If you’re thinking about a creative writing MA but can’t afford the time or financial commitment, mentoring is a good alternative. It’s a great opportunity to build a relationship with a professional writer and learn your craft on a one-to-one basis.

Our mentoring is priced competitively against the cost of an MA and similar courses. It involves close reading of sections of a work in progress manuscript, what we call a ‘creative edit’, which will pick up on characterisation, tone, consistency of voice, believability, and clarity, among nuances in technique and structure. We will not copy edit your manuscript, but will make suggestions on the document itself, and will return the annotated document as well as a written-up report via email (or by post if you have supplied a printed document). For an additional cost we will meet with you for an hour’s feedback session either online or in person (by prior arrangement, and depending on distance), and it is in these meetings that you and your mentor are most likely to find new ideas and solutions to problems through discussion, which is a creative process in itself.

The ongoing relationship with your mentor over a period of time allows for redrafting between discussions, with the aim of producing a publishable piece of work. Deadlines help writers prioritise their work-in-progress. We can offer this service for a novel, memoir, a set of short stories, a poetry collection or creative nonfiction essays (including flash length), or a screenplay.

Our mentoring packages are completely bespoke and will be tailored to individual needs. We recommend an initial phone conversation (no charge) to discuss your creative project and what you want to get from the relationship.

You can request the mentor you’d like to work with, or if you’re not sure, we can match you with the right one for your project (see our mentors below). Email us at info@londonlitlab.co.uk.