Complete Manuscript Structural Assessment
Sample excerpt. Details anonymised. This shows format and depth; full reports include 15-25 pages.
What You Get with Full Structural Edit
Full Structural Edit
Summary
- 1.Repair consequence chain in Act 2 (scenes 14-28)
- 2.Strengthen protagonist pressure escalation
- 3.Consolidate world-system rules for consistency
- 4.Rebuild midpoint as point of no return
Failure Zone Analysis
The manuscript shows strong individual scenes and competent prose, but the overall plot architecture is not carrying weight. Consequences from Act 1 are not translating into complications in Act 2. The causal chain breaks at approximately the 30% mark and does not reconnect until the climax.
This creates a "sagging middle" effect where scenes feel episodic rather than progressive. Each chapter has internal logic, but the through-line—why this scene follows that scene—is missing.
The midpoint functions as a pause rather than a lock. The protagonist gains information but does not make an irreversible choice. This means the second half of Act 2 lacks the escalation structure that genre readers expect.
World-system rules are established but not consistently enforced. Magic costs vary without justification, which undermines the stakes of scenes that rely on magical limitation.
Action Steps
Map the consequence chain from inciting incident to midpoint
Currently, scenes 14-22 are connected thematically but not causally. This makes them feel optional.
Every scene in Act 2 begins with a consequence from the previous scene and ends with a complication that forces the next.
Rebuild the midpoint as point of no return
The current midpoint delivers information but no commitment. The protagonist can still retreat, which deflates pressure.
After the midpoint, retreat is impossible. The protagonist is locked into the conflict.
Codify magic costs in a single reference document
Inconsistent costs undermine stakes. Readers cannot predict danger if the rules keep changing.
Every magical act in the manuscript follows the same cost structure, visible to careful readers.
Add escalation ladder to protagonist pressure
Currently the protagonist faces similar-level obstacles throughout. Without escalation, tension flatlines.
Each major obstacle is harder than the last. The climax obstacle is the hardest version of the story's central problem.
Identify and remove tension relief valves in Act 2
Three scenes in the middle provide rest before pressure has been earned. This trains readers to relax.
Rest scenes are repositioned to follow major victories, not precede them.
This excerpt shows report format and depth. Full Tier 3 reports include act-by-act breakdown, scene-level annotations, character arc assessment, world-system audit, and revision priority sequencing. Reports are 15-25 pages depending on manuscript length and complexity.
Ready to Get Your Own Diagnosis?
Start with the free diagnostic quiz to identify your failure zone, or proceed directly to Full Structural Edit.