Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the audit, confidentiality, and what the report includes.
The Method & The Audit
Q: What exactly is a "Forensic Narrative Audit"?
A: It is a forensic structural reading of your manuscript. We don’t judge your prose style or aesthetic choices. Instead, we assess internal logic, causality, timeline coherence, and character agency. You receive two written documents: a 70–120-page diagnostic report (The Forensic Report) and an 8–15-page practical rewrite plan (The Action Dossier).
Q: How is the audit produced?
A: Each audit follows a fixed diagnostic method. We read for structure, causality, pacing, internal logic, and character agency, then organize those findings into two written deliverables: a full Forensic Report and a practical Action Dossier. The goal is not generic feedback, but a clear judgment about what is failing, why it is failing, and what to revise first.
Parameters & Delivery
Q: What genres do you work with?
A: The standard KANONYQ audit is built for completed novels. Fantasy, sci-fi, thriller, mystery, romance, historical fiction, and other cause-and-effect fiction are the core fit. Selected narrative nonfiction projects may be considered through a custom audit plan.
Q: Is there a word count limit?
A: The Kanonyq Audit starts at $597 for manuscripts up to 100,000 words. Longer manuscripts require more review time, so pricing is tiered up to 160,000 words. You can check the exact tier on the Book Audit page.
Q: How long does the audit take?
A: Delivery is within 7 business days from Order Acceptance — that is, once payment, the complete manuscript, and all required intake materials have been received and confirmed.
Q: What file formats do you accept?
A: We accept .docx (preferred), .txt, .pdf, and .epub. (Note: For PDFs, text must be selectable—no scanned images—so the manuscript can be reviewed properly.)
Confidentiality & Rights
Q: Is my manuscript confidential?
A: Yes. Your manuscript is treated as confidential intellectual property, stored securely, and used only for the requested audit. You retain 100% of your copyright. Manuscript files and audit materials are permanently deleted within 30 days of report delivery, or earlier upon request.
Q: Can I share the report with my editor or agent?
A: Absolutely. The report is your property. Many authors and publishing teams use the Action Dossier as a clear roadmap for editorial discussions and revision planning.
Results & Next Steps
Q: What if my draft isn't finished yet?
A: The standard KANONYQ audit is designed for completed manuscripts. Unfinished projects are better handled through a custom plan or after the full narrative arc is in place.
Q: Do you rewrite the book for me?
A: No. We diagnose structural problems; we do not rewrite the book for you. The Action Dossier lays out the key interventions needed to repair structural problems, but you (or your editor) execute the actual prose changes to preserve your unique voice.
Q: How do I get started?
A: Click any Book Audit — From $597 button on our site. You will pay securely via Stripe. Immediately after checkout, you’ll be redirected to a secure upload page where you can submit your manuscript and author briefing.
Q: Who performs the audit?
A: Every KANONYQ audit is directed by Thomas Sibelius using the Narrative Forensics framework
Q: Does the audit use AI tools?
A: Yes. The Narrative Forensics framework uses AI-assisted analysis to map structural patterns across the full manuscript — causality, pacing, scene function, continuity. The diagnostic judgment, the prioritization of findings, and the rewrite strategy are editorial decisions made by Thomas Sibelius. Every report is reviewed and finalized before delivery.
Q: Why does the audit use AI-assisted analysis?
A: A novel is a system with thousands of moving parts — character decisions, causal links, timeline dependencies, pacing shifts, promises made and broken across hundreds of pages. A human reader, no matter how skilled, experiences fatigue, recency bias, and blind spots. AI-assisted structural mapping allows the framework to track all of these variables simultaneously and at full manuscript scale, so the diagnostic starts from a complete picture rather than from selective memory. The result is that structural fractures buried in Chapter 4 that only break the reader's trust in Chapter 31 get caught — not missed because the reader forgot the setup.
Q: Is my manuscript safe if AI is involved in the process?
A: Yes. Your manuscript is never used to train any AI model. It is processed solely for the purpose of your requested audit. No part of your text is stored, recycled, or made accessible beyond the scope of your project. All manuscript files and derived materials are permanently deleted within 30 days of report delivery, or earlier upon request. You retain 100% ownership of your work at every stage.
Q: Why are weekly slots limited, and why does delivery take 7 business days?
A: Each audit produces 80–130 pages of original diagnostic material across two documents. The AI-assisted analysis maps the structural architecture of the manuscript, but the interpretation, prioritization, and rewrite strategy require careful editorial judgment — reading the full manuscript, cross-referencing findings, weighing trade-offs for every proposed intervention, and building a rewrite plan that works as a coherent system, not a list of disconnected notes. That process cannot be rushed without sacrificing depth. The 7-day window and the weekly slot limit exist to protect the quality of every report delivered.
Still have questions? Visit our Written Support page.