Kate is an experienced editorial consultant and mentor of writers at all stages in their careers, from beginners to those who already have a history of publication but feel the support of a mentor would benefit them.

 

Kate tailors each consultation to the writer's particular needs. Every consultation is different but typically it will include a professional assessment of your project with guidance on how to move forward. 

 

Before taking on a new client, Kate prefers to have a brief telephone/Zoom/Skype conversation and needs to see a writing sample of between 1,000 to 5,000 words in order to assess compatibility.

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Kate can offer you help with your writing practice, help with your writing, or a combination of the two.

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Help with your writing practice:

 

MENTORING

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Kate's approa­­­ch to mentoring recognises that every writer’s needs are different. A mentoring programme with Kate will combine goal setting, and ongoing work planning and will be responsive to the writer’s changing needs and priorities.

 

Kate works internationally by Zoom, Skype or phone as well as face-to-face in central London. All programmes include full email support between sessions.

 

In the first session she will explore what you want to achieve through mentoring, based on a brief (not more than 250-word) statement submitted a week in advance.

 

Thereafter, the sessions will usually focus on helping you to manage writing time, deal with blocks, keep going, undertake and handle research in fiction and any other issues which might arise.

 

Mentoring can last as long as the individual writer wishes, but Kate recommends a minimum of three hour-long sessions. The length of time between sessions can vary but will ideally be no more than a month and no less than a week to establish and keep up a writing discipline. Please note this option does not include feedback on written submissions.

 

ONE-OFF SESSION £110

 

THREE-SESSION PACKAGE £310

 

SIX-SESSION PACKAGE £550

 

 

Help with your writing practice & feedback on your writing:

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ONE-OFF EDITORIAL CONSULTATION

 

For when you are at the beginning of a project or have written a chapter or two and would like some feedback on your emerging ideas. 

 

An hour-long, one-to-one discussion (face-to-face or online via Zoom or Skype) at which you will discuss your written submission, as well as where you are in the writing process and where you want to be, if relevant. Kate will advise you on how you can continue writing on your own.  £230

 

 

INDIVIDUAL MENTORING WITH EDITORIAL CONSULTATION

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Kate also offers on-going mentoring sessions arranged flexibly around your own life, but generally spread at monthly intervals over a period of six to nine months, to help you achieve your writing goals.

 

All sessions are one-to-one and face-to-face, preferably in person but also possible by Skype or Zoom. At each session you will discuss up to 10,000w of your work in progress, which can include your synopsis and covering letter, helping you hone and develop your writing skills in relation to your specific work.

 

In the first session you will explore what you want to achieve with Kate, based on a brief (not more than 250-word) statement submitted a week in advance.

 

Thereafter, the sessions will usually be structured around your submissions of writing for feedback and discussion, but sessions can also focus on helping you to address issues which are not solely text-based such as managing writing time, dealing with blocks, keeping going, undertaking and handling research in fiction and any other issues which might arise.

 

In these sessions, feedback will be given on submissions of not more than 10,000 words which must be received at least a week before each session. Kate makes notes, considers your work and gives you in-depth constructive criticism and feedback during your sessions. Please note this will be verbal feedback and will focus on broad issues rather than a close reading. Consultancy does not involve a copy-editing service.

 

ONE-OFF SESSION £230

 

THREE-SESSION PACKAGE £585

 

SIX-SESSION PACKAGE £1,150

 

(FOLLOW ON SESSIONS CAN BE ARRANGED)

 

 

 

Feedback on your writing:

 

 

DEVELOPMENTAL EDIT

 

To help you work out what’s working and what needs reworking.

 

A developmental edit looks at a whole draft of a manuscript and makes suggestions for improvements. Areas explored include story, genre, plot, pace, character, dialogue, setting, voice, structure and tone. Developmental editing is concerned with the big picture, at the macro level: is this story really working? What would make it work better? What needs clarifying? 

 

You can choose whether to receive this service as in-person feedback or on-page edits and analysis:

 

On-page feedback (submissions up to 15,000w) including a marked-up copy of your manuscript and a separate in-depth analysis covering areas such as plot, character, pace, setting, voice etc. You will receive notes on the manuscript as well as tracked changes embedded in the text. (Please note, this is not the same as line editing.) £230

 

Or

 

In-person feedback (submissions up to 10,000w) including inline edits or a marked-up copy of your manuscript and a one-to one one-hour session covering areas such as plot, character, pace, setting, voice etc. This can be arranged via Skype or Zoom if necessary. £230

 

Follow on analysis and edit sessions £95/10k-£70/10k)

3 chapters (up to 10,000 words) £95 (delivered within ten days).
20,000 words £185 (delivered within three weeks).
50,000 words £465 (delivered within four weeks).
70,000 words £645 (delivered within five weeks).
100,000 words £700 (delivered within six weeks).

