Brainstorming. Soundboarding. Problem solving. Let’s go…
Book a personalised creative coaching session to help you find your way, break through blockages, and feel confident in your writing!
No writer is an island — we all need a little support and encouragement sometimes. Someone to bounce our ideas off. Someone to share our vision with. Someone to cheerlead from the sidelines as we sweat over our manuscript. Someone to politely nudge us when we’re procrastinating… (Ahem.) And most of all, someone to get excited with — because when creative minds meet, inspiring things happen!
Working one-to-one with other writers is my absolute favourite thing to do. I love hearing about people’s stories, their characters, their ideas, hopes and dreams. I also love puzzling out problems with them, and helping them navigate their way through narrative minefields. And, after fifteen years of working with thousands of writerly-inclined folk, I’ve come to recognise the same patterns when it comes to challenges, sticking points, and staying motivated. With this in mind, I’ve put together a creative development package to provide a mix of on-page and face-to-face editorial support to help any writer, no matter where they’re at in the process.
How can creative writing coaching help you?
A creative development session is suitable for any writer who’s looking for some support, guidance, a gentle kick up the bum, an editorial eye, or just some objective perspective.
You could be right at the start of a new writing project, stuck in the middle, or deep into the editing process.
Perhaps you’re struggling with writer’s block or finding it hard to balance your writing with life, work, and other responsibilities.
Maybe you need a good writerly rant, or a little help solving plot problems.
A one-to-one session that focuses solely on you and your writing can help with all of that, helping you to figure out where you’re headed, what you want to achieve, and how to go about it.
As an editor, I can help you to look at your work objectively and make suggestions for further exploration and development. I can also assist with planning and outlining, set you goals and exercises, or simply keep you accountable!
By the end of the session, you should feel a whole lot more confident and clear about your writing, with tangible next steps for continuing your work.
How does it work?
Each creative development consultation includes:
A 1-hour creative online session via Zoom or Google Meet to discuss your writing
Feedback on up to 3,000 words
Once you’ve purchased your creative development consultation, you’ll receive a confirmation email and a link to my calendar where you can choose a date and time that suits you.
Then you have two options for sending me up to 3,000 words of your work-in-progress for feedback:
Before the consultation (at least 1 week before our meeting), so that we can discuss it in more detail during the call;
ORAfter the consultation, so that we can talk first and I then look at your work with more specific context.
It really depends on what you’re working on, where you are in the process, and what’s going to be most useful for you! Feel free to contact me to discuss your preferences once you’ve booked your session.
Personalised mentoring — tailored to you and your writing
Wherever you are in your writing project, whatever plot issue is bugging you, whatever challenges you’re facing on (or off) the page, a creative development session can help you to:
Get started with a new story: Turn your ideas into a something tangible and start writing with confidence.
Solve writing problems: Tackle specific challenges in your writing process and keep moivng forward.
Reach the finish line: Stay focused and motivated to reach your targets and finally write ‘The End’.
Break through dry spells and blockages: Figure out what’s got you stalled and get back on track if your writing has come to a halt.
Balance your writing with real life: Learn how to (healthily) integrate your creative practice into a busy schedule and all the stresses and complications of life*, with well-being as a priority.
(*As a neurodivergent writer, I have specific experience in working with autistic and ADHD authors, as well as the challenges that come with being chronically ill or a carer for others.)
Why work with me?
I’m an award-winning author — from novels to poetry to short fiction to screenwriting — and I’ve been devising creative writing courses and teaching workshops for over a decade as the director of a leading literary organisation. I’ve been an editor for even longer than that, supporting authors with their work, from the very first seed of an idea to the nitty gritty of getting published.
As a writer, I know how important and useful it can be to get one-to-one input on your work — for advice and guidance, objective perspective, encouragement, enthusiasm, and the occasional (respectful) kick up the arse.
I also know that one size does not fit all, and generalised writing advice can only get you so far. In my experience, we make the most progress with creative work when we gain a deeper understanding of what we’re trying to say and how to say it. And that process can be so much easier when you have someone to talk it through with!
But — and this is really important — it’s not my job to tell you what to do.
These creative development sessions are a dialogue — a collaborative process that will hopefully help you understand your own processes better, and find methods of exploring your creativity in a way that suits your brain, your situation, and your story. My job as a mentor is to listen, ask questions, provide a robust sounding board, get a genuine sense of what you’re hoping to achieve, and help you develop strategies and approaches that work for your writing.
(Psst. The trick is, you’ll still be doing the work at the end of the day, so it’s all about making sure you have the skills, resources and motivation to do so!)
Not sure what kind of support you need?
I’m always happy to chat through the options if you’re not sure, but here are some of the most common topics and focuses for creative development sessions:
If you’ve got a brand new idea: let’s explore the potential of your project, develop your ideas, and plan out practical steps to make them happen (aka: “has it got legs?”)
