The Writing Coach
Literary Consultancy and Coaching for Writers from Jacqui Lofthouse
Sometimes life can get in the way of writing, so I thought I’d help to get you in the writing zone each week by offering you a regular writing prompt. There are no rules. You may choose to free-write, to get as many words as possible down on the page (for later editing), or you …
When I first met novelist and playwright Alice Jolly, she was between projects, uncertain about her future direction as a writer. We worked together only briefly, but I have been so delighted to witness her recent success, winning the V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize – and also to see that she is so close to having …
In his wonderful book The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time, David Ulin writes that reading is “an act of resistance in a landscape of distraction, a matter of engagement in a society that seems to want nothing more than for us to disengage. It connects us at the deepest …
On January 22nd 2015, I will be celebrating the publication of my novel The Modigliani Girl. I’m really excited about this publication by Blackbird Books. To celebrate this news, I’ve decided to run a competition and to offer two sessions on the Writing Coach’s Full Mentor Programme, including appraisal of 50 pages of writing work as a prize. Essentially, …
When Sharon Zink launched her book Welcome to Sharonville at New Writing South in Brighton, we were lucky enough to have Nicola Joy recording the event on video. If you enjoyed the previous post about Sharon’s publishing success and our mentoring journey, I hope you’ll also enjoy listening to Sharon speak in this video: UFOs, ghosts, grafitti …
We often hear of the novel that sits ‘under the bed’ for years, and in most cases, that is where it stays. I know that I have one of those (it really is under my bed, it’s called ‘The Age of the Fish’) and whilst mine got me an agent and was read by publishers, I …
In 2012, I decided to make an enormous change in my life. After a freelance career spanning twenty years, as a novelist, a teacher of creative writing, a writing coach and literary consultant, I figured it was time for something different. It was time, I thought, to do something that might be more socially useful in …
I would like to take a moment to share a few recent success stories from my former clients. This list is by no means exhaustive and if I haven’t included your publication, do give me a nudge and I’ll include you in the next update. Here’s to all those I have worked with and all …
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” …
