Novel Mentoring

With James McCreet

Our novel mentoring service is for people who need one-to-one supervision with the construction of a new work, the refinement/repair of work in progress, or help with refining craft. Mentoring is for those who don’t necessarily want to do a specific course but want to design their own tuition with expert help.

How it works: 

First, you’ll communicate via email with author and professional tutor James McCreet about exactly what help you need. Then you’ll agree a plan of action and be given exercises to complete. The clock starts here.

For example, if planning a new book, you might be asked to provide a rough plot outline or a detailed chapter breakdown depending which stage you’re at. If you are more interested in honing your craft, a program of tasks will be agreed upon to professionalise your skills.

You’ll send your work directly to James and receive feedback. Subsequent exercises will depend on your progress.

The eight hours you pay for will be used piecemeal. It might take James 15-40 minutes to read and comment on a piece of work that has taken you many hours to produce. A tally will be kept so you know what time is left.

Your feedback

"My first taste of James McCreet’s mentoring was five years ago when he scrutinised the opening of my debut novel in ‘Under the Microscope. He certainly took those 300 words apart in microscopic detail! However, such detail is what you need as a writer wanting to improve and I highly recommend James as a professional, patient and dedicated mentor. He tells it how it is, but your writing will improve in every area if you follow his advice – as will your whole enjoyment of the craft. The novel I worked on with James, She Will Rescue You, was published by Joffe Books in 2018."  Chris Clement-Green

"I’ve been working with Matt for over a year, and his feedback has been invaluable. His comments are constructive, objective, and always honest and timely. When I first started working with him, I was feeling disillusioned with my writing. I had completed the first draft of my book and knew it needed a lot of work, but wasn’t sure how to improve it.  

Matt encouraged me to go back to basics, focusing on story and structure, and taking the time to get these right before re-writing. In less than a year, I’ve restructured and rewritten my book. He’s provided feedback and advice at every stage, from planning to writing to pitching, often sharing useful advice about his writing process. I can’t recommend him enough. If you want to complete a book and take your writing to the next level, working with Matt is a great investment in your development as a writer."  Liz Champion

Prices

8-hour service for £450 or £405 for magazine subscribers.