Coaching and Mentoring for writers

We offer coaching and mentoring for writers at all stages of their writing journeys, from beginners to established, published professionals. Whether you are looking to finish your first book,  to develop as a poet, write a screenplay or get articles published in the press, we can help. We specialise in career development for those who wish to complete their projects, develop professional habits and find publishers for their work.

Our Founder, Jacqui Lofthouse writes:

This is the core of our work at The Writing Coach. For twenty years, I have worked with writers at all levels, from beginners to published professionals helping them to take their writing work seriously. Now, together with my team, I support writers as they develop writing lives that are engaging, sustainable and productive. We take your writing life seriously and work with you to enable you to create the discipline, the routine, and the passion that will be the foundation of your creative practice. In addition we offer feedback on your writing work and regular accountability.

It is important to us that our work together enables you to become more confident and professional in your writing. Every client is unique and we tailor our approach depending on your needs.  My carefully selected team of coaches and consultants are available to work with you on all genres of writing including fiction, poetry, playwriting, scriptwriting, journalism and non-fiction.

Areas of Focus:

We work with writers on all aspects of their writing lives, from feedback on the writing work to professional development. For feedback on full manuscripts, take a look at our literary consultancy service.

Here are a few examples of the areas where we can help as part of a coaching/mentoring programme:

• Professional career development for beginners and established writers
• Feedback on your work-in-progress
• Inspiration and motivation
• Creative blocks and the creative process
• Prioritisation of projects and time management
• Productivity
• Business and marketing skills including web and social media
• Advice on submissions and agents/publishers
• Confidence in your work
• The routes to market
• Professionalism as a writer

Most of our clients are serious about their writing work and looking for a coach to support them in an ongoing dialogue about their writing life. We work with clients for a fixed period of time from 3 months to a full year. Our aim is to transform the way an individual writer approaches his or her work and to ensure that our clients make substantial and rewarding progress during our time together. When you work with one of the team, I am always there in the background to ensure my clients reach their writing goals with pleasure and ease.

Finding Jacqui has been the best thing I’ve done in furthering my writing career – better by far than any course I’ve undertaken or any help I’ve received from agents and editors. Trying to make the transition from academic writing to commercial non-fiction is not easy, but thanks to Jacqui’s insight and support, I finally feel like I might be ready to make it happen. For the first time, I know what I want to do and how I’m going to do it! What I’ve appreciated most of all has been her uncommon ability to put her finger on what needs to change, and to express it in a way that actually motivates me to rewrite. I’ve learned so much, and thoroughly enjoyed it, too. I’d recommend her to all the struggling, baffled and overwhelmed writers I know, if I didn’t want to keep her all to myself…

– Dr. Victoria Best, Author of An Introduction to Twentieth-Century French Literature.

Our Approach to coaching and mentoring for writers

Jacqui was the first professional writing coach in the UK. The Writing Coach was established in 2003 when ‘life coaching’ was in its infancy. She was initially a novelist and creative writing teacher and went on to train at CoachU USA. As a result, she developed a unique approach to coaching and mentoring for writers and this approach is now shared by all on the team. Our team includes established writers, editors, writing coaches, literary consultants and creative writing teachers.

• Coaching: We give you the space you need to figure out the next steps in your writing life. We ask questions that challenge you to think clearly about your own creative practice.
• Mentoring: We are generous in sharing our own experience. If you need advice, we will give it. We speak as industry professionals who can offer their expertise and an opinion on your work-in-progress.
• Consultancy: We offer positive and constructive feedback on your writing work.

Using these approaches, we can also explore your broader professional life, from time management, to finding an agent or self-publishing and promoting yourself online via the web and social media.

Jacqui writes:

My ultimate aim is that my clients achieve their writing goals with ease and enjoyment, whether your goal is to publish articles, to complete a novel, to create a profitable ebook or to find a publisher.

We coach internationally by Zoom, Skype or phone. All coaching includes full email support between sessions.

Our Coaching and Mentoring Packages:

Mentoring packages are available with Jacqui and also with her team of consultants.

The Writing Life:

The Writing Life is a coaching-only programme where coaching can be conducted by Zoom, Skype or phone. This programme is suitable for those seeking clarity and focus in their creative life, including prioritisation of projects, inspiration, career guidance, motivation, creative blocks, creative process, time management, boundaries, productivity and advice on submissions, marketing and publishing. This programme does not include feedback on your writing work. After each coaching session you are invited to submit a review form to confirm your action plan.

The coaching is taken over a three month or six month period and includes:

• Two one hour telephone/Zoom coaching sessions per month.
• Full, regular personal email support between sessions
• Membership of my clients-only Facebook group
• A list of action points after each session
• My wholehearted support of you as a writer

We will support you at every stage of your writing life, whether you are a beginner or an experienced author. Our mutual aim is to help you have a writing life that you love; for writing to be an integrated part of your life; for you to achieve your writing goals with ease.

The Full Mentor:

The Full Mentor is a coaching and literary consultancy package. Coaching can be conducted by Zoom, Skype or telephone. It also includes full email support between sessions. After each coaching session you are invited to submit a review form to confirm your action plan.

This programme includes reading and full annotation of up to 20,000 words in any three month period. I make notes, consider your work and give you in-depth constructive criticism and feedback during your calls/meetings. I also return your manuscripts with detailed pencil-annotated notes. Please note however that this is not a full editing service.

The Full Mentor is for those who are fully committed to their writing and are ready to take their work to the next level. Our coaching can address many areas of your life and your writing, including inspiration, motivation, writer’s block, productivity, time management, working methods, business skills, self-marketing, confidence, submissions and publishing.

The coaching is taken over a three month or six month or one year period and includes

• One one hour coaching session per month. This is generally taken by phone/Zoom but may occasionally, with agreement with your mentor, be in person.
• Hand-annotation of 20,000 words over the period (three month programme) or 40,000 words (six month programme) or 80,000 words (Ultimate programme)
• Full, regular personal email support between sessions
• Membership of my clients-only Facebook group
• Your own list of action points after each session
• My wholehearted support of you as a writer

When you join me as a Full Mentor client, you will open up your awareness of what is possible for you as an individual and as a writer. I offer firm constructive criticism about your work in progress, to ensure your work is as good as it can possibly be. If you are ready to take yourself seriously as a writer, this is the option for you. In essence: I am here to support you as you forge a writing life.

Please note that all of our coaching services are offered according to the Terms of Service outlined on our website here.