Parent problems no.198 You send two perfectly healthy children to school. You open your laptop. The phone rings. “Yeah, erm, your son just ran face first into a tree. Please can you pick him up?” 🫠

I really like the ‘Quiet Place’ films. But when I watch them, I can never get the thought out of my head that the moment one of them farts in their sleep it’s game over.

I’ve written a blog post with productivity tips for autistic writers: www.clairebentley.co.uk/post/product... At the moment the post is mostly based on personal experience and the experience of my autistic / ADHD / AuDHD friends, but I want to do a much deeper dive into the topic in the future!

I feel this deeply

She's right, you know? 🤔 Read more, think more, hate less.

As a writer and fiction editor, it’s my professional opinion that the world would be a much better place if people took up reading and critical thinking as hobbies, rather than racism.

Just letting you know that I only have 3 full-novel editing slots left in 2026! - 1 in June due to cancellation - 1 in October - 1 in November My credentials, prices, testimonials etc are on my website. I’m opening bookings for 2027 soon 🙂

I’m shocked and horrified to report that writing more often is actually helping me get more writing done 😱

I’m a writer and editor. Months ago, after lots of research and soul-searching, I made the conscious and informed decision that I would not use generative AI in any part of my business. Today, I stand by that decision. I’m doubling down on being human!

Me: I’m a writer and editor. I’m good with words . Also me, upon rereading my first draft: ‘… the warmth and softness of soft skin…’

Would you like to sign up for my free newsletter? 🙂 You get: 10% off my editorial services. Free guide to common ‘mistakes’ I see in manuscripts. Updates on writing and editing life: from a tired, left-wing mum with an over-dependence on coffee and sarcasm. www.clairebentley.co.uk/newsletter

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it’s ok if you’re a slow writer 💜 Yesterday I questioned why I can’t just draft a novel in a month, when one of the answers to that question was literally wrapping his little arms around my head and trying to lick my hair. Slow progress is still progress 💪

My 9yo son is outlining a novel 🙂 He wants the story to feature a society which has overcome the threat of climate change, and in which everyone has ‘food and green spaces’. His writer-and-editor mum is very proud 🥹

Well, looks like I’ve been ghosted after delivering a sample edit. The author-editor relationship is important. If you don’t think we’d be a good fit, or if you decide to go with a different editor, then please let me know! My sample edits are free, and it stings to do one and then hear nothing 😞

Happy Tuesday! (If such an event is possible 🙃) Are you looking for a freelance fiction editor? I’m trained, CIEP-registered, and an ALLi partner member. I offer free sample edits. I DO NOT use gen-AI. Prices are listed on my website. Please get in touch if you’re interested 🙂

Good morning to everyone except billionaires, fascists, and my autism / anxiety, which decided that I needed to spend the night mentally re-reading and second-guessing every email I’ve ever sent in my life.

In some writing sessions the words flow out of my fingertips, and I can get 2000 words written as easily as blinking 🙂 In other writing sessions I feel like I’m carving each word out of my brain, and I have to fight for every one of the 500 words I end up with 🥴

Suddenly remembered the time I asked my then-3yo son what he wanted to be when he grew up. He couldn’t decide whether he wanted to be a Mini Cheddar, a train track, or a beard.

As a freelance developmental editor, there are some issues which come up over and over again in authors’ manuscripts. I’ve put together a free guide on these common ‘mistakes’, which you can get by signing up for my newsletter 🙂

After recent discourse about books supposedly not being political, I’m just going to drop this here… www.clairebentley.co.uk/post/books-a...

How it feels having to carry on working, parenting, and running a household in the context of *gestures at the entire world*

It’s a warm and sunny day in Yorkshire. My kids are with their grandparents for the day 🙂 I’m using the time to do two sample edits, finish a scene in my own manuscript, and begin fiction coaching training. I’m incredibly lucky to be doing a job that I love. I will never take that for granted 💜

Actual footage of my manuscript whenever my kids are off school.

April Fool’s Day seems a little pointless when the true state of the world is more absurd than the lies.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that when you’re a parent-writer with writing time planned, your delightful little cherub(s) will get sick 😞

As a UK-based writer and editor, I feel it is my professional duty to inform you that ‘trump’ is a synonym for ‘fart’ in the UK.

Typo spotted in the first draft of my novel: “Option two is to tell someone, and spend the rest of my life as a lad rat.”

