Welcome to Wild Writing with Sanjida!
Hi there!
I’m Sanjida. I’m an award-winning writer (I’ve just won the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association Dagger!). I have written across multiple genres. So far I’ve had twelve books published - four psychological thrillers, plus four short thriller stories in anthologies (as Sanjida Kay), four non-fiction books and four literary, historical novels (as Sanjida O’Connell).
I’ve spent almost twenty years working as a journalist, writing newspaper and magazine feature articles on science and nature for most of our UK newspapers and some magazines, as well as being a columnist for BBC Wildlife, The Times and The Independent. Alongside my career in journalism, I was a TV producer/director and wildlife presenter for the BBC.
I love helping other writers improve and right now I’m focusing on mentoring writers and running writing workshops alongside my own writing - as well as running a rewilding project in Somerset!
‘Wild Writing with Sanjida is warm and practical blend of advice, realism and inspiration about fiction and non-fiction. Sanjida knows what she's writing about - and it shows!’
Substack bestseller
This Itch of Writing
Here’s what you’ll get if you join me!
Free Subscribers:
One or two free short newsletters a month, delivered directly to your inbox or Substack app.
One will be a Behind the Scenes post - a backstage pass to what it’s like to be a writer, which will include book recommendations as well as aspirational advice and creative exercises that I hope will be fun or thought-provoking, whether or not you want to be a writer.
One post might be a Wilderness Note, about the wildlife where I live and how my husband and I are helping nature to recover through our rewilding project. Think of them as your nature tonic for the month!
Coming soon - a podcast with leading wildlife experts whom I interviewed for the nature memoir I’m currently writing.
Posts like these:
Paid Subscribers £6 a month / £50 a year:
This is where you’ll have more access to me, articles, videos and podcasts on how to write . You’ll be able to read work before anyone else, as well as being part of a community of like-minded readers and writers.
Posts like these:
This is the first chapter of Wilderness:
You’ll receive:
Four to six newsletters a month delivered directly to your inbox every week. They will include:
The Process on the craft of writing. Right now I’ve just completed a series called How to Tell a Story on the nuts and bolts of writing a story, starting from a blank page and ending with a publishable piece of work. You’ll also have access to The Craft Review, where I review a book, then discuss one aspect of the craft involved and show how it works. Coming soon as a podcast.
My nature memoir, Wilderness: In Search of Belonging. This is the story of our rewilding project, and my search to discover where I, as a dual heritage child brought up in rural Britain belong - and indeed, what belonging means to us all.
Behind the Scenes: Full access to my writing life, extracts from the books I’m currently writing and recommendations for what to read, writing advice and creative writing or journalling tips.
A Wilderness Note, a short dispatch on the wildlife where we live and our rewilding project.
Complete access, giving you the ability to comment on anything, talk to me and our community.
Invitations to The Coffee House, where I’ll host writing workshops or a masterclass every month.
Bonus free short stories without having to buy the whole anthology.
Coming soon - a podcast about The Process and a podcast with leading wildlife experts whom I interviewed for my nature memoir.
In addition, as a paid subscriber, you have two more benefits:
You can come and stay with at our bespoke writing retreat, a guest suite at Wild Pinebeck in the heart of the Mendip hills and woodland in Somerset. It’s bookable via Airbnb. As a paid subscriber, you receive a 10% discount, as well as early check in, late out, and the opportunity to meet up with me for coffee and cake to talk about your writing (mentorship is an extra charge, see below). To receive the discount, check the dates on Airbnb and then message me first so I can apply the discount.
An hour-long online chat, or in person if you’re staying with us, at 10% discount on my normal mentorship rate. This includes reading up to 2000 words of your writing in advance.
Here’s what one of mentees wrote about my mentorship (he went on to receive a four book publishing deal):
‘Sanjida’s input was a real game changer for me. She was able to strip the manuscript back to it’s component parts, and gave me amazing insight into how each bit contributed, which ones were already strong, and more importantly, the aspects that could be be tightened up. It’s no coincidence that after dozens of rejections, I was picked up by an agent a few months after her help.’
Robert Scragg, author of What Falls Between the Cracks, the first in the Porter & Styles crime fiction series, published by Allison & Busby
PS You can opt in or out of The Process, Wilderness, and / or The Coffee House, if either the craft of writing, workshops and / or nature are not to your taste.
Book here (members will receive a link with the 10% discount added):
‘I love Sanjida's thoughtful nature writing, plus her warm-hearted and practical advice for writers.’
The Inkwell
Green Member £150 a year
This is your gold star backstage pass, and entitles you to all of the above, plus
one hour virtual meeting with me to talk about your writing, including reading up to 2000 words in advance (worth £150).
a signed copy of one of my books.
‘Thank you so much for being there from the beginning of my journey with The Million Pieces of Neena Gill – for all your valuable feedback, your time, your support and belief in me. I couldn’t have done it without you.’
Emma Smith-Barton, The Million Pieces of Neena Gill, published by Penguin
My short story, Grace’s Cave, is out on Radio 4 if you’d like to listen to it here.
And if you’d prefer it read it, it’s one of the bonus stories for members, but I’m sharing it with you here.
If all of that sounds good, then please sign up!
I can’t wait to meet you, and thank you for supporting my writing - and your own writing!
Sanjida x
I’m on Instagram here, you can buy my thrillers here, my books here, or check out my website here.
PS If you’re a student, you can have a 20% discount as long as you sign up using your school or university email address. Here’s your student discount code:
