Join The Literary Consultancy’s Self Editing Non Fiction course. Build your skillset and edit your non fiction writing effectively, whether you have a first draft or are an experienced writer.
Let TLC ease you into the process of editing your writing, a lifelong skill that can bring out your writing’s full potential.
Led by experienced tutor, editor and author Xanthi Barker, this course draws on TLC’s expertise and insight from three decades of working with writers. Over six weeks, you will delve into crucial elements such as story structure, character development and balancing voice and style, considering each of these alongside your own work. Each student receives a half hour one to one with Xanthi Barker.
TLC Courses take a hands-on approach supported by a deep respect and curiosity that comes with sharing our own stories. Course modules incorporate practical exercises that can be applied to your own work. Come with finished first drafts or works in progress and apply course thinking to your draft each week, building your own approach to editing your work in manageable pieces.
This course is open to writers of non fiction and covers all forms of creative non fiction including memoir, life writing, history and travel writing. Engage in theory, close analysis of published texts, and practical exercises, receiving personalised guidance every step of the way.
Testimonials from Self Editing Non Fiction with Xanthi Barker
“I thought I could already edit pretty well but Xanthi’s experience and the canny way in which the course was presented really opened up new possibilities. I now feel very confident that I have exactly the tools I need to edit my work. I am actually deeply surprised that so much could be learned about this! All in all an excellent course that did exactly what it said it would plus, unexpectedly, so much more too!”
“The TLC Self Editing Non Fiction course helped me to begin editing my book giving it emotion and details which adds interest and imagination. Xanthi Barker was an exceptional teacher and included all if they wanted to contribute, she was very positive and helpful helping us to look at our work from different perspectives.”
“I have been on many courses and Xanthi delivered materials and tasks in the TLC Self Editing course that I hadn’t come across. She was thoroughly prepared and valued all contributions to discussions.”
Xanthi Barker is the author of Will This House Last Forever? a memoir about growing up with and grieving an absent father (published by Tinder Press) and the novelette One Thing (published by Open Pen). Her short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies including Litro, Mslexia and Bare Fiction. She is the winner of The Short Story Prize 2017 and her piece ‘Paradoxical’ was highly commended in the 2018 Spread the Word Life Writing Prize. She lives in London and is a writer-in-residence for the charity First Story.
Find out more information about the course, how it works and a week-by-week course curriculum on The Literary Consultancy website.
Prices range from £399 (Earlybird), £450 (Concessionary) and £500 (Standard), with optional discounted feedback at £190
For bursaries, please see details and how to apply under ‘Accessibility’ on the course information page. Deadline for applications, 9am on Monday 23rd March 2026. All details can be found on The Literary Consultancy website.
