A welcoming online home for all creative writers
Mentoring & Consultancy
One-to-one writer support: mentoring, manuscript consultancy, copy-editing, submissions advice
Often a course or a group is the best way to make progress with your writing, but sometimes a one-to-one arrangement with an experienced reader-tutor can make all the difference.
If you’re working on longer prose such as a novella or a novel, memoir, life writing, creative non-fiction, children’s or young adult fiction, we have a menu of seven options for you below.
We’re also happy to discuss bespoke options if you’re working on a poetry collection, short fiction, a script, a screenplay or a libretto.
PLEASE NOTE:
For this service, after you're put together with one of the mentors or copy-editors listed here, work/payments take place directly between the two parties, rather than happening through Writing Room.
Initial assessment
We recommend starting here for tailored advice on which one-to-one option will serve you and your writing best. Submit an outline of your project plus up to 3,000 words. Receive written feedback and suggestions for next steps at a 30 minute meeting.
Month by month mentoring
Working with a mentor is ideal if you’d like on-going support as you write a full-length work. Submit up to 5000 words a month to a deadline. Receive written feedback at a 50 minute meeting each month plus support to establish a productive writing routine that suits you.
Early check-in
If you’re a fair way into your book but aren’t sure your idea still stands up, our early check-in will check on the direction you’re headed and assess the work’s potential. We'll help you see the wood for the trees, give you confidence and a sense of forward purpose. Submit up to 20,000 words and a synopsis. Receive written feedback at an hour-long meeting.
Full manuscript reading
If you have drafted and edited your book and want feedback from an impartial, experienced reader to help you identify strengths and weaknesses, this is the option for you. You’ll receive a report on all aspects of your book including plot, structure, your character’s journey and your writing style. You can rely on us being clear and honest. We are writers ourselves, so we know this is more helpful than flattery – but also because we are writers ourselves, we are compassionate in our delivery! We’ll also let you know if the manuscript needs a copy edit.
Proofreading and copy editing
If you want to make sure your syntax, punctuation and spelling are absolutely watertight, we will proofread your manuscript and offer line by line edit suggestions. It’s a good idea to start with a small section of 2000 words so that you and your copy editor can get a sense of how long the work will take and therefore how much it will cost. Our copy editors use a time-keeping app for accuracy, as a copy edit of 2000 words could take less than an hour or a few hours depending on the content. We use Track Changes in Word where you can accept or reject the line edits, but we can be flexible if this doesn’t suit you.
Please note this option doesn’t include any commentary on the aesthetics, shape or success of the work.
Submission assessment
If you’ve finished your book and it’s been read by others; if you’ve taken on board their feedback and polished the manuscript till it shines and you’re now ready to send it out to agents, we can help make sure your submission does you justice.
Submit the first 10,000 words, synopsis and covering letter. Receive commentary on the strength of those 10,000 words, the success of your synopsis and the appropriateness of your letter. We’ll also highlight if there’s a need for copy-editing and/or proofreading.
Writing your synopsis
The book you care about and have worked so hard on deserves a great synopsis. This workshop will take you through the process step by step.
One-hour private workshop. Feedback on your synopsis.
Initial assessment
Cost £80
Month by month mentoring
Cost £150 per month for each month you submit
Early check-in
Cost £250
Full manuscript reading
Cost
Up to 50,000 words £450
50,000-60,000 £520
60,000-70,000 £580
70,000-80,000 £630
80,000-90,000 £670
Over 90,000 charged at £7 per thousand words
Meetings are charged at £75 for 50 minutes (in-depth discussion)
Proofreading & copy-editing
Cost £25 per hour
Submission assessment
Cost £150
Writing your synopsis
Cost £120
INSIGHTFUL CRITIQUE
“The feedback I received about my novel was a thorough and meticulous analysis and an insightful critique. The literary sensitivity and editorial experience brought to bear on this commentary was first rate. I can't recommend you highly enough.”
Gwen
PATIENCE, GUIDANCE, FRIENDSHIP
“Without such patient coaching and encouragement, this book would have remained an idea, asleep in the recesses of my mind, Acorns can and do turn into oaks. I thank your for your patience, guidance and friendship during the writing of my book.”
Tania
POSITIVE INSPIRATION
“You were aware of each word I wrote and why; what I was able to express and what had been left unsaid. You checked the work without missing a single word, may it be grammar, spelling or plot, with positive inspiration.”
Rashda
Our mentors and literary consultants
Sita Brahmachari: children’s and young adult (bespoke price structure).
Giovanna Iozzi: memoir, novel, novella, short fiction.
Kiare Ladner: novel, novella, short fiction.
Paul Lyalls: poetry, performance of poems (bespoke price structure).
Jenny Parrott: submission assessments, memoir, novel, copy-editing.
Team members Alison Chandler and Kate Pemberton also offer mentoring and literary consultancy. You can engage them directly via their websites -
Alison here: www.wordspacelondon.com
And Kate here: www.katepembertonliterary.co.uk
Writing Room is a registered Community Interest Company: a non-profit arts organisation committed to serving the interests of our diverse community of creative writers.
© Writing Room CIC
Photography © Ruth Guthrie unless stated