Clare Shaw

Mentoring and feedback

“I am taking the first step on a journey -
the voyage of my life, a page turner.
finding of something unknown within me -
I am not going alone”
- Ann Heathcote

In 2003, I was mentored for six months by poet George Szirtes, and I leant for myself how mentoring offers an invaluable, sometimes transformative, opportunity to receive guidance and support.

I offer mentoring via face-to-face meetings or email sessions. Whether you’re a new or experienced writer, you’ll receive detailed feedback on your work, along with tailored resources and exercises. You may want to get started with your writing - or maybe you want to deal with writer’s block. You might want to work towards publication, edit a collection, or simply write for enjoyment. Wherever you are at, I’ll help you to identity and work towards your goals.

“I needed someone would help me to learn how to write a good poem and who would give me feedback on my writing so I could continue to improve. This is when I approached Clare. We meet every six weeks in an art cafe in Manchester for 1.5 hours. She gives me feedback on my writing, brings me articles on different aspects of poetry writing and challenges me to be the best I can be, often with the aid of an inspirational poem. Clare has been, and continues to be, incredibly generous with her time, input and support, and thanks to Clare I now have confidence in myself as a poet” – Ann Heathcote .

I have delivered poetry mentoring as part of the Lancaster Literature Festival, the Kendal Poetry Festival, and the Jerwood Compton Poetry Fellowship. I also work with a number of private mentoring clients.

“Being mentored by Clare has made a huge difference to my writing- her knowledge, patience and attention to detail has greatly helped me to develop my own voice and gain confidence in my abilities as a writer. Clare has enabled me to view my own writing objectively, helping me to concentrate on form, structure and punctuation. My sessions with Clare have been invaluable” - Anna Wall

Contact me if you’d like to discuss poetry mentoring.