Work With Me
Alongside my own writing, I work with writers, creatives and individuals seeking support in their writing lives - whether working on mindset, craft, direction, pathways to publication or long-form work.
You may be starting a first book, returning to writing after years away from it, moving between genres, or trying to create a more sustainable and expansive creative life. You may be taking early steps as a travelling writer, or want to simply develop your writing.
My approach is thoughtful, practical and international in outlook - shaped not only by years as a novelist and non-fiction writer, but also by decades working across literature, culture and global advocacy.
Below you’ll find details on mentoring, developmental edits, live and upcoming travel writing courses and the writer’s studio. I’ll also share future information on writing retreats here.
Thanks for stopping by! I look forward to supporting you on your writing journey.
Ways We Can Work Together
Mentoring
I offer 1:1 mentoring for writers and aspiring writers seeking to develop, build and transform their writing.
Some writers come to mentoring at a crossroads in their work or life. Others are developing a book project, considering a shift towards writing professionally, or searching for a more sustainable creative practice alongside demanding careers and lives.
Together, we create a bespoke framework shaped around your ambitions, working style and project. Our conversations may explore craft, structure, creative confidence, publishing pathways, artistic identity, or the practical realities of building a long-term writing life.
This is a space for thoughtful conversation, accountability and creative growth.
Places are limited. If you’d like to explore working together, send me a DM with a few lines about your project or where you currently are in your writing life.
What Mentees Say:
“I came to Laura with nothing but an idea, and nowhere near enough experience to turn it into the most important piece of writing I’ve ever done. She changed that. Her guidance covers everything.”
Correspondence Mentoring
For writers seeking sustained support on a specific project, I offer correspondence mentoring over a longer period.
This is a more in-depth and immersive way of working together: a thoughtful, ongoing dialogue through manuscript feedback, voice notes, email and written exchanges. Alongside detailed editorial guidance, we build structures, habits and creative systems that support not only the current project, but your wider writing life.
Correspondence mentoring is particularly suited to writers working on book-length projects, navigating creative transitions, or those who value reflective and asynchronous ways of working.
DM for further information, sharing brief details of the project or area of development for which you would value ongoing support.
What Mentees Say:
“If you’re considering mentoring with Laura, it’s the best investment I’ve made in my writing.”
Developmental Edits
I also offer developmental editorial feedback on fiction, narrative non-fiction and selected memoir or travel-writing projects.
A developmental edit looks in greater detail at a manuscript: structure, pacing, narrative tension, voice, clarity, thematic coherence and overall direction. My aim is not to impose a formula, but to help you uncover the strongest and most authentic version of the work already emerging on the page.
Depending on the project, this may include an editorial letter, in-manuscript notes, and a follow-up conversation.
Please DM with a brief description of your project and current stage of development.
What Mentees Say:
“Laura doesn’t just hand you a framework and leave you to apply it. She applies it to the piece you’re actually writing, so you see exactly how it works. The transformation happens in front of your eyes.”
“When my draft was done, she went through it page by page, honest in a way that’s rare and useful.”
Travel Writer’s Starter Course
A six week course, lessons delivered weekly online. Work on a piece of your own writing. Tailored feedback provided and live Q&A session. Covering everything you need to get started in travel writing. Perfect for absolute beginners and those just starting out. Learn to turn your travels into stories people want to read.
Have you always wanted to write about your travels but weren’t sure where to begin?
Perhaps you’ve returned from unforgettable journeys with notebooks full of memories but no idea how to shape them into publishable articles. Perhaps you’ve started writing before but lost confidence, or you’re returning to writing after a long break.
This course is designed to help you begin.
Over six weeks, I’ll guide you through the foundations of travel writing - from discovering story ideas to developing your own voice, building a sustainable writing habit, and understanding how to get your work published.
By the end of the course you’ll have a finished piece of travel writing, detailed professional feedback, and a clear roadmap for continuing your writing journey.
This course is for you if...
You dream of becoming a travel writer but don’t know where to start.
You love travelling and want to capture your experiences in meaningful stories.
You’ve always wanted to write but keep putting it off.
You’re returning to writing after a break.
You’ve written a little but want guidance from someone who has built a professional writing career.
No previous publishing experience is required.
What you’ll learn
Week 1 - Finding Stories Everywhere
How experienced travel writers discover original story ideas, move beyond simple holiday diaries, and identify stories editors actually want.
Week 2 - Structuring a Great Travel Article
Learn how to transform an idea into a compelling article with a strong opening, clear structure and satisfying ending.
