Coaching and Editing
Client Feedback

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The Writing Clinic

• Are you writing a novel or short fiction?
• Do you find it hard to write without a deadline or constructive feedback?
• Do you wish you had someone experienced to discuss your writing with?

I am an experienced writer and creative writing tutor and I offer one-to-one tutorials to help you develop your prose writing and to support you with longer projects.

One-to-one coaching is available either face-to-face, over the telephone or online. There is no substitute for being able to discuss your work with someone experienced and supportive, who can help you to set deadlines for yourself and be available to talk to you when you encounter problems.

Coaching and Editing

What makes Writing Clinic different?

There are many literary agencies that offer a feedback service which consists of a written report on your work. Very few offer face-to-face meetings or contact by telephone. I feel that it is crucial for writers to be able to talk about their work, to explain what they are trying to achieve and to be able to work this out through a supportive dialogue rather than one-sided feedback.

Who would benefit from Writing Clinic’s Services?
Anyone writing prose fiction: novels, short stories, autobiography or non-fiction, from complete beginners to experienced writers. I believe that people learn more from recognising what they do well and building on their strengths, but also that people want and need to be told what they do that doesn’t work so well. Because of the personal contact involved, I am able to gear my feedback to the level of the writer and to the most effective approach to get the best from each person. Individual relationship is the key.

How does it work?
We speak on the telephone so that we have a sense of whether we can fruitfully work together. You send me your writing together with any specific questions you may have. I read it carefully, always keeping in mind the big picture: themes, structure, plot and pace. I make notes as I go, on larger problems of plot, pace or structure, and also on smaller technical or stylistic details, recording specific examples both of what works and what doesn’t. Then we meet and talk face to face, or on the telephone .

How often do we talk?
This is entirely up to you. It depends on how much support you need and whether you find deadlines helpful. You can have a one-off session, or if you are working on a longer project like a book, a collection of stories, or an autobiography you could see me monthly; or you could wait till the book is partially or wholly complete and get an appraisal of the whole thing.

How much does it cost?

Here are some examples:

• For up to 5000 words and a one hour tutorial: £40. This is the minimum charge.
• For 20,000 words and a one hour tutorial: £85
• For a novel of 100,000 words including a two hour tutorial: £350
• The reading charge for additional words is £3.00 per thousand words. Additional tutorial time is charged at £25 per hour.

Do feel free to compare these prices with those of other literary consultancies.

What other services do you offer?

I also run courses in creative writing and storytelling, details of which can be found on the relevant Courses pages.

Client Comments

“Umi has read many thousands of words of my plays and two novels and has given consistently constructive criticism which has not only improved the quality of my work but also encouraged me to continue to write and – most importantly – to continue to enjoy the process. She has a real editor’s eye and is as likely to spot a missing word or comma as an inaccuracy or flaw in plot or characterisation.”

Sue Eckstein (Radio 4 playwright and author of ‘The Cloths of Heaven’ Myriad, 2009)

“Umi’s feedback is both sensitive and honest. She pays meticulous attention to detail, while paying attention to the work as a whole. Tuition sessions are both rewarding and enjoyable, and highly recommended.”

James Burt

“I have had the pleasure of working with Umi Sinha first as a student of her creative writing course and later as a writer receiving feedback on a first novel. She is perhaps the most thorough reader of my work I have encountered. She takes the time to comment carefully and insightfully. Her criticism is amazingly accurate and never undermining. I cannot remember ever disagreeing with her suggestions. She has an intuitive gift for crafting a story: its structure and where the reader is or should be. I always came away from a session or a class feeling that my own craftsmanship had been lifted, that the standard had been raised.”

Alice Owen

“Umi Sinha is a naturally gifted teacher, one blessed with the ability to inspire would-be writers, not only by example, but also by positive criticism linked with her deep personal interest in their subject matter. She possesses that rare ability to unravel confused writing and return the writer to his desired path of thought without bruising his sensitivity. During the two years under her guidance my work is now regularly called for by local radio and film making. In this progressive and productive atmosphere, created by Umi’s tutorial style, I am also part way through writing my first novel.”

William Mount

“Umi has depth AND breadth of literary knowledge which enable her to be a reflective and incisive tutor. Her appreciation of linguistic sublety means that her critique is always constructive, never gratuitous or savage; however she is always frank, and if she tells you that something doesn’t work, then it probably doesn’t. I found that Umi has a particular knack of engaging with you as a writer whilst also giving you space to formulate your own ideas – a hugely valuable and subtle skill. What she does NOT do is turn out ‘clones’. I came to her course last year with an abiding belief that I could not write dialogue, and I found her input in this area hugely helpful, to the extent that 12 months later I have a completed collection of short stories, a novel synopsis, and a draft radio play in my portfolio. What I do with them is now up to me, but I know for a fact that had Umi not been my tutor, they would not exist outside of the confines of my own head. ”

Loretta Riordan

“Writing the first draft of a novel was hard. Handing it over to someone for review wasn’t much easier – so it was important that I picked the right person. I chose Umi because she’d been my tutor at the evening course offered by the University of Sussex and I’d already learnt to trust her judgment. It turned out to be a good decision. My manuscript came back with notes on everything from grammar to structure, pacing, and confusion over genre. Umi was frank when it came to critiquing a plot line or character (in the way that a friend or relative could never be) but in a constructive way that didn’t make me want to throw my work out of the window. She also offered sound advice for improvement. I’d have no hesitation in recommending her to anyone wanting to take his or her work to ‘the next stage’.”

Matt Cooper

“Umi is a very gifted writing coach. She’s not an easy ride for a writer as she sets a very high bar on quality and will expect you to do the same. If you want someone who pats you on the back regardless of the quality of your work, choose someone else! I now have a clearer sense of when I write well, when I am lazy and a deeper understanding of what I am really writing about, as opposed to what I think I am writing about.

Julia Noakes