The Writing Coach
Literary Consultancy and Coaching for Writers from Jacqui Lofthouse
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 …