Week 3 - Developing Your Voice
Discover what makes your writing distinctive, build confidence on the page, and establish a writing habit you can actually sustain.
Week 4 - Getting Published
Understand today’s travel writing market, where opportunities exist, how to pitch editors, and practical steps towards publication.
Week 5 - Personal Feedback
You’ll submit one piece of travel writing. I’ll read it carefully and provide detailed individual feedback to help you take your work to the next level.
Week 6 - Live Q&A
You’ll submit your questions in advance, and I’ll answer them during a live online session, covering everything from craft to publishing and your next steps as a writer.
What you’ll receive
Six weeks of guided learning.
Weekly lessons delivered through Podia.
Practical writing exercises and homework.
Professional feedback on one completed piece.
A live online Q&A session.
Lifetime access to the course materials.
Perfect for: Absolute Beginners or Those Returning to Writing After a Break
Starting: 27 August 2026. A small group six week course with personalised feedback on your writing.
Early Bird: £168 until 17 August, then £249. Last day to book 26 August 2026.
“This is so helpful!”
Writers’ Studio
The Writers’ Studio is a more intensive small-group space for writers seeking greater consistency, companionship and creative momentum in their work.
Together, we explore craft, creative discipline, publishing pathways and the realities of building a writing life across borders, professions and changing seasons of life. I also share practical systems for sustaining long-form creative work - particularly for those balancing writing with travel, international lives or multiple careers.
The Studio is intentionally small, allowing for thoughtful conversation, accountability and genuine creative community.
Enrolment for The Writer’s Studio is waitlisting. Starting September 2026. Only 10 places available. Booking details here.
Download the Overview, includes what to expect week by week and how to join:
For any other queries or to join the waitlist, send a DM. Include Writers’ Studio in your message.
About Me
I’m an internationally bestselling N.Irish fiction author whose work has been widely translated. I’ve been published by Hachette, Harper Collins, John Murray Press, New Island and many others, and in travel by Penguin Random House (DK Travel), Bradt and Lonely Planet. Alongside fiction, I’ve written extensively on place and travel - from journalism and essays to guidebooks, as well as long-form narrative non-fiction exploring landscape, memory and belonging.
I began writing for the theatre through the Royal Court Theatre’s Young Writers’ Programme, and before writing full-time spent twenty years in the international NGO sector, including serving as CEO of PEN International, the worldwide writers’ organisation working on cultural understanding, peace and freedom of expression.
Speaking multiple languages and having lived and worked internationally for much of my life, I particularly enjoy working with writers from around the world and those navigating complex creative or professional transitions.
What Others Say
On Teaching/Mentoring
“Hi Laura, I just read your email. That is the most comprehensive feedback and guidance l’ve ever received.Thank you! Will be working on it over the next couple of days.” - 1:1 Mentoring
“Hi Laura, I’ve been finding all your posts entertaining and insightful to read and your most recent Writers Edition just struck a chord. I’m trying to move from a negativity mindset into creating the writer’s life I want, pitch more frequently and trust in my ideas. So looking forward to learn more from you.” - Writer’s Edition Member (Paid Subscriber)
On Travel Writing
“Really excellent work, thank you for being so thorough.” – Lonely Planet Editor
“I can see you know your stuff! That’s absolutely brilliant…Thanks so much for all your hard work.” – DK Eyewitness Editor
On Fiction
“Remarkable novel by Laura McVeigh – Lenny…the boy who will break your heart” – BBC
“…something of a publishing coup: a beautiful fiction book that can straddle the Young Adult (YA) and adult markets… As a meditation on war, loss, hope… is as indispensable as it is timeless… a truly essential read.” – Irish Independent
“Author Laura McVeigh exemplifies the breadth of talent that’s emerging… Lenny pulls on our heart strings… nuanced…impressive…unexpected… it shapeshifts and time warps, bringing into question our understanding of narrative, space, time.” – Irish Times
The Writer’s Toolkit
You’ll also find additional resources, ebooks and a free travel-writing masterclass inside The Writer’s Toolkit.
“While going through the lessons I already found out five experiences that I am longing to speak about. Your work will encourage me to start it right now. Thank you again.”
“Just what I needed to haul me out of a creative slump!”
“I think you’ve single-handedly answered a bunch of questions about how to approach travel writing that I didn’t even know how to ask. Thank you for sharing these insights.”
“There’s so much I can take from it in order to grow my writing style.”
“This is so helpful!”
If you would like to find out more about 1:1 mentoring or any of the other ways we can work together, send a DM.
To learn more about my books and writing, visit www.lauramcveigh.com and for travel / non-fiction editor queries see lauramcveightravel.com