I can’t decide between mentoring or a one-off manuscript appraisal?
There is no need to choose. You can commission a one-off appraisal and ask for the option of a programme or you can wait and see how you respond to the appraisal. Your first report will give you a clear assessment of your manuscript and enable you to make an informed decision about your next step. Sometimes an appraisal will make a number of recommendations that you will need to follow up before you can be considered for a mentoring programme.