Mark is the author of five books and a former technology specialist. He is an editor and mentor, whether over Skype or email. Mark is also a member of the author touring group ‘Four Blokes In Search of a Plot’, a show which performs in theatres and arts venues, and writes a very short crime novel live on stage, while discussing all the aspects of being a writer and publishing. The stories are truly terrible, so it’s just as well it’s done for laughs or he’d never sell another book. He has appeared at festivals across Scotland and was invited to Thrillerfest in New York for three years running. He is represented by a leading London literary agency.
He has a keen interest in technological and international thrillers, crime, especially Tartan Noir, and loves fantasy, sci-fi and psychological crime. He enjoys the mentoring of debut authors, so he can show them all the mistakes he made as a debut, so they don’t have to. Just as well he can laugh about it.
To buy Names of the Dead from Amazon click here, The London Cage here and The Silk Road here (affiliate links)
Testimonials
As a new author the task of writing a novel that is worthy of securing an agent and getting published, is very daunting. The first thing to get right is the product! The book needs to be written well and you need a plot / storyline that will hook your readers. ‘The Writing Coach’, and specifically Mark Leggatt, have produced an amazing report that shows me exactly what I need to do to take my novel to the next level to secure an agent. Now the hard work begins, and I have a clear idea of what I need to do to progress my work to the next level. Thank you! Adrian Quinton
Mark Legatt is a very experienced monitor and a well-reviewed author in his own right. I found his corrections and suggestions extremely helpful. It may help that he has written novels in the same genre as myself and knows the ropes. He takes a joke well and is very meticulous in his corrections on format and punctuation. Paul Purnell
Mark is first and foremost a pleasure to work with. He was as passionate about the project as I was, excited by it and positive about it. He would be upfront when something was not working, but never in a way that demoralized me. He’s a consummate professional who always showed up and brought his full attention to our meetings. He also is a great writer, and I love how he could turn a boring line into great prose. Finally, he would always go above and beyond, and be available even in moments he was busy with his own projects. I can’t recommend him enough. Tom Weaver
I had written a book. Friends and family said nice things about it. Then the honest one told me it sorely needed to be professionally assessed. Swallowing my pride I went to the Writing Coach. They were fantastic and arranged for me to work with Mark Leggatt. From the very start it was clear that here was a man who was truly invested in helping the pour misguided souls who thought they were the next Hemingway. The initial assessment showed an amazing attention to detail and provided a thorough dissection of my manuscript. But at no point was there any negativity or criticism. Mark knew that our fragile egos needed careful management and in his funny, observant, encouraging way took my book from amateur hour to something publishable. His depth of knowledge of the writing process is astounding and he has basically taught me how to write. Even more impressive was that when his remit was technically finished he continued to assist and guide me. Leaving aside his technical skills and wide knowledge of literature Mark was an absolute pleasure to work with. Humorous, irreverent but always kind he is exactly what I needed as a mentor. I cannot recommend him highly enough. Daniel Pollock
Paul Roberts