What is stopping you from writing your children’s creative non-fiction book?
Do you never seem to find the time to write? Do you have a great idea but no clue what to do next? Or maybe a lack of confidence – perhaps from past disappointments – is getting in your way?
The fact that you are here, on this page, tells me that you really care about being a children’s author. That you want to create exciting, inspiring books for kids to love, learn from, and read over and over again. But it also tells me that you’re feeling a bit stuck, right? Dreaming of holding your own beautiful book in your hands but not quite knowing how to make it a reality?
Writing for children can be the most wonderful thing in the world. But when you’re trying to do it all alone, it can be really tough. Trust me, I’ve been there too. And it really doesn’t help that publishing is still such a mysterious, closed-doors sort of industry. How does it all work? What do they want from you?!
Whatever obstacles are standing between you and your writing dreams, I want to help you overcome them – and write a book that makes you truly proud.
get an expert in your corner
I’ve been on both sides of the publishing process, as an author and an editor specialising in children’s creative non-fiction, and I can help you create the very best version of your book. Just as importantly, I can help you build the knowledge, confidence, resilience and good habits to keep you steady and strong when you might otherwise have abandoned your writing dreams.
So what makes me the right person to help you? Well, only you can be the judge of that, but here are some highlights of my experience – after all, you want to know that your coach knows what they’re talking about!
- I’m the author of 50 traditionally published children’s non-fiction books, about everything from modern art and psychology to climate action and human rights
- I have 10+ years experience as an in-house and freelance children’s book editor
- My books have been translated into eight languages and are sold all over the world
- I’ve edited numerous award-winning and critically acclaimed children’s books
- My own books have been longlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2021 and shortlisted for the UKLA Awards 2022
- I’ve developed books for the Science Museum, the Centre Pompidou and the Louvre
- My books have been featured in publications including the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal
- I’m an elected member of the Society of Authors’ Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group Committee, which advises and advocates for authors, illustrators and young readers throughout the UK.
By the way, if you’re wondering what exactly ‘creative non-fiction’ is, here’s a quick definition. Creative non-fiction books have facts, information or true stories at their heart – but what you want to do with the book beyond that is up to you! They can be picture books with characters, rhyming (or non-rhyming) poems, personal memoirs, imagined conversations, activity books, graphic novels, write-in journals, or anything else you can think of. Writing creative non-fiction is a LOT of fun!
So, what do you think it would it feel like to have me in your corner? A fellow writer on your side, listening to you and supporting you and giving you friendly, expert advice?
I know that, as an author, I couldn’t do what I do without encouragement and experienced, constructive feedback. I could be there to offer that to you, to help you with whatever you need to give you and your book the best chance possible.
Alice is everything you could want in an author coach. She is warm, friendly and supportive, while offering honest and constructive advice and feedback. Working with Alice has really helped me to better understand the (sometimes bewildering) world of publishing and to take my writing to the next level. After every session with Alice I feel enlivened, motivated and tooled up with new, practical strategies to move my writing forward. Thank you Alice!
Anna, aspiring children’s non-fiction author
I can help you with:
- Getting your ideas out of your head and on to the page, where they belong
- Building a regular writing habit that feels enjoyable, sustainable and productive
- Developing the confidence and resilience you need to make it as an author (even if it doesn’t come naturally – I’m a sensitive soul, too!)
- Refining your writing, clarifying your ideas and working through any stumbling blocks
- Understanding the specific art and science of writing creative non-fiction for children – and why so many get it wrong, even if they are expert writers in other fields
- Putting together the kind of book proposal that agents and editors really want to see
- Demystifying how publishing and the children’s book market works today, and how you can give your book the best chance of success
- Encouraging you to keep writing, even when you feel like quitting (we all do, sometimes!), and connecting you to the ‘why’ that will keep you motivated and drive you to fulfil your writing dreams
Make your writing dreams a reality
Together, we can find a writing practice that works for your unique mind, life and writing style. There are four key areas in an author’s development, which I use to guide my own work and my coaching practice, but the exact balance and detail of what each author needs to work on is entirely individual.
So instead of cookie-cutter writing tips and tricks – which can be great for a few fun ideas, but won’t scratch the surface of what’s really making you feel stuck – our 1-to-1 time will give you and your writing the personal, focused attention it deserves. Whatever point you’re at with your writing, we’ll start there and move things forwards in a way that feels right for you. And it’s completely up to you what we focus our time on.
your investment
I offer three 1-to-1 author coaching packages, at varying price points. Payment plans are available for all packages, at no extra cost to you.
Creative Kickstart
- The Creative Kickstart author coaching package gives you a powerful boost to get you started, or back on track, with your writing. It also helps you identify the tools and solutions to then move forwards independently.
Set Up for Success
- The Set Up for Success author coaching package guides you through a fully personalised 3-month action plan, with email support and accountability check-ins between our monthly calls.
- It includes a free (optional) review of up to 1000 words of your work-in-progress.
