A focused range of consulting and advisory services
Every engagement supports your own authorship and judgement. We advise, review, and strengthen. We never write, edit, or alter your manuscript, proposal, or report on your behalf. We work with academics, institutions, and researchers, as well as NGOs and development-sector organisations across Kenya and East Africa.
Twelve ways we support your work
Research Advisory
Guidance on research design, methodology development, and data analysis strategy, helping you build a study that can withstand scrutiny before data collection begins.
Scholarly Communication
Consulting support for structuring manuscripts, improving clarity, and aligning your writing with the conventions and requirements of your target journal.
Publication Strategy
Advice on journal selection, submission planning, and navigating the peer-review process as an author, including how to respond to reviewer feedback.
Research Consultations
One-on-one sessions to plan, organise, and work through the practical challenges of executing a research project.
Pre-Submission Expert Manuscript Review
Before you submit to your chosen journal, a subject-matter expert reads your manuscript in full and provides written feedback on methodology, structure, clarity, and argument. This is independent advisory feedback only.
Pre-Submission Book Manuscript Review
Before a manuscript goes to a publisher, a reviewer reads it in full and provides written feedback on structure, clarity, argument, and fit against typical publisher expectations. See pricing below.
Grant Proposal Development
From a funder's call for applications to a submission-ready donor proposal: eligibility and competitive-fit screening, evidence-based needs assessment, results framework, budget, and a simulated reviewer panel before you submit.
M&E Framework & Evaluation Design
Monitoring & evaluation frameworks and reports assessed against OECD-DAC criteria: indicator design, baseline/midline/endline evaluation, and contribution analysis grounded in what the evidence actually supports.
PhD In-Depth Thesis Review
An examiner-level diagnostic audit of your PhD thesis: research logic, methodology, defensibility, viva preparation, and evidence integrity. A faster, lighter Light Scan option is also available. See pricing below.
Paper Development for Peer-Review Publication
A full journal-ready paper developed from your completed thesis, or from secondary data and existing literature where no primary thesis exists, restructured and formatted for peer-review submission. See pricing below.
Presentation & Slide Deck Development
Slide decks built from your thesis, notes, or existing materials, or developed from a topic and outline you provide. Ideal for viva defence, donor pitches, and stakeholder presentations. See pricing below.
Data Simulation for Training & Piloting
Realistic simulated datasets for instrument piloting, statistical training, and methodological validation, generated from your questionnaire. Never used for actual research submission. See pricing below.
Choose your review
Independent, pre-submission expert feedback: the missing step between finishing your draft and approaching a publisher. We do not edit, rewrite, or alter your manuscript, and we have no role in any publisher's editorial decision.
Quick-Look Assessment
A shorter diagnostic letter (800–1,500 words) covering top-line strengths, weaknesses, and a recommended next step.
Full Manuscript Assessment
A comprehensive written report (2,000–4,000 words) covering structure, argument, clarity, pacing, and publisher fit.
Assessment + Written Consultation
The Full Assessment, plus a structured written Q&A by email: up to three follow-up questions, answered in detail.
| Manuscript length | Full Assessment | Quick-Look | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35,000 words | KES 18,000 | KES 7,500 | 2–5 weeks / 1 week |
| 35,000–70,000 words | KES 35,000 | KES 15,000 | 2–5 weeks / 1 week |
| Over 70,000 words | KES 50,000 | KES 20,000 | 2–5 weeks / 1–2 weeks |
Add-on: Follow-Up Written Consultation (up to 3 questions, answered within 3 business days): KES 3,500. Rush turnaround: +30% of the applicable fee. Payment accepted via M-Pesa and major debit/credit cards, processed securely through Paystack.
Donor proposals and evaluation frameworks
For NGOs, CBOs, and development-sector organisations across Kenya and East Africa. As with our manuscript work, we advise and strengthen. The proposal, the framework, and the final submission decision remain yours.
Community health has improved significantly due to our program.
⁁ CHP-led household visits increased ANC attendance from 61% to 84% in Ganze Sub-County (County Health Records, 2025).
Grant Proposal Development
Eligibility and competitive-fit screening against the funder's call, an evidence-based needs assessment, a theory of change with a results framework, a budget with value-for-money analysis, and a simulated reviewer panel before submission.
