The Writing Coach
Literary Consultancy and Coaching for Writers from Jacqui Lofthouse
If you have completed (or are very close to completing) a novel for children or young adults, the Mslexia Children’s Novel Competition is the perfect opportunity to get your work noticed. Mslexia are hoping to discover a fantastic new children’s writer who has been overlooked by the usual submission process. In the current climate, where …
“Nothing in the world is permanent, and we’re foolish when we ask anything to last, but surely we’re still more foolish not to take delight in it while we have it. If change is of the essence of existence one would have thought it only sensible to make it the premise of our philosophy.” – …
Confidence for writers is such an elusive creature. Why’s that? Because we are working in a profession where rejection is often a part of the deal. We frequently work without a structure, sometimes without colleagues, relying on our wits and in many cases not getting enough feedback. I’ve worked with enough writers over the years …
This post about time management for writers originally appeared on my very first blog ‘Stubborn World’. It tackles the thorny issue of how to find time to write in a busy life, something that so many of us struggle with. I do hope that you find some of these ideas inspiring. 1. Set aside …
First of all, a very Happy New Year to you all and wishing all readers of this blog a happy, healthy, and creative 2012! What is the Annual Review? Last year, for the first time, I embarked on the ‘Annual Review’ process suggested by Chris Guillebeau here. This worked really well for me and by …
Question: What can a writer learn from an illustrator? Answer: The fact that we don’t have to know the entire plot before we begin. Indeed, we might know nothing at all about our story but if we have a strong ‘hunch’, it’s important that we follow it. Earlier this month my daughter and I attended …
Win an appraisal of 25 pages of your writing work and a copy of my ebook in the Writing Coach Twitter/Facebook Competition (see below) Today marks the first day of NaNoWriMo, otherwise known as National Novel Writing Month, when thousands of writers worldwide join together with the common aim of writing a novel in a …
Writing a first draft of a novel or any book is, you might say, the easy part. But it’s at the editing stage that we craft our work into something special. We aim to transform our material into work that will compel a reader. If you’ve recently finished a draft of a novel – or …
Most readers of this blog will be familiar with the concept of the ‘Artist’s Date’, the phrase coined by the author of The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron. In Cameron’s words, “The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you. The Artist Date need not be overtly “artistic”- think mischief …
One of the main questions that I get asked in my work as a writing coach is “how can I become more productive as a writer?” Modern life is full of distractions and most of us are juggling many roles at one time. It is hard sometimes to set aside our other commitments and take …
There are times, for all writers, when the idea of completion seems like an impossible dream. A book-length writing project is no small undertaking and completion takes determination, guts, persistence, passion, inspiration and simple hard work. We can’t underestimate the importance of completion. If we don’t complete our writing projects, we can’t expect publishers to …
There is nothing quite like an independent bookshop. I know I’m not alone in bemoaning the homogenisation of bookshops these days. I often feel deflated when I walk into Waterstones and see the “3 for 2” table before me. When I see that, I know I’m being spoon-fed my choice of reading whereas I’d prefer …
My first visit to the London Book Fair has been a lively and exhilarating day. I have found it fascinating to meet so many people working in so many different areas of the publishing industry. The day began early, rising at 5.15am to make it to The Sloane Club for an 8.15am breakfast hosted by …
For many writers, confidence can sometimes seem in short supply. I’ve been a writer long enough and been around enough writers over the years to know that self-doubt is an undeniable part of the writer’s life. Perhaps it is not possible to be creative and never experience uncertainty about one’s work. I’d go so far …
One question I’m frequently asked by my clients is “where can I publish my shorter work?” In response to this question, in future weeks and months, I’m going to write a few features that highlight potential markets for your work. I’d like to begin with a publication I’ve only recently become aware of: Leaf Writers’ …
As I launch the new Writing Coach website, I thought it would be a good idea to also celebrate the history of The Writing Coach by beginning this series of blog posts and articles from my own archive. In coming weeks I’ll be sharing some of my favourite archive articles. This one “Creating Convincing Characters” …
Voula Grand has been a client of The Writing Coach since September 2010. Her first novel Honor’s Shadow is about to be published by Karnac books in July 2011. This is the first in our series of author interviews. Voula, you describe yourself as a novelist and psychologist. Are the two related? I believe they …
I’m delighted to announce the launch of the new Writing Coach website and blog. I’m Jacqui Lofthouse, founder of The Writing Coach and in future weeks and months I’m looking forward to sharing regular updates with you. Those of you who have followed The Writing Coach since the early days (we began in 2005) will know that …
“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream” – Van Gogh Recently, on a short holiday to Woodbridge, Suffolk, we took a walk in Rendlesham Forest. My husband, David, and children strode ahead of me, sure of the path. Of course, that kind of certainty is always …
On the Work of Sarah Kane. 4.48 Psychosis: it’s the title of playwright Sarah Kane’s final play, currently being staged at the Royal Court Theatre (note – this article written in May 2001) and it refers to the hour of day when mental derangement is at its most extreme. Kane completed the play only a …
This first entry from my earlier blog ‘This Stubborn World’ sees me returning from a trip to Barcelona, struggling with the tension between a serious literary life and the earnestness that I perceived in the coaching world, which I later went on to satirise in the person of James Loftus in my novel The Modigliani …
