About The MAA
The Manuscript Agency (The MAA) — established in 1996 — was the first of its kind to offer manuscript development services to authors and writers independent of publishing houses. Over the years we have formed strong and trusting relationships with publishers, literary agents, writers’ centres — including the Australian Society of Authors and the Australian Publishers’ Association. We’re connected and involved in writing and publishing communities, and are respected as experts in our field. We are often invited to writers’ events and festivals to share our expertise. Our work is widely supported by the publishing industry as a professional service for writers.
The MAA provides professional manuscript development services for authors, agents, literary centres, and publishing houses. We offer:
Editing (copy editing, structural editing, and proof reading)
We offer objective and insightful feedback to help you take your writing to the next stage in its development and work towards publishing; whether that is traditional publishing or self-publishing. We know how brutal the world of publishing has become and we know what is needed in order to have a chance to be seen and read by literary agents and publishers, or chosen by readers. As professionals in the publishing industry we are also able to provide guidance on navigating the industry itself.
Our team
The MAA engages a team of experienced publishing-industry professionals including editors, publishers, authors, sales & marketing directors, book retailers, journalists and lecturers – no matter which of these groups your appraiser fits into, you can be sure that we have a professional with an expertise in your genre.
We have a team of more than 20 specialised assessors, allowing us to match the appraiser’s particular genre experience to your manuscript.
Our editors must have extensive publishing industry experience in order to work with us.
In order to maintain objectivity our appraisers remain anonymous to the writer. This is also due to our assessors working across and within the industry.
Manuscripts WE WORK WITH…
Fiction for all age groups and in all genres
(including: literary, YA, sci-fi, thrillers, fantasy, crime,
historical, romance, chick lit, the list is endless…)Children’s picture books
Children’s chapter books (fiction and non-fiction)
Middle grade (fiction and non-fiction)
Non-fiction generally (this includes memoir, self-help,
instructional, inspirational etc)Series concepting and development
Why choose us?
We’re a team of publishing-industry editors, publishers, literary agents, typesetters and booksellers with years’ of experience under our belts. We use senior, skilled, experienced editors/appraisers and our work is widely supported by the publishing industry and writing community. We’re also the chosen editorial support team for many publishers and agents, to help take their projects from infancy through to a published book.
Publishers and agents are no longer looking for just potential, they want manuscripts that are structurally ready for publishing. The MAA helps you prepare your narrative for the competitive world of publishing.
The MAA team has been partnering with writers for three decades to achieve the best outcomes for their work.
Our intention is to help you to see your work from a reader and publisher’s perspective.
‘In a highly competitive market, you have to make publishers pay attention.’
MAA DIRECTOR,
KIT CARSTAIRS
Kit took the reins of The Manuscript Agency in 2014. She has a background in book and magazine publishing, academic research, marketing and broadcasting. She has over 20 years’ experience working with a wide variety of content including fiction (across many genres) and general non-fiction, as well as working with corporate and academic content.
Having worked both as an in-house editor and as a freelance editor for commercial/traditional publishers, Kit has a comprehensive understanding of the importance of content development and the need for authors to be proactive in developing manuscripts to represent their full potential. Kit understands the world of publishing and the cooperative nature of the roles played by various parties. Kit has worked with and for the likes of Murdoch Books, Allen & Unwin, Scholastic, HarperCollins, Varuna, The Authors’ Agent, and Pacific Magazines.
Kit is also the publishing director of Nightstand Press, an indie publisher with an innovative publishing model.
EX-MAA DIRECTOR,
BRIAN COOK
Brian established The Manuscript Agency in 1996 and was proactive in the growing industry of manuscript appraisal and development.
Brian started in publishing in 1969 and has worked for Australian and international publishers in all areas of publishing, from sales and marketing to managing and directing editorial units in adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction lists, and buying and selling rights around the world.
In July 2014 Brian Cook sold The Manuscript Agency to Kit Carstairs, who brings with her a wealth of experience in contemporary publishing and hands-on content development. Kit knows about writing and what writers need to develop their work to its full potential.
Brian went on to lead his successful literary agency, The Author’s Agent, until his retirement in 2023 after over fifty years working with authors at the heart of the publishing industry.
‘Our commitment to our clients is to provide the most considered, objective assessment of their manuscript and a commercial evaluation of it from a publishing perspective.’
— Kit Carstairs, MAA Director