Mentoring & Editorial Feedback

As a published children’s author of over 20 books — with Scholastic, Puffin, Oxford University Press, Bloomsbury and Hodder Education — I understand how to catch the eye of UK agents and editors, and what makes a manuscript stand out in a crowded submissions pile.

I don’t offer line-by-line grammar checks or proofreading. What I do offer is developmental feedback — big-picture story shaping — focused on structure, plot, character, voice, pacing, age-appropriateness, and commercial/market awareness.

I work with MG, YA, memoir/life writing, short stories and flash fiction.

A note on capacity: I take on a small, deliberately limited number of clients alongside my own writing, so I can give each project proper attention rather than rushing through a queue. If a slot isn’t available, please do get in touch to be added to a waitlist.

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One-off feedback

Service	What’s included	Price
Quick read	Up to 3,000 words. A focused, actionable email report (~750 words) covering what’s working and what needs attention.	£120
Zoom deep dive	Up to 3,000 words read in advance, followed by a 60-minute conversation to talk through it properly — plus a short written summary afterwards.	£175
Extended read	Up to 20,000 words (typically your opening chapters) plus a one-page synopsis. A detailed written report (~1,500 words) covering concept, character, structure and pacing.	£450

Add-on: want to talk through your written report after receiving it?

45-minute follow-up Zoom = £75

Follow-up email with up to three questions = £45.

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Ongoing mentoring

For writers who want sustained support rather than a single check-in. I take on two mentoring slots at a time, so I can give proper depth to each one.

Tier	What’s included	Price
Standard	Up to 3,000 words of feedback per month, plus one 60-minute call.	£275/month
Deep	Up to 4,000 words of feedback per month, one 60-minute call, and email support between sessions.	£350/month

No long-term contract — this runs month to month, and either of us can pause or step away as needed.

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What I don’t offer

I don’t currently offer full-manuscript reads. If you’re looking for feedback on a complete novel, I’d recommend:

• Jericho Writers — I work as one of their editors, and they offer full children’s manuscript assessments.
• Megaphone — a year-long mentoring scheme for writers of colour writing for children and teenagers in England, which I’ve also mentored for.

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If this is beyond your budget

It was for me too, starting out. A few things that helped:

• Scribophile — the online critique community where I learned to edit, over five years and a million words of critique given.
• Arvon grants, including the David Pease Fund for low income and teacher applicants — I went on my first Arvon course this way.
• Applying to free mentoring schemes such as WriteMentor’s summer programme, Megaphone, or Author Mentor Match, where places are awarded by application rather than by fee.

There really are no shortcuts to the editing and mentoring skills I now have — but there are ways in that don’t require paying for them upfront.

“The mentoring experience for me has been like opening a wardrobe and discovering Narnia on the other side. A year ago, I had little idea of the existence of the publishing world and now, because the mentorship has opened the doors to it for me, I have built the courage to venture inside of it. With her infectious smile, my mentor, E.L. Norry, made me feel comfortable from the get-go. As writers, our introverted side tends to be dominant making us feel vulnerable when sharing our work, and so my mentor’s warm, comforting personality was seminal. Over our time together, she helped me unearth, develop and acknowledge my ability to tell my story, and she did it brilliantly. Among the (many) things I’ve learned is that, for most writers, this part of the journey is a solitary one. This has made me so grateful for my experience as I cannot imagine going through it without the support of all those involved in the mentorship. I really do not believe I would have made it past chapter four without my mentor’s encouragement and support.” A Khan (mentee 24/25)

“Em has supported me through every stage of my writing over the last six years. She is my go-to person for help with everything from plotting problems to line edits and there is no one in the world I trust more with my messy early drafts. Her feedback is insightful, to-the-point, and warm, and I always come away feeling positive and overflowing with ideas to improve my story. It’s hard to balance honest helpful criticism with encouragement and cheerleading, but Emma does it perfectly every time. I would recommend her to anyone serious about developing as a writer” – Jennifer Spangler, author of MG novels from Simon and Schuster, The Vanishing Trick, The Incredible Talking Machine, and Valentine Crow and Mr. Death

“Receiving feedback from Emma Norry is like receiving a gift. I’ve had the pleasure of having her insight on various flash and short stories over the past few years, and her advice is always incredibly constructive and comprehensive, as well as encouraging. She’s been able to provide guidance on my work as a whole as well as individual word choices, and my writing has only grown stronger from following her advice. She knows what she’s doing, and she’s the first person I seek out for advice on work I care about.” Sara Hills, author of The Evolution of Birds

“As a writer, one of the most important decisions you will face is selecting someone to provide feedback on your manuscript. It can make all the difference in the growth of your story and your writing abilities – both positive and negative. There are many factors to consider in your choice, but, for me, the most important is trust. You’ve poured all your skill, hard work, and love into your story. You should expect nothing less from the person reviewing your work. I can assure you E.L. Norry will pour herself into your story and love it the same way you do. She is part cheerleader, sounding board, thought generator, and yes – if you need it – drill sergeant. My own work has benefited immensely from her ability to spot weak points and provide numerous actionable suggestions to address them. She really is the best thing that ever happened to my story.” JD Burns, mentored by E.L Norry as part of the US scheme, Author Mentor Match