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Under her pen name Sophie King, Jane has written best-sellers including ‘The School Run’. She’s also a freelance journalist for major UK magazines and newspapers, and enjoys advising budding writers.
As a freelance writer, I contribute to: • Woman (weekly parenting page for six years) • The Times (regular features) • Daily Telegraph (regular Saturday column) • Daily Express • Country Homes • OK • Good Housekeeping • Family Circle • Woman's Weekly • I also wrote a weekly celebrity page for OK! magazine, called Family Album.
As a freelance writer, I have also had considerable experience in editing and commissioning.
My teaching experience other than that listed in my ‘Experience’ includes; teaching school workshops on creative writing; teaching English as a foreign language to mature students; on-line tutoring course in writing short stories for a literary consultancy; and as a private tutor in novel and short story writing.
I’ve spoken at the Kingston Literary Festival, the Gerrards Cross Literary Festival and the Winchester Literary Festival.
I run a critique service for manuscripts, and can offer these services through Greatvine also.
I am a member of the following: NUJ; Society of Women Writers and Journalists; Women in Journalism; Freelance Media Group (I run this with another journalist and organise monthly speakers from the media); The Romantic Novelists Association; Society of Authors.
Hello! My name is Jane Bidder. I’ve been a journalist for over 25 years and contribute regularly to national newspapers and magazines including The Daily Telegraph and Woman. I also write novels, using the pen name Sophie King, and my two previous books, The School Run and mums@home (published by Hodder & Stoughton) were described as bestsellers. My new novel is called Second Time Lucky (also published by Hodder & Stoughton) and is about four people who start life again in different ways.
I’ve had hundreds of short stories published in magazines such as Woman's Weekly and My Weekly as well as non-fiction books for both adults and children. I tutor in creative writing and have also led several writing workshops. I was the winner of the Elizabeth Goudge Short Story Trophy in 2005 as well as a runner up in the Harry Bowling Prize, and have appeared on breakfast television and radio including Woman's Hour. I am a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, Women in Journalism, the Society of Women Writers and Journalists and the National Union of Journalists. I am the writer in residence at a high-security male prison and lecture in creative writing for a local college and Oxford University. In addition, I am a tutor for Writers’ News Writing Magazine.
"Excellent and pertinent advice given by Jane. Detailed critique in a limited time means I know what to do to increase my chances of acceptance in the competitive short story market. Two colleagues have already expressed an interest in Greatvine's services"
Helen
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