About Being A Writer
“TLC combines the professional and personal aspects of the writer’s life, taking care of our wellbeing as well as our skills. I cherish such a community and find that it is irreplaceable.”
Welcome to Being A Writer, TLC’s membership platform for writers who want to build happier, healthier writing lives. Through the Being A Writer toolkit, writers have access to:
- Events with writing, publishing and wellbeing experts
- Self-study courses to tackle barriers including imposter syndrome and self doubt and writer’s block
- Time to write at our regular co-writing sessions
- A podcast with guests from bestselling authors to performance poets, psychotherapists, theatre-makers and publishers
- Creativity Pills in partnership with the Poetry Pharmacy
- Downloads responding directly to your needs as you articulate them to us
- Discounts from partner organisations
- An online community of fellow writers for support, companionship and solidarity.
The Origins of Being A Writer
Developed in 2019 and launched in May 2020, Being A Writer is curated by the UK’s leading editorial consultancy, The Literary Consultancy (TLC). It is the first membership community platform offering digital content to help writers understand how to sustain and protect their creativity and cultivate resilience in a range of settings. This programme has been inspired by TLC’s founding psychoanalytic principles (‘Is There Anybody Reading Me’, 1999, available here as a free ebook), and our work as consulting partners on academic research into barriers to writing, including the Royal Society of Literature (‘A Room of My Own’, June 2019) and Kingston University (‘What Makes A Writer’, May 2019). It is our belief that there is a gap for exactly this kind of programme, in a world where competitive industry standards mean that the focus is often on what is written. Instead, Being A Writer positions itself as interested in understanding why writers write, and how to help them to keep going. You can read more about the origins of the programme and its development here.
The Being A Writer programme also offers members the opportunity to be involved in the co-production of new content, so that we can be responsive and adaptive to the changing needs of our community as the programme grows. We hope you will join us on the journey.
THE TOOLKIT
Online courses
Digital self-study courses by writing and wellbeing experts, to inspire creativity and resilience.
Podcasts
We go behind the scenes of the writing process, tackling issues including managing having a job and family with writing, finances, mental health, and fear of rejection.
Creativity Pills
Curated in collaboration with the Poetry Pharmacy, this creativity generator offers shots of inspiration to help you stay in tune with the muse.
The Scrapbook
In this collaborative digital space, you are warmly welcomed to upload inspirational images, photos of your writing space or lucky writing objects, interesting things you have noticed when out and about, quotes that are meaningful – and be inspired by the uploads of other members of the Being A Writer community.
The Bookshelf
Inspired by our flagship online courses, our tutors, and our writers, here you can find a list of recommended reading to help you feel creative, inspired, and powerful.
Mini Writing Guides
A series of free mini guides on craft and creativity, published by TLC Press and available at no cost to Being A Writer community members.
The Downloads
A list of free downloadable resources to address some of the more practical, nuts and bolts aspects of how to be a writer.
Events
A series of events, online and in person, for members. Connect, create, and share via our platform Circle.
Inspiration
Originally commissioned during the lockdown for The Literary Consultancy’s Writers’ Corner, this collection of inspiring short exercises and activities has been designed to keep writers healthy and happy, to keep the spark of creativity going even in challenging times.
Member Benefits
Discounts, promotions and special offers for Being A Writer members.
