The Fold FAQs

Where will the community be hosted?

Right here! On my website. You don’t need any special apps, you don’t need to use Substack or Facebook or any other social media. The Fold Weekly Sessions will also be on a private podcast feed so you can listen in your favourite podcast app too (instructions on how to do that will be given to you when you join). Our monthly live session will be held on Zoom and then the recordings will live here on The Fold membership site for you to watch (or rewatch) whenever you like.

Will I get to meet other writers?

Yes! Each week a post will go up along with the audio session, with a prompt to respond, as well as share your intentions for the week, and celebrate wins. Members will be able to comment and reply to each other (we even have avatars here!). I will also make sure there is a place to swap social media details for those wishing to follow along with each others work on platforms like Substack and Instagram. The monthly sessions will be held live on zoom and will be interactive, so you’ll be able to get to know each other there too :). As the membership grows and evolves, I will respond to what members are asking for in terms of gathering together, so I may add other elements in the future (as long as it doesn’t distract us from getting our work done!!).

I write fiction/memoir/non-fiction/Poetry - is this a membership for me?

Yes! If you are planning on working on a book length project, currently writing a book, redrafting a book, writing a second or third book - you are very welcome. I think bringing us all together, across genres, is incredibly positive for writers. My podcast Not Too Busy To Write, has always featured writers across all genres for this reason. The Masters in Creative Writing I completed also believed the same - I was writing fiction but the creative and academic work spanned poetry, life writing and fiction and we all worked alongside each other, no matter our speciality. Genres in books are essential for selling and marketing those books but from a creative perspective there is so much for us to share and learn from each other.

I write Romance/Crime/SciFi/experimental literary fiction - is this membership right for me?

Yes! As above - I think we all have so much more in common than what separates us. The focus of The Fold is on getting the work done, as well as getting insider knowledge of the publishing industry and will cross genres.

No Facebook Group/What’sApp Group/Voxer/Slack?

Nope!! They can be really lovely places sometimes and I know some of you enjoy them but they are a time suck. The Fold is designed to be simple, stress free, not too time consuming and all about helping you to get your writing done. You can chat on the weekly post and move conversations over to social media too if you fancy it :)

What will the monthly sessions be about?

The monthly sessions will focus more on overcoming the challenges of getting the work done and building a writing career. Some of them will be hosted by me, and some will be co-hosted by guest experts. We’ll look at topics like self-doubt, comparison, taking risks, dealing with failure. Expect these sessions to be interactive and have takeaways - these guests aren’t just fellow writers - they are experienced teachers/facilitators/coaches.

What times will the monthly sessions be held?

I’m based in London (GMT/BST) but not all our members will be! I will attempt to alternate each month between an evening session and a lunchtime session (dependent on guest availability etc) so that there are opportunities for different members to attend live. All the monthly sessions will live permanently on the membership site so you can catch up afterwards if you aren’t able to come live.

When will The Fold Weekly arrive in my inbox/podcast app each week?

Tuesday mornings 6am (gmt). You’ll receive an email letting you know what The Fold Weekly is about and a link for you to go to the audio post where you can listen and comment. The podcast feed will update at the same time.

Will there be any breaks in The Fold Weekly?

There will be no Weekly in the last two weeks of August and for two weeks over the Christmas break.

I don’t know whether to choose a Gold membership, or book you for 1:1 writing coaching. What’s the difference between the two?

My 1:1 writing coaching sessions for non-fiction and memoir writers working on book proposals include editing and feedback on up to 10k words (or a full proposal), as well as an hour long coaching session. Full price for this service is £350 per session.

The Gold Membership 1:1 coaching is quarterly and does not include editing of material in advance. It will include an indepth questionnaire, so that we can focus on what you need for the 45 minute session. These sessions will be focused on accountability, brainstorming, talking through your project, planning next steps, agent submissions, talking through feedback from submissions etc. We can also look at specific pieces of writing during the session, such as agent submission emails, your pitch etc. These sessions are yours to focus 100% on your book, your path as a writer and to help you stay accountable and on track.

Can I book additional 1:1 sessions?

If you’re a Gold Member and would like to book additional 1:1 sessions that give written feedback, then you can do so at a discounted rate of £250 (usual price is £350). This is the same discount writers who have completed the Book Proposal Group Program get. My capacity is limited, so please contact me regarding availability.

I am a non-fiction writer working on a book proposal. Should I join The Fold or do the Book Proposal Group Program?

Non-fiction book proposals are my very nerdy speciality as a writing coach. The Book Proposal Program is an in-depth 8 week course to get your proposal written. If you would like to be guided carefully through the process of writing a proposal, as well as recieve feedback and notes on your proposal, then this is the program for you. Part of why I set up The Fold was to support writers before and after they have completed the program. Some writers miss the support that it provides and would love some help and community as they redraft, work on sample chapters, submit to agents and ideally - start writing their commissioned books! The Fold is also a perfect community for those working towards joining the program, and are perhaps not ready quite yet.

Will there be co-writing sessions?

At the moment there is not and I’ll explain why. This community will be made up of writers in different time zones and with different responsibilities. Some will have tiny children, some will have teens, some will have jobs that they can’t do from home, some will be in the UK and Ireland, some will be in Australia. BUT, I am considering adding this to the membership with the help of some other writers who would host co-writing sessions at different times. This will depend on demand from the members.

Have a question that you can’t find the answer to? Please email me here.