• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
The Writing Coach Logo

The Writing Coach

Literary Consultancy and Coaching for Writers from Jacqui Lofthouse

  • About
    • Meet The Team
    • Our Coaches and Mentors
    • Success Stories
    • Media
  • Services
    • Coaching and Mentoring for writers
      • The Writing Life
      • The Full Mentor
      • The Ultimate Literary Coaching Programme
      • Coaching for Scriptwriters
      • Coaching for Poets
    • Manuscript Assessment
    • Literary Agents
    • Copyediting and Proofreading
    • Coaching for Organisations
  • Courses
    • The Portugal Writing Retreat
    • “Getting Published” Day
    • Developing your Novel or Memoir
    • Get Black on White ­
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Membership
illustration

Confidence

Jacqui in India

Three trips to India – and an invitation…

December 10, 2023

by Jacqui Lofthouse One morning, in the spring of 1984 – when I was working at my Saturday job in a sweet-shop – something happened that changed my life. I was eighteen years old and about to take my A Levels. My ambition, at the time, was to become an actor, and I was a …

Read moreThree trips to India – and an invitation…
Jacqui Lofthouse at getting published day

Our Getting Published Day at Asia House

July 5, 2023

By Jacqueline Smith, Client Services Manager at The Writing Coach The Perfect Venue On a beautiful spring day in May, we were delighted to host our first Getting Published Day in London. The choice of venue was a top priority, as we wanted to create an enjoyable day for our attendees, many of whom are …

Read moreOur Getting Published Day at Asia House
Elizabeth Cox, Author

Transforming my Writing with The Writing Coach Membership

February 10, 2023

A guest post by Elizabeth Cox, member of The Literary Community. We asked Elizabeth Cox, one of Jacqui Lofthouse’s personal clients and a member of our Membership Group The Literary Community to share her experience of her time in our community.    Recognising I Needed Help I joined Inside Story – now known as The …

Read moreTransforming my Writing with The Writing Coach Membership

Inside Story – The Writing Coach Membership

February 11, 2022

A guest post by Jacqueline Smith, member of Inside Story. My first experience of  The Writing Coach was through joining Inside Story, but I’d first met Jacqui many years ago when she was teaching creative writing courses at Richmond College. Fast forward twenty odd years of life, work and family to February 2021 and the …

Read moreInside Story – The Writing Coach Membership

How The Writing Coach Helped Me Build a Writing Career

August 10, 2021

Discover how The Writing Coach turned my distant dreams of a writing business into an exciting new reality through coaching, writing feedback, and support.

Read moreHow The Writing Coach Helped Me Build a Writing Career

Celebrating our MA Creative Writing success stories at UEA

December 11, 2020

We are delighted to announce that three of our current and former clients will soon be finishing the first term of their Creative Writing MAs at the University of East Anglia (UEA). We are particularly proud this year to witness the success of these clients, two of whom gained places on the MA Creative Writing: …

Read moreCelebrating our MA Creative Writing success stories at UEA

Words Away Salon: ‘Be Your Own Writing Coach’

June 25, 2017

The Words Away salon is on Monday, July 3, 2017 7:30pm – 9:30pm at The Tea House Theatre, Vauxhall Do you need some inspiration and motivation tips to get going and keep going this summer? What’s stopping you from finishing that book? Do you start but never quite finish? Would you like to be more …

Read moreWords Away Salon: ‘Be Your Own Writing Coach’

How the Bridport Prize kick-started my novel

November 21, 2016

Carolyn Kirby, a former Writing Coach client, reached the short-list of this year’s Bridport Prize award for a first novel. In this guest post, Carolyn writes about her experience of entering the competition. A new category in the Bridport Prize Like many new writers I’d heard of the Bridport Prize. It is well known around the …

Read moreHow the Bridport Prize kick-started my novel

Non-fiction and its possibilities: a guest post by Glynis Kozma

November 7, 2016

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 …

Read moreNon-fiction and its possibilities: a guest post by Glynis Kozma

Branding Workshop for Content Creation at The Shard, London

July 2, 2016

I had the great pleasure recently to lead a branding workshop for content creation at The Shard, London. What a wonderful venue for a workshop this was, with a glorious panoramic view of London. This short video put together by Tom Hewitson gives a flavour of the event. The workshop for Tom’s Content Lab was …

Read moreBranding Workshop for Content Creation at The Shard, London

Join me at the Charroux Festival this summer

June 25, 2015

This summer, I’m delighted to have been invited to appear at the first Charroux Literary Festival in France – and I’d love to see you there! The Festival, a bilingual literary festival,will take place in the medieval town of Charroux in the Poitou-Charentes region of South West France from Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th August – the August Bank …

Read moreJoin me at the Charroux Festival this summer
Jacqui Lofthouse at Dartington

On taking yourself seriously as a writer

February 10, 2015

In those heady days, back in 1995, when I achieved my dream and had my first novel The Temple of Hymen published by Penguin, it was easy to take myself seriously as a writer. How could I not, when I had my name on an orange spine next to that iconic logo? Here I am, shortly after publication, onstage …

Read moreOn taking yourself seriously as a writer

Looking for a Literary Consultant? Our new team is here.

February 4, 2015

If you are looking for a literary consultant, I know you’ll be delighted to read about my new team of literary consultants, here at The Writing Coach. The demand for my Literary Consultancy service has grown and I have now formed a team of brilliant mentors and consultants to work with me, to help you create books …

Read moreLooking for a Literary Consultant? Our new team is here.

The Observer – a writing prompt

February 2, 2015

Reading Jane Harris’s wonderful historical novel The Observationsthis week reminded me of one of my favourite writing exercises which I call ‘The Observer’. Here’s your writing prompt this Monday morning: A character stands in the street, looking up at a lighted window. The character observes the person through the lighted window and reflects on the …

Read moreThe Observer – a writing prompt

Alice Jolly’s experience of working with Unbound, a ‘crowd-funded’ publisher

January 8, 2015

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 …

Read moreAlice Jolly’s experience of working with Unbound, a ‘crowd-funded’ publisher

Publishing success story – from the ‘virtual drawer’ to glitzy launch party

August 11, 2014

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 …

Read morePublishing success story – from the ‘virtual drawer’ to glitzy launch party

Recent publications by ‘Writing Coach’ clients

February 23, 2013

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 …

Read moreRecent publications by ‘Writing Coach’ clients

On ‘playing a ten’ (or what an acting class taught me about confidence for writers)

May 18, 2012

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 …

Read moreOn ‘playing a ten’ (or what an acting class taught me about confidence for writers)

Time management for writers: ten ways of finding time to write when you have no time

January 31, 2012

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 …

Read moreTime management for writers: ten ways of finding time to write when you have no time

My favourite productivity tips for writers

June 28, 2011

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 …

Read moreMy favourite productivity tips for writers

Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis – On Creativity and Despair

June 26, 2006

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 …

Read moreSarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis – On Creativity and Despair
illustration of lady reading

Whether you want to write your first book, are stuck in the middle of your novel, or uncertain of how to reach the next level as a writer, we can help. 

Contact us today for honest, professional and personal advice on how we can best support you.  

Get in touch
The Writing Coach Logo

Read our free eBook:  ‘The Confident Writer’ – Because your Story deserves to be told.

  • Facebook

Join the Writing Coach Community on Facebook

Find support and encouragement for your work – and meet your fellow writers.


Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Mail

Copyright © 2025 · The Writing Coach · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service · Designed by Callia Web