 

Sessions are available on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis.

When your package of sessions finishes, you can book ‘continuation hours’ with Kate.

 

 

SUBSTANTIVE EDIT

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Alternatively, if you need feedback on a completed manuscript (including synopsis and covering letter), a substantive edit or assessment is a detailed, written report, which gives full editorial comments on the work submitted. It includes a summary of the work’s strengths, as well as constructive suggestions for improvement and editing.

It includes:
* A summary of Kate’s response to the work and her objective advice on its market-placing and readiness.
* Notes on the synopsis (if submitted) and its effectiveness.
* An outline of the work’s strengths and weaknesses.
* Comments on layout and presentation.
* Notes on characterisation, dialogue, plot, point of view, narrative voice, pace and other technical aspects of the writing.
* Specific and constructive editorial suggestions on how to improve the work. This will be the focus of the report. It may comment on language, but this is not a copyediting or proofreading service.

The feedback can be in the form of a one-to-one consultation rather than a written report. In this case Kate will set up a one-hour Zoom/Skype call with you, share the annotated manuscript and give full verbal feedback on the work. In this instance, she will also provide bullet-point notes on follow-up work required.

The rate for this is between £450-900 depending on length.

Please note:

 

* Texts must be printed in 12pt, double spaced, on one side of A4 on loose, numbered sheets. A total word count is also useful. Where the text is not double-spaced or 12pt, the fee will be adjusted accordingly.

* Prior to submission, please ensure you have a full backup copy of your manuscript. All due care is taken to safeguard your manuscript, but we cannot be held responsible for manuscripts lost in the post.

* Kate will invoice you in advance of the work done. Her standard turnaround for manuscript assessment is 5-6 weeks.

* When submitting, please include a short (one or two page) synopsis plus a little personal background and any particular questions/concerns you have about the work that you wish Kate to address in her report.

 

 

 

SUBMISSION PACKAGE

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If you want to find an agent, you will want to make sure your submission package is the best it can be. Kate will give you feedback on your covering letter, synopsis and opening extract. She will return these to you with in-line comments and, over the course of a one-hour consultation by Zoom, Skype or telephone she will summarise the work’s strengths, and make as constructive suggestions for improvement and editing. £230

 

 

A feature journalist turned award-winning novelist, Kate Worsley works mainly with writers of long-form fiction and non-fiction and has particular expertise in historical fiction. She has a BA in English Literature from UCL, an MA in Creative Writing from City, University of London and was RLF Literary Fellow at the University of Essex 2014-17. A visiting lecturer in creative writing at City since 2015, she also works with the National Centre for Writing, the Writers’ Company and the Writing Project. You can find out more about her here.

 

Kate is more than happy to discuss any questions you may have, or to help you think through which of the above (if any) might be most useful to you and how best to tailor sessions to your particular needs.

 

 

CONTACT

 

You can contact her via email or via phone.

 

 

TESTIMONIALS FOR KATE

 

‘Thanks for your words of reassurance. I’m finding our sessions extremely beneficial  – and so thank you also for making me stretch myself and think about things I wouldn’t necessarily have thought of myself!’

(NCW mentee 2021)

 

‘Just want to say a big thank you for the excellent writing sessions.
Today was a definite breakthrough for me and it wouldn’t have been possible without your support and encouragement, both through this course and the previous one.’ (Writers Company 2020)

 

'Kate has taught me to be brave, to write outside, under and through the lines.' (Writers Company 2018)

 

‘Kate makes you feel like anything is possible with your writing – do this!'

(Authors Company 2019)

 

‘Students respond to her obvious interest in them and what they are doing, and she has the knack of making them feel important and listened to.'

(Writing Project 2018)

 

‘Kate is an excellent teacher and has facilitated some fascinating discussions. She is clearly very knowledgeable but also allows the students to discuss their own understanding, interpretations and opinions. This has made for some really enjoyable classes.’ (City University MA 2019)