“I’m so grateful for Toby’s professional appraisal of my novels. His critique is solid, backed up with sound suggestions that reflect his appreciation and understanding of story and myth. One thing that really impressed me was Toby’s ability to make comparisons of my writing to so many other writers, stories, films, etc. He has a wealth of ‘critical’ knowledge. His assessment of my works has increased my confidence in my writing and my ability to get published. I could not ask for a better person to give me perspective and the gentle guidance, as well as the occasional not-so-gentle suggestion, that I needed to get my books into their final form. I recommend Toby without reservation.”
T E Griffith, author of the Obsidian novels
Screenplays are not the only fruit… Stories come in many forms, but whatever shape they take, the same fundamentals apply – principles dating back millennia. Grasp this, and you have mastery of a hugely powerful force capable of moving hearts and minds – and that is all any writer wants.
Add to this Toby’s expertise drawn from the writing of four published novels, his teaching at degree level and long experience providing feedback to aspiring novelists across a whole range of genres from horror to literary fiction, and you have an awesome skill set at your disposal – dedicated to helping your novel fulfill its true potential.
Manuscript appraisals
A full, written report on your manuscript assessing every key aspect – including plot, character, dialogue and writing style – and providing suggested actions to take as well as notes on how it fits existing markets.
Synopsis writing
Having to boil your own big, complex story down to a snappy synopsis is one of the writer’s biggest headaches – but a synopsis is also an essential tool for selling your novel. This is where an outside perspective can help.
Editing and development
This service builds on simple feedback to offer active help in improving your work, whether developing the idea into a workable story or polishing the manuscript into presentable, publishable form.
“We published Toby’s first novel, THE VIKING DEAD. This dropped full-on zombie action into a painstakingly recreated Viking setting, and when we were looking for someone to write a series of historical adventure novels turning the Robin Hood legends on their head, Toby seemed the perfect choice. He did not disappoint, developing a richly textured world packed with compelling characters, and creating a brilliantly structured story arc that brought the narrative threads together in ways few of us could have anticipated.”
Jason Kingsley OBE, CEO, Rebellion