Book Coaching for Writers

I love talking to writers and helping them achieve their dreams.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re deep into your writing journey, sometimes you need fresh insight, encouragement or simply a sounding board for your ideas. I’ve worked with many authors, helping them strengthen their writing, challenge themselves and bring their stories to life—whether that’s through crafting compelling characters, sharpening their prose, or structuring a powerful plot. My mentoring sessions are designed to give you the feedback and guidance you need to move forward with confidence.

This is for:

Writers at any stage who want thoughtful, practical feedback on their work. Whether you’re writing fiction or nature non-fiction, I can help you refine your craft, develop your voice, and tackle any challenges standing in your way.

How it works:

Choose one of two options that suit your needs.
Send me your work (or just notes and questions) one week in advance.
We’ll meet on Zoom for a 50-minute session at a time convenient for both of us.
We’ll have an in-depth discussion about your writing and your writing goals.
You’ll receive brief follow-up notes summarising key takeaways.

You’ll receive:

One-to-one, personalised support, that is kind, empathic and constructive.
Available for fiction (I specialise in crime fiction, thrillers, psychological thrillers, suspense and mystery) and non-fiction nature writing.
Practical advice tailored to your writing and your writing goals.
Flexible and supportive—for wherever you are in your writing journey.

Option One: Focused Book Coaching

A one-to-one session designed to focus on your writing right now. Whether you need feedback on a draft, help shaping an idea or advice on your next steps, this session is will be tailored to your needs.

What’s included:

A 50-minute Zoom session.
Feedback on up to 2000 words (sent one week in advance).
Guidance on how to improve your writing and where to go next.
Space to discuss ideas and questions.
Brief follow-up notes after our session.

Price:

One session: £250.

Five sessions for the price of four (£1000).

Book here for the first session:

Book here

Chat:

If you’d like to talk to me first, with no obligation to book, please book a 20 min consultation with me.

Chat

Option Two: Big Picture Book Coaching

This session is for writers working on a short story or a novel who want to step back and see the bigger picture. Whether you’re in the early stages of developing your story, or you’ve written the first draft and you’re not sure if you’ve got the structure quite right, I can help you. In our one-to-one session, we’ll focus on plot, character, structure and the overall narrative drive.

What’s included:

A 50-minute Zoom session (recorded or with a transcript if requested).
Feedback on your outline or notes (up to 2000 words) covering your ideas for plot, character, setting and story structure.
The chance to brainstorm anything you’re unsure about—structure, turning points, character arcs, or world-building.
Brief follow-up notes summarising key takeaways

We’ll use your outline or notes to build the structure and plot together if you’re in the early stages, or, if you’re further along, to shape and refine it, ensuring you’re hitting essential structural beats—such as the inciting incident and mid-turn twist.

Price:

One session: £500.
Follow up session: £300.

Book here

If you’d like to talk to me first, with no obligation to book, please book a 20 min consultation with me.

Chat

About me

My experience has come from two decades of mentoring writers for The Literary Consultancy, with teenagers for the charity First Story, as a writing coach and mentor to students and writers for the Royal Literary Fund, the Arvon Foundation and the Genesis Emerging Writers Programme for the Jewish Literary Foundation.

I’m also an award-winning writer; I’ve had over twelve books published in different genres, judged a number of prizes, written TV documentary scripts, and worked as a features writer and columnist for UK national newspapers, such as the Guardian, The Times, and magazines including BBC Wildlife Magazine and New Scientist.

I teach writing workshops to universities throughout the UK, as well as creative fiction for the Guardian’s MA in Creative Writing and the Arvon Foundation.

You can find out more about me here. If you sign up to my newsletter you’ll receive weekly emails with advice about writing as well as being able to watch my masterclasses on writing.

‘Sanjida’s input was a real game changer for me. She was able to strip the manuscript back to it’s component parts, and gave me amazing insight into how each bit contributed, which ones were already strong, and more importantly, the aspects that could be be tightened up. It’s no coincidence that after dozens of rejections, I was picked up by an agent a few months after her help.’

Published by Allison & Busby

‘Thank you so much for being there from the beginning of my journey with The Million Pieces of Neena Gill – for all your valuable feedback, your time, your support and belief in me. I couldn’t have done it without you.’

Published by Penguin.

I would like you to pass on my thanks to Sanjida for taking so much trouble over my manuscript. I am extremely grateful to her for both the encouragement and the criticism. Her comments appear fair and insightful. Most importantly for me they will act as a spur to get back to the story and try to improve it. I will now be able to approach it with renewed vigour and hope that in due course I will be able to produce a more rounded piece of work.

Do I have to talk to you before I book?

No. Feel free to book in and then email me your notes, writing or questions (up to 2000 words). But you might want to have a chat first or email me to see if I’m the right fit for you. You can also have a look at my newsletter to read the kind of advice I offer to writers.

Will you edit my work?

No. I will talk to you about the overall structure of your writing in Big Picture Book Coaching, and I will discuss word choice and your prose down to sentence level in Focused Book Coaching but I won’t copy edit or proofread your work.

Can you get me an agent or a publisher?

No. But I can give you advice about your best approaches for finding the right agent and publisher.

What genres do you work with?

I have experience with a wide range of genres, including literary fiction, memoir, and nature non-fiction. I specialise in psychological thrillers, thrillers and crime fiction though. If you’re unsure whether your genre is a good fit, please reach out and ask.

What if I can’t make one of our scheduled sessions?

I understand that life can be unpredictable. If you need to reschedule, please give me at least 24 hours notice, and we’ll find a new time that works for both of us.

Do you offer refunds if I'm not satisfied?

Due to the nature of the work and the time invested, I don’t offer refunds. However, I’m committed to your success and will work with you to ensure you’re getting the support you need throughout our time together.

Do I need to have started writing my book to work with you?

Not at all! I work with writers at all stages, from those with just an idea to those with a completed manuscript to those who felt they’d completed their manuscript only to have trouble finding an agent and know they need to revise again.

Legal terms

By engaging my services, you acknowledge and agree that all fees are non-refundable. Payment indicates your acceptance of these terms. While I strive to provide high-quality editorial guidance, I make no guarantees regarding publishing success, agent representation, or specific outcomes. Our work together constitutes professional feedback and coaching only.

I maintain all rights to my editorial insights and methodologies. Any suggestions or feedback I provide are offered as professional recommendations only. The client retains sole responsibility for their manuscript and any decisions regarding its development or submission.

These services are provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. I shall not be liable for any damages arising from the use of these services, including but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages.

All communications between us are confidential, but I reserve the right to disclose that we have worked together unless explicitly agreed otherwise in writing.