Editorial Advice

WHEN I was first learning my craft I was helped along the way by several experienced writers and editors who gave me some of the most important advice of my career. Probably the most valuable was to seek the opinion of someone independent – not a friend or a relative who’ll tell you what you want to hear – but a fellow writer, a professional with years of experience, who will be able to appraise your work honestly and then help you get it right.

Although I am busy writing my own books, I love to help those who are just starting out or who are stuck somewhere up the ladder. As a tutor on the prestigious two-week Creative Writing Course in Umbria, Italy organised by the excellent Ways with Words literary festival, I am now able to offer a small number of weekend creative writing courses to a maximum of five students at my Suffolk home. It is so inspirational to work with others and help them get their writing from where it is to where it needs to be.

I also offer one-to-one editorial advice to some of those who contact me via my website or meet me at my various festival appearances or public speaking events. As with teaching, the work is rewarding and I love to peek inside the minds of fellow creatives and escape to the worlds they have imagined or are chronicling.

I am, perhaps, uniquely placed to help as I have worked in all genres –fiction, non-fiction, plays, poetry, biography, history, humour, animal stories, newspapers, celebrity memoirs, TV series, and film – and can bring the lessons learned from these experiences to each project. I guarantee 100% honesty - which may not always be what a writer wants to hear at first (and can often be difficult to digest) - but almost all of those who I have helped thank me afterwards for making them step away from their work and view it in a different way.

If you think I could help you with your writing then feel free to contact me to ask about terms and conditions via the contacts form on this website.

I cannot take on all the submissions I receive and will only accept completed works. And, remember, if you are at that point and have finished a piece of writing, even in first draft form, then you are already an author, so congratulations and happy writing!