Waiting Room
Literary Studio for Writers, Readers and Lit-Curious Minds
Bespoke Oxford-Style Literature Tutorials
Inspired by the Oxford tutorial system, Waiting Room offers individual consultations for writers, readers and lit-curious minds with expert one-to-one discussion, support and feedback from a former international literary agent and senior university lecturer.
Looking to develop your novel manuscript? Discuss and analyse a recent read or favourite author? Prepare a submission to literary agents? Curate a TBR list for the year ahead? Or build your own literature curriculum/course? Every tutorial is entirely bespoke, tailored to your own reading and writing needs.
As opportunities for sustained study in the arts and humanities become increasingly scarce and inaccessible, Waiting Room offers something rare: an invitation to pursue your own literary interests in your own way with expert guidance.
We must, to paraphrase Virginia Woolf, have a room of our ‘own’ if we are to write, read and think deeply.
It is in that spirit that the Waiting Room exists.
Meet the Founder and Tutor
Founded by Dr Amy Waite, a former Literary Agent and Senior Lecturer in English and Creative Writing, Waiting Room brings together publishing expertise, academic scholarship and a deep commitment to literary conversation and study.
I studied at the University of Oxford, completing my BA, MSt and DPhil in English Literature, and this is where my love of the individual tutorial was born: an educational model built on close reading, careful thinking and sustained individual discussion. It felt like (and was) such a privilege to sit in those wood panelled, book-lined rooms with dedicated experts and take the time to discover everything literature has to offer the world. And it struck me that this golden opportunity should be more widely accessible.
After completing my doctorate, keen to work directly with writers and storytellers, I started my career in publishing at Green and Heaton Literary Agency before securing a full literary agent position at Felicity Bryan Associates in Oxford, specialising in children’s and literary fiction. Working closely with authors at every stage of their careers, I developed manuscripts, advised on submissions and championed new voices, gaining first-hand insight into the publishing industry and the journey from manuscript to publication.
After several wonderful years agenting, I took up a research position at the University of Roehampton to further develop my own creative practice. And it is here that my love of teaching, together with a mission to offer alternative access opportunities for writers and readers, deepened. I worked for over a decade at Roehampton, as lecturer and senior lecturer in English and Creative Writing. My own writing is represented by the brilliant Hellie Ogden at WME Books (who, in a true full circle moment, was one of my first colleagues at Green and Heaton).
My profile spans publishing, academia, higher education and creative practice. First and foremost, I love sharing my knowledge and passion for all things literature with other writers, storytellers and readers. I also genuinely believe that taking the time to read, write and think deeply about literature is one of the most important things we can do, both for ourselves and for the world.
Waiting Room is product and proponent of that belief.
Request a
Tutorial
with Amy
To receive more information and sign up for an online tutorial with Amy, please fill out the contact form here. In your message, include as much detail as you can about how you might like to tailor your bespoke one-hour tutorial(s) - see suggestions below for inspiration.
Tutorials can be booked individually or in a bundle. Get in touch to discuss options further.
Services
Waiting Room is a literary consultancy that offers one-hour online tutorial slots for writers and readers. These can be booked individually or in a bundle. And the slots are entirely bespoke, designed to support your individual reading and writing needs.
How to use your tutorial(s)
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Receive manuscript appraisal and developmental edits
Get advice on submitting to agents
Gain insight into the publishing industry
Refine different aspects of craft and creative practice
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Learn more about your favourite author or recent reads
Build TBR lists based on interests/favourite genres/reading gaps
Start a one-to-one book club with enhanced learning opportunities
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Finally take that university-level literature course you always wished you had the time/money to take
Testimonials from Writers
“Amy was the first official person to read The Hawkweed Prophecy. Her notes were invaluable - always thoughtful, encouraging and insightful. She knew the genre far better than me so had a keen sense of what might sell, as well as more creative comments. She helped make my MS ready to send to publishers and, as a result, we had great success. I feel very lucky to have worked with her so early in the process."
— Irena Brignull, author of The Hawkweed Prophecy “It was an utter delight to work with Amy on my first children's novel. Her enthusiasm and insight were integral in sharpening and shaping the story, and she approached all aspects of the process of integrating a new writer into the world of publishing with sensitivity and intellect. I highly recommend her."
— Sharon Cohen, author of The Starman and Me “Amy saw the earliest drafts of The Girl of Ink and Stars, which were - to be frank - a mess. She helped me find the strands that were working, and showed me how to pull them together into a compelling and cohesive narrative. She was also very gentle when prising the strands that weren't working from my grasp! I highly recommend working with her if you want real insight into what makes your book unique, and the tools to make it the best it can be."
— Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink and Stars