a formal critique. Please be aware that authors (and editors) perform peer reviews in various ways. Not all are the same. I care about you and your work and want you to succeed. I humbly suggest you have more than one peer review performed for a good sampling of professional opinions. A minimum of three is a good place to start. With the contractural agreement you will receive the following:
• Three Readings: I will perform a thorough objective reading of your work three times. After the first time, I step back and let it settle. I never make a judgment on any portion in haste. I simply ponder it. With the second reading I begin to underscore areas that jump out at me, or high points that are worthy of discussion. With the third reading I begin making notes in preparation for my commentary.
• Formal Written Critique: You will receive a formal, detailed, professionally written critique of your work that is carefully delineated and explained, with references by paragraph and page number. This written critique is comprehensive and can be quite lengthy depending on your content and my findings.
• Mock Up: You will receive a mock up with my marks, comments, and suggestions which are filed in a separate document. This is where you can go back and reference specific points and precise commentary. This mock up is very detailed. If you’re not accustomed to referencing a literary mock up, it can be quite shocking to some. Please be prepared to read carefully, and take the time necessary to consider all marks and remarks made. This mock up does not render any changes to your actual work.
• Full Edit: You will receive a full edited copy where specific changes are made. This edited version is merely suggestive and is offered as a kindness. It will render the changes suggested so you can see them apart from any interruptive marks and intrusive commentary, lending a clear unobstructed view of how those changes actually read once rendered to the page. How you choose to use this edited version is entirely at your discretion.
• Elaborative Discussion: A one-hour elaborative discussion will follow. I suggest you come well-prepared for this time so you can glean the full benefit of our discussion. You can choose to have this discussion via phone, Skype, or in person if that is an appropriate option for you (we do not use Zoom for security purposes). This discussion is entirely client-driven, giving you an opportunity to comment, ask questions, obtain clarity on any given points, talk about any changes you may want to consider, or specific feedback I’ve given.
The Elements
I. A valuable peer review answers core questions such as:
• Is this something worthy of publication? Has this “story” been published before? If so, was it successful? Is it “recycled” or an original?
• What voice and style do I use for this story or genre? Is it appropriate?
• How should I format my work? Does it reflect the message? Does it hide it or dilute it?
• Who is my audience — really? And how do I reach them? What language do they generally speak?
• Is my writing engaging the reader or boring them? Do I insult my readers unknowingly?
• What kind of quality do I exhibit in my writing? Do I possess the skill I need? Where are my weaknesses and strengths?
• And then there are more precise questions regarding the finer literary points, which are discussed below.
I am happy to write a peer review for an article or book. Varying genres are accepted, including those that are of secular content. Many secular works have very worthy messages that need to be heard, at times being theologically indifferent, and are therefore applicable candidates for a peer review.
II. Peer reviews are different than endorsements in the following:
• Peer Reviews do not obligate an endorsement of the work, although it may be favorable.
• They are privately shared with the author. There are no public ratings.
• They are not performed upon the full body of work, but upon a sampling of up to three chapters.
• Any draft is acceptable (first, second, or final).
• Formal editing may not yet be achieved. Therefore, only basic editing is required (spelling, grammar, punctuation).
• Peer Reviews provide an objective and professional critiquing of the work on key literary points (see below).
III. Literary Points
This is where the bulk of a peer review affords the author very precise and constructive feedback. Literary artistry varies widely. Every author has a unique voice and style. Depending on the genre and content, that voice and style will differ. However, there are certain literary rules that should never be crossed or broken (although many have attempted to do so).
The content is reviewed with regard to its literary artistry and skill on several points. The goal of any author is to write a brilliant body of work with excellence. With that said, a great story may not always be well-written. Conversely, a poor story may be written brilliantly. Yet neither are worthy of the time their audience will invest to read the work. With that said, whether poetry or prose, and regardless of genre, your work will be thoroughly, critically, and honestly reviewed on the following points:
1.) Storyline (genre specific)
2.) Artistry & Imagination
3.) Style
4.) Syntax
5.) Structure
6.) Language
7.) Voice
8.) Vocabulary
9.) Format
10.) Flow
11.) Content Readability
Submission Requirements
1.) Bilateral Contract: Your unpublished intellectual property should never exchange hands freely without a written agreement with those whom you allow to view or obtain it. We understand the opportunity you’re granting us to serve you in reviewing your work is a solemn trust. Your creative work is incredibly valuable. Whenever you are granting someone access to your intellectual property, regardless of the manner of exchange, we strongly exhort you to do your due diligence in protecting it. We want you to know we offer you that protection in a bilateral contractural agreement. We will issue you the opportunity to sign with terms of your choosing that fully protects your intellectual property as copyrighted content. This contract will not only provide proof of our services to you, but it will also negotiate the terms of what we are allowed to view, the access we’re granted, the designated purpose, and any permissions for editing or remarks, should you so choose. The agreement will also include any payment options invoiced to you for a total fee of $350 (United States currency). Payment options will be discussed prior to signing and are contracted in the agreement. The first payment must be received at the time of signing for the contract to become active.