M&E Framework Design
Indicator design and a results framework for a new or ongoing programme, built to OECD-DAC standards from the start rather than retrofitted at evaluation time.
Evaluation Report
Baseline, midline, endline, or standalone evaluation reports assessed against all six OECD-DAC criteria, with contribution analysis and findings traceable to evidence throughout.
| Service | Starting From |
|---|---|
| Full Funding Proposal (from a funder's call) | KES 50,000 |
| Concept Note Development | KES 20,000 |
| M&E Framework Design | KES 25,000 |
| Evaluation Report (Baseline, Midline, Endline, or Standalone) | KES 40,000 |
All fees above are starting prices for a standard single-country, single-programme engagement; unusually large, multi-year, multi-site, or consortium engagements are quoted individually above this baseline. Email us with the call for applications, Terms of Reference, or programme details and we'll send a written quotation within two business days.
PhD review and paper development
In-depth PhD examiner-level review, and full paper development from your thesis or research, for peer-review submission.
PhD In-Depth Review
A comprehensive examiner-level diagnostic audit of your PhD thesis: research logic, methodology, defensibility, viva preparation, and evidence integrity.
PhD Light Scan
A shorter diagnostic pass highlighting top-line strengths, weaknesses, and priority fixes. A fast gut-check before committing to the full review.
Paper Development from Thesis
A full journal-ready paper developed from your completed, examined thesis, restructured and formatted for peer-review submission.
Paper Development, Desktop Review
A full desktop-review paper built from secondary data and existing literature, written for peer-review submission where no primary thesis exists yet.
| Service | Fee | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| PhD In-Depth Review (Full) | KES 15,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| PhD Light Scan | KES 7,500 | Under 2 weeks |
| Paper Development from Thesis | KES 5,000 | Maximum 2 days |
| Paper Development, Desktop Review | KES 10,000 | 5–7 days |
Once your paper is developed, you may take it forward to a publisher of your choice yourself, or we can submit it on your behalf at no additional fee; any publication or processing fee charged by the publisher is paid directly by you. Nothing is submitted anywhere without your review and approval.
Slide decks and simulated datasets
Presentations built from work you've already developed with us, or from your own materials, plus simulated datasets for piloting and training. Content is developed from the materials, topic, or outline you provide; the ideas and information remain yours.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Slide deck from your materials, up to 25 slides | KES 3,000 |
| Slide deck from your materials, 26–50 slides | KES 5,000 |
| Slide deck from your materials, 51+ slides | KES 7,500 |
| Slide deck from scratch, up to 15 slides | KES 10,000 |
| Slide deck from scratch, 16–25 slides | KES 15,000 |
| Slide deck from scratch, 26+ slides | KES 20,000 |
| Data simulation, simple instrument | KES 5,000 |
| Data simulation, complex or multi-instrument | KES 8,000 |
"From your materials" means we design and structure a deck from a thesis, paper, or notes you provide. "From scratch" means we develop the narrative and structure from a topic or outline you provide, then design the deck; the content reflects the information and direction you give us. Data simulation is for instrument piloting, statistical training, and methodological validation only, and is never used to generate data for an actual research submission.
How Book & Manuscript Review works
Submit your manuscript and a short brief
Genre or field, word count, and any specific concerns, sent by email.
We confirm scope and quote
A written quotation within two business days.
A matched reviewer reads in full
A subject-matter reviewer, matched to your genre or field, reads your manuscript completely.
You receive a written report
Overview, strengths, priority issues ranked by importance, section-by-section notes, and recommended next steps.
Optional follow-up
A written email exchange to discuss the findings, if you've added the consultation add-on.
Advisory, not alteration
You always remain the author. We give you an honest, expert reading; the decisions and the words stay yours.
Transparent, flat pricing
One fee, agreed before work begins. No per-word surprises, no hidden charges at invoicing.
Confidential by default
Your unpublished manuscript is treated as strictly confidential, for this engagement only, from intake to delivery.
Vetted, subject-matched reviewers
Every reviewer is screened for genre or subject-matter fit and conflicts of interest before your manuscript is assigned.
No influence over editorial decisions
We have no role in, and no influence over, any journal's or publisher's editorial or peer-review process.
Get started
Email your manuscript's genre and word count, or your funder's call for applications and Terms of Reference, and we'll send a written quotation within two business days.
Contact us