- You will also receive a digital workbook and toolkit, which includes resources to help you get your book published – including a submission checklist and the exact book proposal templates that I use to pitch my books.
In It Together
- The In It Together author coaching package is an immersive, fully supported 6-month experience that helps you make serious progress towards your writing goals.
- It includes two free (optional) reviews of up to 3000 words across one or more writing projects, so you can get feedback on any changes you’ve made and know you’re on the right track.
- You will receive a digital workbook and extended toolkit, which includes resources to help you get your book published – including a submission checklist, page plans to help you structure your book, and the exact book proposal templates that I use to pitch my books.
- It also includes a free (optional) proposal review, to help you show off your book to its full potential.
Creative Kickstart
- 1 hour of 1-to-1 coaching, remotely via Zoom
- Session notes and a personalised next-steps action plan for you to follow
- A recording of our coaching call so you can revisit the session whenever you want
- Email support for up to a month after our call
- £270 one-off payment, or payment plan available from £90/month
Set Up for Success
- 3 hours of 1-to-1 coaching over 3 months, remotely via Zoom
- Session notes and a personalised next-steps action plan after each call
- A recording of our coaching call so you can revisit the session whenever you want
- Email support and weekly accountability check-ins between coaching sessions
- Free (optional) review of up to 1000 words of your work-in-progress
- Digital workbook and toolkit, with proposal templates + more
- Email support for up to 3 months after our final call
- £690 one-off payment, or payment plan available from £138/month
In It Together
- 6 hours of 1-to-1 coaching over 6 months, remotely via Zoom
- Session notes and a personalised next-steps action plan after each call
- A recording of our coaching call so you can revisit the session whenever you want
- Email support and weekly accountability check-ins between coaching sessions
- Free (optional) first review of up to 3000 words of your work-in-progress, or across multiple writing projects
- Free (optional) second review, so you can get feedback on any changes you’ve made and know you’re on the right track
- Digital workbook and toolkit, with proposal templates + more
- Free (optional) review of your book proposal
- Email support for up to 6 months after our final call
- £1240 one-off payment, or payment plan available from £155/month
I offer a 25% discount on all packages to writers from groups traditionally marginalised and excluded by the publishing industry (including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, working class, disabled and neurodivergent) and to writers with limited financial means due to caring responsibilities (single parents, for example) who otherwise couldn’t afford to work with me. Please get in touch through the linked form below so I can arrange this for you.
You can also get in touch if you love the sound of the packages but want to ask me something specific to make sure working together would be a great match. I’d love to hear from you.
I LOVED working with Alice! If you’re thinking about it, do it! It will be one of the best ways you can invest in yourself and your author career. She’ll help you realise everything that you already have to offer, and you’ll learn how to put that to use in all of the different ways necessary to forge a successful writing career – whatever success looks like for you. You’ll also get to meet one of the most wonderful humans around, which is always a bonus!
Loll Kirby, book blogger and children’s author
This is perfect for you if:
- You have a great idea for a children’s book but you’ve never written before and you’re not sure where to start
- Writing a book is really important to you, but you’re feeling frustrated at how slow your progress is, or how your writing isn’t seeming to come out the way you imagined it
- You’re an expert in your field – perhaps as an educator, a skilled creative, an activist, or a business owner – and you want to share your knowledge and experience with children, but feel overwhelmed and confused about what to do next
- You’re a children’s fiction author, an adult/YA author or a new children’s non-fiction author, keen to explore creative non-fiction as another booming, exciting, often more accessible way of writing for kids and getting your books published
- You love writing but you’ve been burned by past rejections and disappointments, and you want to rebuild your confidence, motivation and creative joy
- You understand how competitive the children’s book market is, and want to give yourself the very best chance of getting published by working with a friendly, approachable expert who will give you the honest, constructive feedback you need to hear.
I’m not the right fit for you if:
- You want someone to put you in touch with agents and publishers – I’ll help you give your children’s book the best chance of getting published, but I can’t do it for you
- You need expert help with writing a chapter book or novel – my expertise is in creative non-fiction, and although there is plenty of scope for including fiction elements within that, structuring and submitting a novel is a different ball game
- You want a proofreader or editor – my Set Up for Success and In It Together packages include some focused writing feedback, but our time together is about shaping the direction of your book and your author career as a whole
- You are only interested in writing books for adults – I’m not an expert in this area, so I would encourage you to find a reputable author coach who is.
Go from this…
- All the ideas but nothing on paper
- Multiple abandoned writing projects
- No time to write
- Low confidence holding you back
- Confusion and overwhelm
- Frustration at slow, or non-existent, writing progress
- Hiding your writing away
- Too afraid of criticism and rejection to follow your writing dreams
To this:
- Ideas down on the page, where they belong!