2.) Exchange & Correspondence: Your manuscript must be submitted via encryption. Please provide a digital unlocked document (docx is preferred) transmitted via email. Keep all correspondence within one email thread designated solely for this project. Do not mail a hard manuscript. Do not send via Google Docs, a social media platform, via cloud service, or unsecured attachment. No handwritten documents are accepted. If you so choose you may send a document via Docusign or other secured third-party portal which requires verification via email upon receipt.
3.) Deadline: I allow 30 days to complete your review. If you have a deadline, please submit your work accordingly. I am willing to negotiate terms if you need the peer review done sooner, so long as time allows.
4.) Sample Chapters: Provide a minimum of one chapter or a maximum of three. We suggest you take advantage of three chapters if possible. They may come from any portion of the work, so long as they best reflect the storyline or subject matter. These must be consecutive chapters, providing continuity. Therefore, choose wisely. If you have a completed body of work, I will ask for the first and last chapter in addition to any consecutive three, for a total of five chapters.
5.) Drafting: A first draft, in the very least, should be submitted. That means all spelling, grammar, and punctuation is fully edited. Anything less (such as a rough draft) will be declined. Any successive draft, up to the final draft, is acceptable. Please disclose which draft you are submitting so I know at what stage you are in with your writing. This can make a difference in how I ultimately critique your work.
6.) Formatting: The sample copy (manuscript) should be double-spaced with two-inch margins, allowing for literary remarks, comments, and editorial suggestions. With that said, you may need to prepare an exclusive document designed solely for your peer review.
7.) Pagination: Make sure all pages are numbered at the bottom in the following format: (Page 1 of ___).
8.) Watermarking: Your digital document should readily reflect three things: (1) the manner in which it should be handled, (2) its ownership, and (3) its level of security. Your name and the title of your work should be on every page header including the word: “ORIGINAL” or “COPY”, whichever is preferred. We also suggest you use a watermark of your choosing to protect your copyrighted work. Terms such as “copyrighted”, “confidential”, or “original” are all appropriate examples you may want to consider. You may also use your logo, signature, or other trademark.
The Completed Peer Review
1.) I will return a mock up of your original document using Microsoft Word®, with all remarks and editorial comments in the margins and spacing provided, which will be noted in red. Anything unsuitable for those parameters will be documented separately with the appropriate reference point (i.e. page ___, ¶ ____, sentence ____). I may comment extensively in a separate document if the point is noteworthy. Copies of your original document may be printed for my ease of reading. Any printed copies of your original used will be shredded by default. Or you may have printed originals submitted to you at the completion of our service either in person or via USPS priority mail for an additional small fee.
2.) Both the mock up and edited documents will be returned to you digitally with the additional header: “EDITED” by Erin Pavlicek of Appointed Time Press, LLC and the date. The filename will also include the word “EDITED” by Erin Pavlicek of Appointed Time Press, LLC with the title, date, and author name for ease of storage and retrieval. It will be unlocked so you can make any changes if you wish. However, to preserve the work I strongly suggest making a duplicate of the completed peer review immediately upon receipt, changing the filename to “DUPLICATE”, and locking the document so nothing is accidentally lost.
3.) By default I keep an “eternal” copy of the edited documents. If you ever need a copy in the future, please ask, and I will retrieve and send one at your request. However, if you want my copy deleted from our database and files, we will honor that term which will be negotiated at the time of signing. I will also email a formal letter of closure at the completion of our work. This will outline how we have handled your content and files.
4.) You will receive the following files via email: (1) formal written critique, (2) mock up, and (3) edited version.
5.) After you’ve received the completed review and have had the necessary time to digest it, please let us know when you’re ready for your discussion. This provides you the opportunity to ask questions and obtain further clarification on any points made. Please carefully prepare and have your questions ready. I’m here for you. If you would like, I’m happy to initiate the call.
If you are interested in having me perform a peer review, I’d be happy to consult with you. Contact us today at the link below. I look forward to serving you in the LORD!
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