Are you looking for a freelance fiction editor? 🙂 I’m trained and CIEP-registered, I’m an ALLi partner member, and I offer free sample edits. And I’m a writer myself 😅 Prices are on my website. I still have slots available from June 2026, so please get in touch if you’re interested 🙂

👋 Hello! I’m a writer and freelance fiction editor based in Yorkshire, England. I’m autistic. I’m a mum. I’m also fiercely left-wing and anti-fascist: books are inherently political, after all! Nice to meet you, and hope you have a great Friday 🙂

Parent-writer hack: Suggest a game of hide and seek. When they’re hiding, sneak away to your laptop and type some words. Remember to call out ‘oh no, I can’t find you’ every so often. When you’re hiding, take your laptop to a good hiding spot and try not to type too loudly.

I know lots of writers can’t afford a fiction editor. I also know lots of writers struggle with knowing where to start when editing their novel. I have a free ‘common mistakes I see in manuscripts’ guide for newsletter subscribers 🙂 You can sign up here: www.clairebentley.co.uk/newsletter

One of my favourite parts of editing is leaving positive comments in the manuscript 🙂 - I love this! - I just snort-laughed. - Nooooooooo! - I just spat out my coffee (in a good way). - I officially love this character, and now I need all their merch. Authors need to know what IS working too!

Current mood:

It’s Mother’s Day in the UK on Sunday. This mother’s wish list is short: 1. Books 2. Everyone on the planet to live in peace, safety and happiness: regardless of their nationality, race, sex, gender, sexuality, age, abilities, religion etc. 3. Sushi

I’m fully booked until June, but if you’re looking for a freelance fiction editor for 2026 then please let me know 🙂 - Trained - CIEP-registered - ALLi partner member - I don’t use gen-AI - Free sample edits - Info and prices are on my website

On some mornings my phone’s Face ID doesn’t recognise me. In case anyone is wondering what parenting is like.

Yesterday, I added 2500 words to my manuscript 🙂 I was at a difficult point in the story, but I fought for every single one of those words, and they ended up halfway decent (helped along by copious caffeine and lots of swear words). Gen-AI could never.

Don’t worry if your author newsletter is ‘small’! Mine is too. The number ‘35’ seems small on-screen. But when I imagine 35 people gathered in a room - 35 people who (hopefully!) like what I do and who want to hear from me - that’s actually amazing! And I appreciate every person in that room.

It’s World Book Day in the UK tomorrow, and my kids are getting ready to celebrate! However, I’m also feeling sad. Every child in the world should be living in safety, and having their needs met, and going to school, and getting to dress up as their favourite story characters.

It’s true: real life is stranger and more illogical than fiction. For example, in fiction, if a group of people wiped out many thousands who happened to be living on land they coveted, and/or were involved in the rape and torture of children, then they would generally be considered the villains.

This might be controversial, but it’s still true: Books, reading and writing are inherently political. www.clairebentley.co.uk/post/books-a...

Happy Friday! I still have editing slots available from June 2026 🙂 I’m trained, CIEP-registered, and an ALLi partner member. I offer free sample edits. I have discounts for newsletter subscribers and members of marginalised communities. Prices are on my website. Please get in touch 🙂

“I used to wait for the explosion, the big crash, the sudden chaos that would destroy the neighborhood. Instead, things are unraveling, disintegrating bit by bit.” Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower. It punched me in the gut when I first read it, and it hits even harder now.

Got my first short story rejection of 2026 🙂 Yes, I’m smiling about it. First, because it was a personalised one. Second, because I don’t see rejections as ‘failures’. They’re necessary and important steps on the long, winding road of fiction writing. And I’m so happy to be on this road 🙂

I’ve been quiet on here lately (still lurking occasionally). School holidays plus back-to-back editing deadlines have kept me very busy! Normal service will resume next week, i.e. writing, editing, reading, parenting, autism, and being Radical Left Scum 🙂

Dear writers If you’ve written 20k words (or more) in 2026, I’m cheering for you! If you’ve written 10k words, I’m cheering for you! If you’ve written 2k words, I’m cheering for you! If you’ve written 100 words, I’m cheering for you! If you’ve written 0 words, I’m still cheering for you!

Are you looking for a freelance fiction editor? I’m a member of CIEP and ALLi, and I have free sample edits 🙂 my rates and other info are on my website. There is an extra 10% off for newsletter subscribers and members of marginalised communities. www.clairebentley.co.uk/work-with-me

Don’t worry if your first draft is messy! I, a writer and freelance fiction editor, just found out that I gave the same first name to two different side characters in my draft. And I didn’t spot it for weeks. First drafts are allowed to be messy. Their role is to exist, not to be perfect 😅

As a writer and editor, it’s my professional opinion that humanity would be in a much better position if more people had reading as a hobby. Seems like a healthier and more enjoyable option than bigotry.

My 9yo made this picture. He asked me to put it on social media ‘so all the grown-ups will see it and will stop climate change’. I’m so proud of how kind, smart and creative he is. I’m also heartbroken that he’s scared of where humanity is heading.