Welcome!

Blue Elephant Storyshaping offers a range of creative services to children's book authors, illustrators, agents and publishers. I also run online picture book coaching courses, webinars, workshops and seminars.

 

Here are 10 Ways I can help YOU!

 

I’m eager to hear from you. Please get in touch about your project so we can discuss how we might best work together and let the storyshaping begin! Email me now!

 

"The 1-1 coaching was inspiring, nurturing and approachable. I found our sessions so invaluable, I booked another four weeks! The outcome was a three-book deal!" – Polly Noakes

 

"The bestselling Knight Time was more of a concept than a story when Natascha first saw it, recognised its potential and helped me shape it  – at one point literally, with scissors and sticky tape" – Jane Clarke

 

"The trouble with Natascha is...she listens. She listens and she helps and she cares. So when she leaves to start her own editorial venture, I am left shouting ‘COME BACK!!' Natascha has been the editorial driving force behind DAISY for many years. She’s passionately passionate and thoroughly thorough. Make the most of her!" – Kes Gray

 

“Natascha’s insightful observations and editor's eye for structure helped me to whip my story into shape for submission and find a home for my book with a publisher!” Corrinne Averiss

 

“It was a great pleasure working with Natascha when we were creating the DAISY books with the writer Kes Gray. She gave me sterling editorial advice, made brilliant suggestions and found excellent solutions for artwork issues, and she had some invaluable insights that contributed enormously to making the series the success it was.” – Nick Sharratt

 

"As a soon-to-be published author, I found 1-1 coaching with Natascha at the start of my writing journey both helpful and insightful. She is a compassionate mentor with a wealth of experience. Were it not for her enthusiasm and belief in my ideas, I would not have had the confidence to go on to write my story that didn't have a traditional happy ending...the one that landed me my first book deal. Natascha persuaded me to persevere and be bold." – Julie Ballard

 

"I feel as if there is now a much stronger, more critical, more market-aware writer emerging . . . and now I'm published!" – Frances Tosdevin

 

"Having spent time in critique groups, attending writing courses and reading books to help develop my writing voice, I felt I had plateaued and was unsure as to the best way to proceed. An editor recommended submitting manuscripts to Natascha and I am delighted that I did so. Natascha's feedback was superb - her Detailed Editorial Review highlighted issues in my writing that seem obvious in hindsight, but hadn't been identified in critique groups, and then provided resources to help me improve those weaker areas. Natascha has been honest, kind and an absolute pleasure to deal with. I'd highly recommend her to any writer who is looking to raise their game!" – Jonny

 

"Natascha is by far the most supportive and nurturing editor I have had the pleasure of working with . . . It is invaluable when your editor has a grasp for the visual aspect of the book as well as the written." – Lindsey Gardiner

 

"In the space of a few weeks, but lots of advice, Natascha's 1-1 Coaching took me on a journey to discover my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. She helped strip away the ego and dig for the real me, enabling me to see a richness in my ideas which could be properly mined. If anything I write in the years to come is of any value then it is in large part because of her skill as an editor" – Dom Conlon

 

"Working with Natascha is amazing!" – Lee Carr

 

more praise

"One of the books I have worked on with Natascha has won a prestigious award, and another shortlisted" – Georgie Birkett, Is This My Nose?

Story – a narrative, either  fictitious or true,  designed to interest, amuse or inspire 

Shape –  to fashion or form, mould, create or give character to