The blogposts dated January-December 2010 concentrate on aspects of fiction-writing techniques. These can be viewed by following links in the Blog Archive at the bottom of the r/h column. Please note that these are for reading only and, like the rest of this site, are copyrighted by the author.
Linda Acaster has tutored for the Arvon Foundation and a UK distance learning college, and has led workshops and spoken at writers' conferences across the north of England. She spent six years on the reading panel for the New Writers' Scheme administered by the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was prominent in setting up the lottery-funded East Riding of Yorkshire Novelsearch, offering writers advice on bringing their work to publishable standard. She is a reader for a leading London literary consultancy, and a member of the Society of Authors.
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Linda Acaster has tutored for the Arvon Foundation and a UK distance learning college, and has led workshops and spoken at writers' conferences across the north of England. She spent six years on the reading panel for the New Writers' Scheme administered by the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was prominent in setting up the lottery-funded East Riding of Yorkshire Novelsearch, offering writers advice on bringing their work to publishable standard. She is a reader for a leading London literary consultancy, and a member of the Society of Authors.
She offers both a critiquing service and one-to-one coaching for beginning and intermediate writers of adult fiction, and of fictionalised memoir.
Problem areas are highlighted and remedies suggested via an explanatory report and annotations direct to the text. Incisive comment is the aim, not vague generalisation.
'I believe that fiction should act as a means of emotional communication, not merely a comfortable dry-side window on whatever world is being offered on the page. If the reader is not moved, the line of communication has failed. My emphasis, therefore, is weighted towards the craft of transferring thoughts and feelings, as near as possible intact, from the writer's to the reader's mind.'A one-off critique can prove useful on work:
- needing a fresh eye prior to a final polish
- where something isn't working but the writer can't identify what
- which keeps receiving rejections without explanations
- where the writer wants reassurance of being on the right track
Coaching is a form of hands-on mentoring, and can prove useful when a writer knows where a particular work is headed, but not sure how to get it there. Coaching is offered on sections - chapters or groups of chapters - for as long as the writer requires; there is no obligation to continue until the completion of the work.
Short fiction and novellas are offered a critique in their entirety. I do not take poetry, drama, or non-fiction, and cannot act as an agent.
Client Comments:
Mr MB: I wanted to thank you for your comments on my attempted first novel, ------------. I found them helpful and constructive, and was pleased (eventually!) that you were able to be forthright about the work's failings. You have given enough encouragement however to make me feel that I will follow your advice and attempt a complete re-write after addressing the issues you highlighted. Thank you again for the work you put in on it, and for your very comprehensive report.
Mr PW: Very many thanks for your insight and excellent advice...
Miss GM: This was unbelievably helpful. I have my work cut out for me, but I appreciate the direction. Thanks.
Ms PS: Thank you for your assessment of my work. Your recommendations were very much appreciated...
Ms JH: Many, many thanks for your close reading of my manuscript and for your very helpful comments. It is a wonderfully useful report...
Mr JP: ...The analysis and annotations were perfect - thank you so much. They were clear and straightforward, and even with my brief initial scan of them, I learnt a lot...
Ms MD: I wanted to write and thank you for your report on ----------. I found your comments and suggestions have given me so much to think about that I am scribbling away every spare minute! Your report was far kinder than I anticipated and it has given me the confidence and encouragement to continue with something that I find very rewarding. Thank you.
If you are interested in my professional services, drop me a email giving details of the work and an intimation of your skills level, and I'll get back to you with my fee structure and lead time. Please be aware that I can only take on work/clients depending on my own publishing deadlines.
I apologise for the lack of direct email link, but no one embraces spambots with joy:
Please email to lindaacaster[AT]yahoo.co.uk