If you’re in the early/planning stages of writing a novel, script, or longform piece of writing: let’s create a solid outline that’ll give you the confidence to get started and a masterplan for the first draft.
If you’ve got a work-in-progress: let’s look at where you’re at, where you’re headed, problem-solve any blockages or plot holes, and map out an effective and efficient route to the finish line.
If you’re feeling stuck and frustrated: let’s help you find the motivation and strategies to get back on track if your writing has come to a halt, as well as exploring ways to balance your writing practice with other commitments and rekindle the joy in your work.
Or if you’re still not sure what you need: let’s just chat — no pressure! We can discover what it is you need and how I might be able to help you as we go. :)
Flexible, regular & longer-term mentoring options
If you’re looking for ongoing support (eg: throughout the draft of a novel) then we can also arrange a regular or ad hoc mentoring schedule for development meetings. This can be especially useful if you’re the type of person who needs a deadline or check-ins to stay accountable. And to know that you’ve got someone on-hand for problem solving, troubleshooting and general support throughout the process. Please use the form below to enquire about long-term mentoring options.
And if cost is an issue, please get in touch to discuss subsidised or free options — I always want to make sure my coaching and editing services are as accessible as possible.
Any other questions, please get in touch!
TESTIMONIALS
“Jo is an experienced, capable pair of hands to help you deliver your newborn story into the world. You’ll have to do the pushing and the wailing, but Jo can expertly guide you, and hold your hand when you need it during the birth of your book. She is warm and encouraging, but can also provide the constructive pointers that we all need, and help you to keep an overall perspective over your story and your journey to its completion. Highly recommend.”
“Oh my god you’ve made me so happy with the points you've flagged up. You are so clever! I've been nodding away at your ideas — this is absolute gold dust. Your feedback has come at exactly the right time. Thank you so much for the clarity when I was feeling foggy. I'm so excited, this is exactly the morale boost and the shot in the arm I needed. Your feedback is the best present I've ever had!”
— Ellie L
“Jo has had a profound impact on my writing. Her wise words have steered me to be better, and her empathy and responsiveness is remarkable. I recommend her whole-heartedly.”
“Jo is extremely talented and knows her stuff when it comes to writing. She has helped me immensely in forming my ideas and structure for my memoir. What started as a simple idea and plan has turned into the beginnings of a comprehensive piece of work in response to her brilliant critique. Her feedback has been thoroughly helpful and encouraging. I really would be lost without her. I will be forever grateful for her help and support she has given me and have had the courage to enter a competition under her guidance. Thank you, Jo!”
— Min D
“WOW! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You get it! You have understood everything I was attempting to do when telling the story. As you know, all writers crave feedback, just to know we’re not shouting pointlessly into the void, and yours has certainly done that.”
“Jo’s wonderful feedback clarified confusions, encouraged me where to stick to my guns, suggested techniques for improvement, and generally pepped up my confidence no end. From the way she did all this, I knew she knew what she was talking about. Her experience, expertise, insight and kindness have been invaluable and without doubt she’ll be my go-to person as I get further into my novel and seek professional feedback and sound advice. No more floundering around — I’ll just be submitting to Jo from now on. So happy to have found her.”
— Sue C
“All Jo had to work with was my novel plan, but the feedback she gave me reignited my enthusiasm, as well as encouraging me to dig deeper and challenge myself more.”
“I can't recommend Jo’s services highly enough. The feedback I received was detailed, thorough and framed in a way that was both thought-provoking and encouraging, getting me to consider how I could strengthen what was already on the page and providing a clear path towards achieving that goal. A written report included both big-picture comments and sentence-level in-line suggestions, and the Zoom chat with Jo provided additional thoughts and answered all my questions in a really accessible way. If you are working on a novel, this is definitely something to strongly consider. And if you're working on shorter fiction, I am certain that the other editorial options available are equally as golden.”
— Matt K
“Thank you for the work you put in on my story. You gave me the kick up the butt I desperately needed. I feel as though I’ve had a masterclass. I’ve learned a lot. Every comment you made was spot on.”
“Jo offered really constructive and helpful advice on where to pare things back and where to strengthen my story. Two things which sound deceptively simple, but in reality are not. It requires the person doing the critique to have a hold on the world that you have built and the characters that inhabit that world, whilst simultaneously ‘getting’ you as a writer. I loved speaking to Jo — it felt like I was talking to a good friend, despite the fact that we had only really communicated via email before. The advice she offered was constructive, but it was more than that; it felt like she truly cared about my writing, my characters and my story — as if she was rooting for all of us from the side-lines.
I wouldn’t hesitate to use Jo’s services again. When you are trying to find your way it can feel difficult and awkward showing your work to others, but my fears were quickly set aside as Jo is so warm, enthusiastic and genuine in her responses. Feedback can be so hard to receive, and I almost always come away from it feeling bruised and needing ‘processing’ time, however after Jo’s I felt confident — in myself and in the writing ahead.”
— Claire