Success Stories

In 2023, I was incredibly fortunate to be selected for The Literary Consultancy’s Free Reads Scheme – a huge turning point in the novel’s journey. As part of the scheme, I received detailed feedback from a professional editor, whose insights were invaluable. They helped me see what was working, what wasn’t, and – most importantly – what the heart of the story truly was. Their encouragement and constructive critique gave me the clarity and confidence I needed to shape the book into its final form, which the brilliant Muswell Press then wanted to publish!

The Literary Consultancy was an absolutely invaluable resource in helping me rework what was a pretty rough first draft into something more carefully honed. My reviewer provided a comprehensive, detailed and thorough review of my manuscript, highlighting the aspects he thought worked as well as the aspects that didn’t, and gave me exactly the expert third party analysis I needed to be able to review my own work in a more objective light, which was all the more helpful coming from someone who has published several highly successful novels of his own and has a thorough understanding of the market for this genre.

The Day She Disappeared was assessed By Vicky Grut at TLC. By then I had already attended a writing course and meet-the-author evenings at the TLC and trusted that their insight would be valuable. Vicky Grut was matched as she was successful in the same genre. It was years ago now, but I still have the original assessment report. Vicky gave me priceless advice on developing my voice, characters and plot. Ms Grut’s assessment focused on places I need to move the story along to keep the reader interested. I was also given the key strengths and weaknesses of my manuscript. It’s always nice to hear about your strengths but I had to pause over the weaknesses and decide what I could live with, what I should cut, what I need to do better in future. I found the assessment invaluable. As a debut novelist I crippled myself with a need for perfection in every last detail. Having a big picture in mind, gave me the courage to gut about 25% of my initial manuscript. I have since worked with editors and agents in both the US and Britain and Vicky Grut’s initial advice still resonates today.

“My experience of a TLC Power Hour session was genuinely transformative. The session helped me come into close contact with the resistance I felt regarding the editing process of my pamphlet. Aki really helped me to identify what the resistance was about on an embodied, emotional level so I could move through it in practical, caring way. The session helped me understand that the resistance was self-protection. It’s scary to put a book out in the world, however exciting the opportunity! It was really powerful to work with someone who had an understanding of the ways trauma can impact a writing process, and therefore came with nervous system support and care as part of their coaching practice for writers. In only one hour, I came away with a embodied sense of being supported but also very practical tools to help me identify the support and resources I needed to get through the next phase of my writing.”

“I’ll be forever grateful to Joe and the TLC team for their support in bringing Life & Death Decisions into the world. Thanks to the Chapter & Verse programme and the expert advice from my mentor, Dr Stephen Carver, I was able to hew this book from the marble of my tropical-disease-addled mind!”

I was lucky enough for one of my poems to win the Disabled Poets Prize 2024 run by London Writers Centre and CRIPtic Arts. This led me to a TLC Editor 1-1 with Ahren Warner. Ahren’s editorial eye was sharp and inquisitive. His questions about my intentions for the work gave the poems better direction. His attention to detail and unassuming questioning was pivotal in shaping the poem. He was interested in who I was writing after and for, who I was reading at the time and his feedback spoke those things. This was hugely important in setting the tone of our session. He also recommended some books/poets whose work specifically thinks about vulnerability on the page. I still think back to this feedback because it was valuable beyond just the three poems we looked at. The insights were around my practice, positioning and desires as a writer.