"I cannot recommend Natascha's mentoring enough! I took a month's coaching and in that time, her insightful observations and editor's eye for structure helped me to whip my story into shape for submission and find a home with a publisher! Natascha keeps child perspective firmly in mind and provoked improvements with questions that I still remember to ask myself now when I'm re-drafting. I particularly enjoyed having a supportive friend to stroll through my story folder with and discuss the potential (...or lack of!) in first drafts. Lot's of fun!" – Corrinne Averiss, author of A Dot In the Snow and Floss The Playground Boss

 

"The Cook Up a Picture Book Small-Group Coaching course is both fruitful and inspiring. I have never done so much intensive work on manuscripts before! I have achieved so much through Natascha's  professional insight into my work and her in-depth feedback. This is a course not to be missed for the serious picture book writer" – Julie Fulton, author of Bears Don't Eat Egg Sandwiches and the Ever So Series (Maverick)

 

"I found our sessions so invaluable that I booked another four weeks of 1-1 coaching! Natascha's input, knowledge and insights on both my texts and illustrations have been invaluable. She was tireless in her pursuit to get the best results, with a wonderful tenacious attention to detail. Natascha is inspiring, nurturing and approachable. One of my projects is due to be published with Child's Play International, as part of a three-book deal. I found the whole experience brilliant!" – Polly Noakes author of Hide and Seek 

 

“Natascha encouraged me to write children's books as well as illustrate them. She listened to all of my ideas, jumbled plots and numerous eccentric characters, with patience and vision. Her advice and suggestions are constructive, realistic and honest. She skillfully nurtures the strengths in your story, whilst pruning out the weaknesses.” – Lizzie Finlay, author of the bestselling Dandylion and The Ferocious Chocolate Wolf

 

"As a soon-to-be published author, I found 1-1 coaching at the start of my writing journey both helpful and insightful. Natascha 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, author of The Dinosaur Who Lost Her Voice

 

"There was a time when the editor at your favourite publisher would happily take your imperfect proposal or first draft and send it back and forth more times than I care to admit until it was refined and shaped and sharpened (or even turned totally upside down) and fit to take its place on the bookshelves. And I don’t know about you, but every one of my clumsy caterpillars of stories has to go through many iterations of this process before it emerges, tentative but transformed, as something deserving of taking flight. Alas, many editors no longer seem to have the time or energy or inclination to work so closely with their authors. Which is why Natascha’s skills, experience and enthusiasm are so valuable and so gratefully employed. I often write my stories simply to be amusing, but Natascha will ask the ‘what?’ and the ‘where?’ and especially the ‘why?’ that can elevate them into something much more special. Many thanks, Natascha, for your insights and expertise" – Paul Bright

 

"I found my month’s mentoring with Natascha so valuable that I immediately booked a second month! Natascha has an expert eye for seeing where stories can be improved, and her guidance really helped to bring out the best in me. I’ve found after working with her that I look at the structure of my stories differently and can almost ‘hear’ where she would tell me they are lacking. The positive response from agents on the stories we've worked on together has been immediately noticeable. I found Natascha incredibly supportive, but yet I also know I can trust her to tell me honestly when something is not working. I now have an agent and can't recommend her services enough!" – Meredith

 

"The course was invaluable and I see now what Natascha means by “story-shaping”. It was this gradual to-and-fro of ideas over six weeks that helped me to build better stories" – Frances

 

"I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to have worked 1-1 with Natascha on shaping my dummy books. From the start, she was extremely warm and approachable, and put me at ease, making it great fun to bounce ideas off one another  during our online sessions. Natascha’s sharp, insightful feedback helped keep me focused and she intuitively knew how to guide things along when I stopped seeing what needed to be done, in terms of both text and illustrations. An extremely worthwhile experience. I am looking forward to working with Natascha again on a future project." – Michelle

 

"Natascha's story-shaping course does exactly what it says, and in a way that really helps you to take your creativity to the next level. She brings vision, passion and experience to her coaching, and her feedback is honest and meticulous. I have learned so much, I booked into the course for a second time. I am looking forward to continuing with her on this exciting journey." – Carry

 

How will coaching help you to tell the story you love? Contact me to begin!

 

"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

 

"Natascha is an enthusiastic and inspirational coach who motivates and gently pushes you to get the best out of a story. Her editorial feedback on the work I submitted for her online small-group coaching course, was thorough, thoughtful and incisive and really helped me focus on making all the elements work" – Liz

 

“Natascha is fantastic to work with! She has excellent knowledge and attention to detail and will push you to create the best work possible for you! She helped me take my picture books to the next level and I’m so thankful. It’s rare to find someone these days who really cares about your work as much as you do.” - Kate

 

“Thanks so much, Natascha! I can't adequately express how much working with you has helped me. It's the continual revisions and the back and forth of the scripts that you get with the project development option that particularly suited me. So much nicer to build up a relationship with someone than receive a critique in the post with no name attached, however good the critique. You have restored my faith in my writing abilities after a long series of rejections and I feel much more confident about sending out my next batch of stories. It is comforting to know that if they evade publication it is not because they are not good enough. I came across your website more by accident than design but sending that first email enquiry was one of the best decisions I ever made.” - Ali

 

“It was more than worth the price tag. You helped me to look in depth into what I was writing. Showing me what was good and not so good in my writing. You don’t just skim over the whole story advising me where I can improve but sentence by sentence, scene by scene you nudged me on to think how my story can be improved for the tough children’s book market.” - Rita

 

“As I went through the text following her edits, the book became sharper and clearer. All her suggestions about pacing, characterization and maintaining tension were inerringly accurate. Her help and advice on preparing the pitch for editors were invaluable. If only she could be turned into an app, writing would be easy.” - Peter

 

How will coaching help you to tell the story you love? Contact me to begin!