- Regular writing habits that work for you
- Making real, sustainable progress with your book
- Confidence and clarity that supercharges your writing
- Understanding how publishing really works
- A positive author mindset that invites feedback, ‘failures’ and success
- Actually finishing – and submitting – a brilliant book proposal
- Feeling proud of your writing and yourself
Why I created these coaching packages
I always knew that I wanted to work with books, but – honestly – I dismissed the idea of being an author before I even gave it a try. It seemed too big, too scary, too vulnerable, too unlikely, and I wasn’t okay with the possibility of failing.
I became an editor, which is an amazing job – I still edit books, and love doing it. But the more I worked behind the scenes, helping other authors shape and refine their brilliant books, the more I wanted to write my own too.
I eventually got that chance, and it was just as exciting and fulfilling as I dreamed it would be. Writing a brand-new book into existence, seeing your name on its cover, having kids tell you excitedly how much they loved reading your words – I’m not going to lie, it’s all pretty magical.
But it can also be so, so tough to write children’s books. To get started, to keep going, to negotiate the constant ups and downs and unpredictabilities of both writing and publishing.
These coaching packages are a way for me to pass on what I’ve learned to new and aspiring children’s authors, to help you experience that same magic of holding your book in your hands and feeling truly proud. You deserve that! And I’m so happy that I can help guide and support you towards achieving your writing dreams.
If you’re ready to fulfil your potential as a writer, I would be honoured to work with you. Start by tapping the button below – I really look forward to meeting you.
FAQs
What happens when I purchase? How do I sign up?
Once your payment has gone through, keep an eye on your inbox. You’ll get an email from me, via a booking system called Paperbell, with the next steps for booking your first session.
I don’t have time to book in a session anytime soon, can I buy now and book in later?
Absolutely, take your time! As long as you use your Creative Kickstart session within 6 months, and all your Set Up for Success / In It Together sessions within 1 year / 18 months (respectively), you can buy now to take advantage of the current price, and book when it’s convenient for you.
Do I need to have written, or part-written, a book?
Not at all. Whatever stage you’re at with your writing, I’m happy to help. Sometimes I’ve found that the hardest stage is getting from idea to writing the first few words on the page.
How do we stay in touch before, between and after sessions?
Mostly by email but we’ll also use a platform called Paperbell, specifically designed for coaching. It’s great, and really easy to use. You will have your own private portal to sign into, where you can book sessions and find everything else you need. So organised!
I want to self-publish. Can you help me with that?
My own experience is with traditional publishing, so I’m not the best person to advise on the specifics of self-publishing. Of course, I’m more than happy to work with you if you want to go the self-publishing route, and depending on your writing goals it can be a fantastic option.
If you want to sign up for my In It Together package, please be aware that the digital toolkit is primarily focused on traditional publishing resources. I would be happy to do my absolute best to find useful, reliable resources for you, and to ask for advice from successful self-publishing authors in my networks. But please be aware that I cannot offer specific expertise from my own experience.
I’m a published author already. Are these packages right for me?
If you’re feeling stuck, it doesn’t matter if you’re a complete newbie or a seasoned pro – I’m happy to help.
If you’re experienced in writing children’s fiction, or writing for adults, I can definitely help with some specific insights into writing children’s non-fiction and getting it published. There are some key differences!
If you’ve already written a children’s non-fiction book, or even multiple books, perhaps you now want to focus on how to move forwards with your author career in a new way. You can pick my brain about anything you like, from working with an agent to moving into different branches of children’s non-fiction, and we’ll come up with a personalised next-steps action plan for you.
Can you help me with my children’s fiction book?
Although I am currently writing two fiction books myself, and I have worked on some children’s and adults’ fiction in the past, my real expertise is in creative non-fiction.
Obviously there is a crossover in areas where I can help: creative mindset, certain writing skills, practical habits and some relevant industry knowledge. However, there are key differences between writing and publishing fiction or non-fiction, and there are other authors who know far more than me about fiction.
If you decide you’d like to work with me anyway, I want to make sure that you get as helpful an experience as possible. So I have agreed with a successful and lovely author friend – who has written picture books, chapter books and middle-grade books – that she will do a second review, as a children’s fiction expert, of any fiction writing that you send me for review as part of the Set Up for Success or In It Together package. I will absorb this cost, so there will be nothing extra for you to pay.
Do you offer payment plans?
Of course – and at no extra cost to you. Each coaching package has two payment plan options in addition to the one-off payment option.
I work/take care of my kids full-time. Do you offer flexible times for coaching sessions?
Yes, I offer a variety of coaching sessions through the week. I’ll always try to be flexible if you can’t do any of those times – I know how busy things can get!
Can I work with you on a longer-term basis?
That would be my absolute pleasure! When you have finished my 6-month In It Together author coaching package, you’ll have the option to either design your own bespoke longer-term coaching package or to book coaching sessions on an ongoing, rolling basis – both at a special discounted rate.
If you have any more questions that I haven’t answered above, or you just want to chat about anything here, please do get in touch using the linked form below. I can’t wait to hear from you!
If you have any more questions that I haven’t answered above, or you just want to chat about anything here, please do get in touch using the linked form below. I can’t wait to hear from you!