The Book Whisperers is a community of people that helps writers of all kinds to self-publish their work. We have partnered with them on several occasions to help people with assisted memoir writing or to help publish books of poetry or children’s books. We spoke to Mary Turner Thomson, one of the group’s founders and Managing Director of the social enterprise.
What gave you the idea to create The Book Whisperers?
In March 2020, when we knew we were going into lockdown, I sat down with a couple of my author friends and discussed what we could do to help our community. We figured – as authors and publishers – the thing we really could do was to help people spend the time in lockdown writing that book they had always thought of doing. So we created a website, and a free Facebook group, alongside three basic six-week courses in writing.
We put out a call to our friends saying, “If you want to write a book, now might be the time to do that, come and join us to learn how!” We thought about twenty people would join us. Within a week we had about one thousand members.
What services do you provide? How does it work?
We provide whatever the client needs to get going – whether that is brainstorming ideas, writing coaching, ghost writing, editing, layout/design, or publishing support. So it all depends on what the client needs.
So is it mostly for experienced writers?
Not at all. It’s for everyone, at any point in the journey.
How did you and Future Pathways find each other?
Future Pathways heard about what we were doing, so they came to us and said, “We’re working with someone who wants to write his life story.”
My colleague Lea Taylor – Creative Director of The Book Whisperers – worked with him. She would interview him, then write up the note, using his voice and turn of phrase to ensure authenticity. She’d then show him the notes and they’d work on them together. By the end of the process he had a completed biography in his hands.
He said: “Her way of thinking, putting words on a page, forming a sentence – helping me to express myself on all aspects of my life. I never expected this amount of help. To this day I thank my ghostwriter helper and would highly recommend anyone taking one on. Seeing the finished product in print was unbelievable. I had started a project and finished it. When I got my book, I sat down and read it. It made me cry and made me happy and it made me laugh. The combination of all these aspects of a man’s life, everything looked as if my life, all the pieces, slipped into place and at the end of these weary days I’m a very happy chappy.”
Picture above: Lea Taylor (left) and Mary Turner Thomson (right), Directors of the Book Whisperers
Have you worked with many Future Pathways people since then?
Yes, we have been very lucky to work with quite a few. Every story is different. Even if the client wants a private book for their family and friends (rather than published book for the general public) it is still a very good process to go through.
Do you think that even just the process of writing can be therapeutic?
Absolutely, in lots of ways. Writing helps with communication, self-esteem, self-confidence, concentration, life expectancy, all sorts of things. The benefits – of writing and reading – are absolutely massive, not just for mental health but physical health as well. As you can tell, I’m quite passionate about the subject!
Finally, what are your future plans for The Book Whisperers?
We want to build up the platform, and get a lot of people onto it. By doing that we will be able to source new authors who can work with us. So when people come to us and want to write any particular kind of book, we’ll have an author who specialises in that.
We also want to do writing courses for existing authors and writers, and we’re thinking about doing writing retreats. So we’ve got great plans.
Honestly, it’s my dream job. If I won the lottery, I would still carry on doing this. When you’re doing a job that you love so much you wouldn’t stop even if you become a millionaire, that’s when you know you’re doing the right thing with your life.
Interested in writing? Check out The Book Whisperers’ Top Three Tips for writing your first book.
You can find out more about the project at thebookwhispererscommunity.com.
For a full list of who we work with, visit our Delivery Partners page.
The Moira Anderson Foundation (MAF) serves Scotland from its base in North Lanarkshire. The organisation provides safety and support for adults and children affected by childhood sexual abuse. MAF was one of the first organisations to work with Future Pathways since we began in 2016.
The Foundation offers individual care and support to survivors and their families. It seeks to reduce the impact of trauma in their lives. The Foundation builds trust with survivors. It offers a range of therapeutic services in a safe and caring environment.
The Foundation has a range of different services, including:
Counselling and therapies
These can include talking therapy, youth counselling, art therapy and creative play.
Training and workshops
Their ‘Safe Hands’ training helps to promote personal safety strategies for everyone. The Foundation also does presentations in schools and other places to raise awareness.
Positive Steps
This is a dedicated programme to support adult clients with long-term health problems.
Glasgow Satellite Service (GSS)
This provides support for people in the Glasgow area at different locations, like GP services.
You can find out more about the work of the Moira Anderson Foundation at: www.moiraanderson.org
Visit our Delivery Partners page to see the full list of who we work with.
Birthlink currently work with Future Pathways to provide a service to individuals who have registered with us. Birthlink help people who are looking for support to access care records, learn more about their family histories, and/or make contact with family members.
Adults who have been in care can have similar needs to people who were adopted, perhaps with issues of identity or looking for more information about their origins and extended family.
Birthlink are able to provide the following support services:
Records
Birthlink can help to try and locate care files and support individuals with the reading and understanding of these records.
Roots
Birthlink have skilled searchers who can search public records to compile family trees.
Re-connect
Birthlink can act as a go-between in making contact with family members.
Cathy’s story shows how Birthlink can support people:
(Names have been changed)
Future Pathways referred Cathy to Birthlink
Future Pathways referred Cathy to Birthlink for support with accessing her care records. Cathy lives with a degenerative health condition and is currently receiving palliative care. She wanted to understand her past in care better, and she hoped that accessing her records would enable her to apply for an advance Redress payment.
Birthlink contact Cathy to give her more information
Her Support Coordinator contacted Birthlink directly to make the referral. Birthlink then contacted Cathy to discuss her record search request and to let her know that it could take some time to find the information she was looking for. Cathy’s Support Coordinator then spoke with Birthlink to explain the context of Cathy’s request since the Advance Payment Scheme was coming to an end in only two weeks. The Support Coordinator felt that Birthlink understood Cathy’s needs immediately: they expedited the process of seeking Cathy’s care records as much as possible while keeping both Cathy and her Support Coordinator aware of their progress.
Birthlink gave Cathy proof of her care status
Less than 48 hours later, Birthlink provided Cathy with proof of her care status. These records were provided to the advance Redress payment scheme and Cathy was awarded an advance payment of £10,000.
Birthlink will continue to support Cathy
This has opened up new opportunities for Cathy, who has decided to use some of this money to book a trip to London, a city she has always wanted to visit but never been able to. Cathy is working with her Support Coordinator to plan this trip around her health and mobility needs. Birthlink have followed up with Cathy to see if she needs any further support after receiving her care records and they continue to seek further care records for Cathy to help her learn more about her past in care.
