lexical peaks update: january 2025

Hello! It’s been a while since I did an update post. After a lovely ten months off on maternity leave, I’m now
back at my desk. I’m working slightly reduced hours at the moment, so please excuse any slow replies to emails. 

I've recently set myself up on Substack, so you can sign up over there if you'd like to receive these posts in your inbox. Sorting out a newsletter has been on my to do list for ages, so I'm excited to have one set up now!

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in writing news

It’s felt like a busy couple of months for my own writing. I’m currently taking part in a series of writing workshops which involves giving feedback on around 20,000 words each month. I’m really enjoying giving feedback on genres and writing styles that I wouldn’t normally read much of, and discussing these pieces with other writers has been so valuable. I’m also appreciating having deadlines for submitting my words for feedback; I have a ten month old and some weeks it’s definitely tricky to make time for my own writing around all the baby-ness. Having deadlines by which something has to be ready to share with a group of experienced writers is helping keep me on track!
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I’m thrilled to have had a short story accepted by Folding Rock for their inaugural issue, alongside a list of brilliant writers including Sophie Mackintosh and Joe Dunthorne. It’s so exciting to see a new magazine dedicated to the Welsh literary scene! The theme for the issue is ‘roots’; my story is about a family living in an abandoned estate, and about how we experience grief and wildness and isolation. The team have been fantastic to work with, AND they pay – so if you’re a Welsh writer, I’d highly recommend keeping your eye out for future submission call outs. 

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in reading news

I’ve read five books this month, but in all honesty three of those were not as brilliant as I was hoping for. There wasn’t anything particularly bad about any of them – they just didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I am, in fairness, an extremely picky reader.

I did enjoy What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher; I’ve seen her name mentioned regularly in fantasy circles, so it was great to finally read one of her books. Looking forward to getting more acquainted with her writing.

I loved Katie Hale’s The Edge of Solitude, in which a disgraced environmental activist heads to Antartica on board a ship owned by a billionaire. Katie’s writing is spectacular, and I enjoyed how nuanced and layered this felt, with a complex and unusual MC. (As a sidenote, I also really enjoy Katie’s newsletter.)

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in editing news

It seemed fitting to finish maternity leave at the start of January, when everyone is always feeling a bit slow
and rusty after the festive break. I’ve been working part-time hours this month to ease myself back into the swing of things.

My time off was actually surprisingly productive! I’ve posted here about how I spent it (when I wasn’t, you know, feeding a baby or changing a nappy or being used as a giant pillow…), including the best fiction I read and a couple of excellent craft books that I worked my way through.

One big update is that I’m now offering writing coaching and one-off consultations. These are very flexible services, tailored to fit you and your writing and your budget. Some ways you might want to use these include getting feedback on short stories, seeking advice on your next steps, or discussing ways to strengthen your writing. There’s more info here if that sounds like it might be what you’re looking for.

I did basically no marketing whilst I was off, so my work calendar for the year is currently looking a bit emptier than I’d like (apart from June? Everyone wants to book for June? Is something happening in June that no one has told me about?). Please feel very free to drop me an email with any editing or coaching enquiries!

That's all from me this month! I'm excited for February: some extra daylight sneaking in, maybe a bit more snow (I am always hoping for more snow), a copyedit of a delightful nonfiction book, and then finishing the month off with a relaxing week away. 

Wishing you all plenty of winter sunshine and/or cosy reads.