The Writing Coach
Literary Consultancy and Coaching for Writers from Jacqui Lofthouse
Author of Artificial Wisdom Thomas R. Weaver worked with several of our team at the Writing Coach. His primary mentor during the writing of Artificial Wisdom was Mark Leggatt. We are delighted that Thomas’s novel has recently been published by Chainmaker Press and recently featured on the front page of ‘The Bookseller’. In short, what …
Jacqueline Smith interviews Michelle Graham Taylor, a previous client of The Writing Coach, about her book The Ghost of a Lie. ‘Like a Runner Needs to Run’ Michelle Graham Taylor is an inspiration to anyone who thinks they don’t have the time to write a book. She’s up before the sun rises so that she …
Recently Jacqueline Smith interviewed the Crime Writer PD Viner. Phil Viner is one of our consultants and a Crime Writing Mentor at The Writing Coach. His first novel The Last Winter of Dani Lancing was shortlisted for International Crime Novel of the Year and his most recent work is due for publication in May 2022. …
Mary Fletcher, one of our clients, interviews Bryony Pearce, writer and consultant at The Writing Coach. It’s difficult not to be charmed by Bryony Pearce. Dressed in a faintly sparkling jumper and a simple necklace, she answers the video call with a bright smile and a warmth that is infectious. It doesn’t take long for …
Our Founder Jacqui Lofthouse is delighted to interview Antony Johnston, author of The Organised Writer, published by Bloomsbury, 1st October. As one who’s fairly obsessed about productivity for writers herself, she was intrigued to find out more about Antony’s viewpoint. 1. What led you to write ‘The Organised Writer’? My own life and career, first …
Our former client Pete Langman, author of Killing Beauties, met his publisher John Mitchinson of Unbound at our Writing Coach ‘Google Academy’ event Here he writes about how we transform archival material when writing historical fiction. If it takes an historian to rediscover an exciting but little-known character’s life, the historical novelist can imagine them …
We are delighted to share this guest post by Trevor Waldock. Trevor is one of the best-known, and best-respected, executive coaches in Europe and has worked at the most senior level in organisations across all sectors. The author of Doing the Right Thing – Getting Fit for Moral Leadership, he is also the founder of Emerging …
We were recently lucky enough to host our Routes to Publication event at Google Academy in central London. On the evening, our Founder Jacqui Lofthouse chaired a discussion with special guests Louise Doughty, John Mitchinson, Clare Morgan and Stephanie Zia. It was a fascinating opportunity to meet many of our clients and community at the …
We are excited to share the news that one of Jacqui’s former clients at The Writing Coach, Carolyn Kirby now has a two book deal with No Exit Press. Carolyn worked with Jacqui on her first novel and we’re delighted that a revised version of that novel will also be published by No Exit. Jacqui …
A Panel Event at Google Academy exploring routes to publication and writerly integrity in the process Thursday August 16th at 6.30pm- 9.30pm Jacqui Lofthouse interviews special guests Louise Doughty, John Mitchinson, Clare Morgan and Stephanie Zia Would you love to find out more about routes to publication – from the traditional route to working with …
We’re delighted to announce that the official ‘Blog Tour’ for the first digital edition of our Founder Jacqui Lofthouse’s novel ‘Bluethroat Morning’ (originally published by Bloomsbury in 2000) begins tomorrow on May 15th. There will be daily posts including exclusive extracts, interviews with Jacqui Lofthouse and reviews of the novel, leading up to official publication day …
We’re delighted to announce the first digital release of our founder’s second novel Bluethroat Morning. First published in hardback and paperback in 2000 and 2001, by Bloomsbury, the new digital edition will be published by Blackbird Books. Stephanie Zia, founder of Blackbird Books says “We are counting down the days to the first digital edition …
Sarah Dickinson was our Founder Jacqui Lofthouse’s first proper ‘boss’ when Jacqui began her career as a graduate in 1988. Here Jacqui interviews Sarah and they reminisce about ‘the old days’, about their relationship and on the nature of business and being a writer. Sarah, when we first met, I was a twenty-two year …
It is with great pleasure that I introduce a new book and Audible recording, Plenty Mango: Postcards from the Caribbean by Sarah Dickinson. This is a very special one for me as Sarah was my first ever proper ‘boss’ after I graduated from University – aged 22, she offered me a role as a radio producer …
A Guest Post on Jane Austen by former writing coach client Caroline Doherty de Novoa At Jane Austen’s house, you certainly get what you came for. A tiny wooden writing desk… a view onto a rose garden… a quill. A dainty tea set… books with gold-lettered spines and peacocks emblazoned on the front… embroidery. A …
We are delighted to announce that former Writing Coach client Carolyn Kirby has won the inaugural Bluepencilagency First Novel Award with her historical thriller Half of You. In addition, she was awarded second place for this novel in the Daniel Goldsmith First Novel Prize.
In this post, our Founder Jacqui Lofthouse interviews her former client, the novelist Stuart Warner, author of The Sound of Everything. They discuss his transition from poet to novelist. When we first met, in your writing life you were primarily a poet. What made you want to transition to novel-writing? I recall telling friends how much …
We are delighted to introduce a guest blog by Miranda Gold, novelist and author of ‘Starlings’ – ‘Writing in the Dark’ explores her experience of working with a writing coach: our Founder Jacqui Lofthouse. I arrived at the British Library for my session with Jacqui on three hours’ sleep, carrying an embryonic first draft and unsure …
Join us on Wednesday 12th July 2017 A panel discussion chaired by Writing Coach founder Jacqui Lofthouse on the subject of Literary Fiction at Waterstones Gower Street Is literary fiction the antidote we need in the modern world? Redundant or more vital than ever? We’d love to see you at this panel event, where Writing …
We are delighted to announce that our Founder Jacqui Lofthouse was shortlisted in The People’s Book Prize for her novel The Modigliani Girl. Jacqui attended the prize-giving ceremony at The Stationer’s Hall, the original home of copyright, on the evening of Tuesday 23rd May. Watch the prize-giving ceremony including Frederick Forsyth’s speech here: Jacqui writes: …
Lately I feel as if I’m living in a hall of mirrors. All around me are reflections of my own imaginings – layer upon layer of slightly distorted repetitions – and I’m still trying very hard to get my head around it. [tweet_dis inject=”Reflections on @PeoplesBkPrize #TPBP”]The thing is: my life is imitating my art – in …
We are delighted to announce the publication of The Belfast Girl by former Writing Coach Client Caroline Doherty de Novoa. Caroline writes this guest post about hidden stories to celebrate her publication. A lesson in journalism Nora Ephron’s high school journalism teacher once set the class an assignment to write an article for the student …
We are thrilled to announce that Miranda Gold, a former Writing Coach client, has had her first novel Starlings published by Karnac Books. To celebrate her success, we are delighted to be the first to publish Miranda’s wonderful lyrical essay ‘Reading as Alchemy’ about the importance of reading – and her take on keeping the reader ‘on the …
Writing non-fiction can be every bit as creative as writing fiction and equally as satisfying. Our perceptions on non-fiction may be narrow and perhaps need challenging in order to be aware of how there are possibilities for our own creativity. Non-fiction includes everything from the instructional ‘how to’ guides – whether that’s cookery, gardening, restoring …
