Alice Harman
Children's author, editor and author coach
About
So what makes me the right person to help you? Well, only you can be the judge of that, but here are some highlights of my experience – after all, you want to know that your author coach knows what they’re talking about!
I’m the author of 50 (and counting!) traditionally published children’s non-fiction books, about everything from modern art and psychology to climate action and human rights. I have 10+ years experience as an in-house and freelance children’s book editor, and my books have been translated into ten languages and are sold all over the world.
I’ve edited numerous award-winning and critically acclaimed children’s books, and my own books have been longlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards and shortlisted for the UKLA Awards. I’ve developed books for the Science Museum, the Centre Pompidou, the Met and the Louvre, and my books have been featured in publications including the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
If you'd like to ask me any questions, or to have a free 15-minute discovery call to see if we're a good fit, feel free to email me at [email protected]. I look forward to speaking with you!
Packages
1-to-1 author coaching – Creative Kickstart
1-to-1 author coaching – Set Up for Success
1-to-1 author coaching – In It Together
Testimonials
I felt like I was working in a vacuum with no idea whether what I was doing made sense or was “good”.I knew I needed help desperately. Alice was so helpful! I feel like she really cared about my growth and success and went above and beyond to help me succeed.
I feel more confident with writing and … how the publishing industry works. I also feel less frustrated when I hit a block because I know I have someone to help me think through the options.
Coaching with Alice is immensely helpful and professional. She brings in possibilities and layers to your book that you may not have considered, and also helps to streamline loose edges. I’d say the final result is a more consistent, layered and rich book that is ready for submission.
- 1-to-1 author coaching client
I LOVED working with Alice! If you’re thinking about it, do it! It will be one of the best ways you can invest in yourself and your author career. She’ll help you realise everything that you already have to offer, and you’ll learn how to put that to use in all of the different ways necessary to forge a successful writing career – whatever success looks like for you. You’ll also get to meet one of the most wonderful humans around, which is always a bonus!
- Loll Kirby, book blogger and children’s author
Before working with Alice, I felt frustrated with writing. I didn’t have a direction and didn’t know which ideas to pursue. Alice’s coaching was so helpful! It gave me direction and got me excited about my writing.
Most importantly, Alice reminded me to get in touch with what I find exciting about a story. If you’re stuck and don’t know how to move forward, contact Alice!
- 1-to-1 author coaching client
Although I had written a middle-grade fiction book, I was new to creative non-fiction, had limited writing experience and lacked vision. Everything has changed through working with Alice. She has been incredibly kind, honest, supportive and professional throughout the time we have worked together. As a result, I have the confidence to call myself a writer, and I now have the proof!
Not only did I learn about how to develop ideas and how to write a creative non-fiction book, I also discovered my voice and niche as a writer. I would not have done that without Alice’s encouragement and support. Alice has opened my eyes to other writing and publishing options too, and working with her has kickstarted my career change to being a writer with possibilities for the future.
Alice made the creative process fun and provided kind, encouraging, thoughtful and constructive feedback throughout. As a result, I am now a writer, with a book ready to send to literary agents, along with more ideas in the mix and a Substack newsletter. This experience has been life changing.
- Jenny Thorburn
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have written, or part-written, a book?
What happens when I purchase? How do I sign up?
I don’t have time to book in a session anytime soon, can I buy now and book in later?
How do we stay in touch before, between and after sessions?
I want to self-publish. Can you help me with that?
If you want to sign up for my In It Together package, please be aware that the digital toolkit is primarily focused on traditional publishing resources. I would be happy to do my absolute best to find useful, reliable resources for you, and to ask for advice from successful self-publishing authors in my networks. But please be aware that I cannot offer specific expertise from my own experience.
I’m a published author already. Are these packages right for me?
If you’re experienced in writing children’s fiction, or writing for adults, I can definitely help with some specific insights into writing children’s non-fiction and getting it published. There are some key differences!
If you’ve already written a children’s non-fiction book, or even multiple books, perhaps you now want to focus on how to move forwards with your author career in a new way. You can pick my brain about anything you like, from working with an agent to moving into different branches of children’s non-fiction, and we’ll come up with a personalised next-steps action plan for you.
Can you help me with my children’s fiction book?
Obviously there is a crossover in areas where I can help: creative mindset, certain writing skills, practical habits and some relevant industry knowledge. However, there are key differences between writing and publishing fiction or non-fiction, and there are other authors who know far more than me about fiction.
If you decide that you’d like to work with me anyway, I am happy to coach picture book authors as I have some knowledge in this field and I know that previous clients writing in this format have found my coaching and feedback helpful. However, writing longer fiction for children, such as middle-grade chapter books, really is outside of my experience at present, so I would advise finding a different coach to help with this.
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