Reviews

It’s always a pleasure to get feedback. For a writing coach, good word of mouth is really important. It only takes a few minutes but it helps other people learn about who I am and what I do.

If you've worked with me and would like to share some kind words, you can post a review via Google Reviews, Facebook Reviews or LinkedIn; or simply drop me an email at dluchia@gmail.com.

Thank you.

Aged to Perfection

This funny and original rom-com, written by one of my clients, is out soon. If you love rom-coms that are laugh-out-loud funny,...

"Inspiring, Patient and Understanding" - Julie Beisner

Have lessons with Deana. An inspiring, patient and understanding teacher. If you’ve always wanted to write a novel but all you see is a...

Musical Memoir Prompts

Use a playlist to tell your story. It's tricky knowing where and how to begin writing a memoir. What you shouldn't do, however, is write...

Get Ready To Write

Time for a writing warm-up session Haven't written for a few days? Not sure you're really feeling in the mood? Sometimes a little...

Travel Writer

Be inspired by new places and people I've recently returned from two wonderful weeks in India where I spent most of my time marvelling at...

"Deana is knowledgeable and insightful" - Olivia Crooks

Deana has been incredibly helpful in my writing journey. She has taken me back to basics, working to create good foundations so that I am...

"I would highly recommend Deana" - Leonie Whittingham

Joining Deana's class gave me the confidence and motivation to continue with creative writing. Her lessons are inspiring and interesting....

"Deana's feedback has been invaluable" - Jane Purdon

I’m currently working with Deana on my novel and her advice and feedback has been invaluable. She cuts to the heart of what’s going on...

"Deana is smart, experienced and knows how to turn a good manuscript into a great one" - Amy Susan Brown

Deana was invaluable to me as a developmental editor on my novel which is now being pitched to literary agents - because she helped make...

"Classes are fun, supportive yet challenging" - Vanessa Tenn

Deana demystifies the art of writing! Her bespoke group classes with a never ending array of topics have enabled me to extend my...

"Gently and persistently, Deana helped me complete my book" - Zelda Wilson

Deana is an encouraging coach - I wanted to give up many times, and gently and persistently she helped me complete my book. She is not...

Writing Prompts For The Week Ahead

Seven prompts to help you get into writing mode this week Write a paragraph (or more!) using each prompt as your first line. Even if you...

Picture Your Scene

Why Films Can Help You Write Your Novel Are you the kind of writer who visualises their chapter as though it were a scene in a film? I...

Thomas Hardy's Cottage

Visiting the Dorset home of one of my favourite authors. I was in Dorset last month and visited the cottage where Thomas Hardy was born...

Endings Matter

A great book needs a great ending I’ve just read two books, back-to-back, whose endings were terrible. This was entirely unexpected as...

Change Perspective

Approach your work differently to reach The End. Almost all writers get stuck at some point. Maybe, mid-way through a novel (or work of...

You Are Not A One-Book Wonder

Send your novel out into the world and begin writing your next. It’s almost a compulsion with writers to give a finished manuscript one...

How Do They Do It?

Attend an author event and pick up some writing tips. I love attending author talks as much as I love giving them. Not only do I enjoy...

Daydream to The End

Why daydreaming may help you finish your novel. I was on a train crossing London this morning, from north-east to south-west, a journey I...

Authentic, Intriguing and Likeable

How to create a character strong enough to carry a series. I’ve been reading a lot of Ann Cleeves’ Vera novels recently –...

Make Time For Marketing

Why every author needs to self-promote. I was speaking to a food entrepreneur – Griselda Soames – this week about how to run a successful...

Interview Your Characters

Keep asking your character questions until you are confident of the answers. As a journalist for over 25 years, I’ve interviewed a lot of...

Short Journaling

How a few lines a day can help you finish your novel. Authors are always told to keep a momentum going. ‘Write every day, even if it’s...

Meeting Anthony Horowitz

The joy of interviewing one of my murder mystery heroes. I was very fortunate to interview best-selling author Anthony Horowitz this week...

Find Your Inner Despot

The joy of writing despicable characters My Friday morning class is filled with brilliant writers who also happen to be some of the...

"Deana gives you confidence to be better every day" - Duncan Woodall

Deana is not only a wonderful writing teacher but, more importantly to me, a lot of fun and tremendously engaging. She energises you...

Portrait of a Character

Find your next protagonist in an art gallery. You need to be fascinated by people to write about them. You need to wonder about someone’s...

Raise The Stakes

Is your character suffering enough? Are you pushing your characters to their absolute limits? Or are they merely disappointed by the plot...

Dare To Be Different

Write something only you could write. According to Amazon, the three biggest selling works of fiction in the UK last year were Bonnie...

Non-Fiction Love

Why You Should Feature Facts This February. Maybe it’s time to write about love. It is February after all; it was Valentine’s Day...

My Favourite Bookshops

If ever you can't find me, this is where I'll be. I’ve always, always got the time for a bookshop. Even when I don’t. Surely, I think, as...

Who Do You Love?

Why Creating Characters You Love Will Help You Reach The End. Deciding to write a novel is a wonderful but huge undertaking. Yes, there...

Merry Christmas

Congratulations For Writing To The End. You made it! It’s almost the end of the year and you’ve written some amazing stories, brilliant...

Flash Fiction Fun

Making Every Word Count. I love Flash Fiction. I’m editing a 90K-word novel, so mixing things up a bit and writing something short,...

Write A Gift This Christmas

Stories, poems and memoirs make unique Christmas presents. If you’re wracking your brains trying to think of special presents for loved...

Write With Your Child

Share the wonder of storytelling. Writing is an extraordinary thing. Transformative, joyful, satisfying, calming, soothing, energising…...

Writing Course Gifts

The Gift That Keeps on Giving. Everyone has a story they’d like to tell. Often, when I tell people that I am an author and that I teach...

Giving Objects A Voice

Why talking statues or clocks can feature in even the grittiest of stories. Why wouldn’t a little dog ornament on my desk start chatting?...

Punctuation Matters

Why a line-by-line check of your manuscript is essential. Correct punctuation is crucial when you’re submitting a manuscript. It tells...

Does your story have legs?

When your mind is filled with multiple new characters, settings and plots, what should you write first? I expect that you are always...

Kill Your Darlings

When the killing part isn’t so easy. Every writer hears ‘Kill your darlings’ at some point, whether uttered by editors, agents, beta...

Creative Writing For Language Learners

Writing stories in a second language boosts confidence. One of my first jobs after university was to teach English in Japan. My students...

"Deana really encourages and inspires me" - Claire Moffett

I've been attending writing classes with Deana for over three years and I can honestly say that each week has been both different and...

Writing Non-Fiction

Non-fiction demands as much creativity and imagination as fiction When people are thinking about writing for the first time, I would say...

Summer Creativity

Give your creativity a boost and spend time outside. In summer my imagination goes onto overdrive. Stories, scenarios, settings and...

Writing Prompts

Give your writing muscles a proper workout. Part of my job as a creative writing teacher is coming up with writing prompts for each new...

Short Story, Novel, Play or Script?

Deciding on the best format for your brilliant idea. Everything you ever write begins life as a small idea of a place, a character, a...

The Isle of Wight Literary Festival

An unforgettable experience for me and my co-writer, Harry. There are so many things to love about being a writer, but my favourite...

"Deana's advice is invaluable" - James Male/ Martin M. Quint

I am very lucky to have found Deana. I was enthusiastically working on my first manuscript having a lovely time. Until I stopped and...

Interview with Niloufar Lamakan

The first-time novelist shares news of her competition win. In this blog, I’m going to celebrate the success of one of my long-time...