Naomi Jones: Writing Mentor
Your writing mentor, Naomi Jones
About Naomi
Naomi has over eight years’ experience working in children’s publishing. She began her career at Puffin (Penguin Random House) before moving to Orion, and then Hachette Children’s Group. Her previous experience as a Rights Manager brings invaluable insight into maximising a book’s sales potential and she has worked closely with both UK and international editors to develop a good knowledge of global publishing markets and trends. Naomi has a BA (Hons) in English Studies from the University of Nottingham and is a keen reader and writer.
Naomi’s own books are published by HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Oxford Children’s Books and Hachette Children’s Group in the UK and have been translated into 22 languages. In 2025 Naomi was shortlisted for the Ruth Rendell Award and in 2024 her picture book Thunderboots won the Reader’s Choice Award for Picture Books at the Diversity Awards, the Derby Picture Book Award and was also shortlisted for The Week Junior Awards.
Naomi has run an online course for Penguin Random House’s WriteNow scheme, been the children’s book reviewer for award winning family travel blog Mini Travellers and a long-listing judge and mentor for the Jericho Prize. Naomi has been working as a freelance editor and mentor helping other children’s writers to develop their manuscripts and craft for over eight years.
You can find Naomi on Instagram: @naomiandjamesjones
And on Substack: https://naomiandjamesjones.substack.com
Why Naomi loves mentoring
Have you written a picture book, or a children’s book and don’t know what to do next? Perhaps you want to know if it’s ready to submit to agents, or want to refine it before you self-publish? Or maybe you just need a sounding board to talk through how the publishing industry actually works? If so, I can help.
I’m an award-winning published author with eight years’ experience working in house for both Penguin Random House and Hachette Children’s Group. When I work with you, I’ll bring everything I’ve learned as a writer working with multiple editors plus my industry experience to help you shape your story and work towards your goals.
I share invaluable insider market knowledge with my mentees along with technical advice about their writing including structure, character development and voice.
One of the things I love about mentoring is that it is a bespoke service which can include written notes, Zoom calls, notes in tracked changes on a manuscript, and the answering of questions via emails depending on your needs. The back and forth of mentoring means I can look at multiple drafts of the same story, and I personally find it incredibly satisfying to see a writer’s progression as they put my advice into practice.
As a mentor, I aim to be honest, supportive and encouraging while offering constructive, practical feedback. I always let the writers I work with know what is working well in their manuscripts, as well as the areas which need further development.
If you want to work with a mentor who is positive, passionate (and knowledgeable) about children’s books and is determined to help you work towards your goals, then please do get in touch.
Why we love Naomi
At Jericho Writers, we’re a team of authors, just like you. Four of us are published by the Big 5, while others are deep in the writing process, honing our craft alongside the writers we support. We work with expert book coaches and carefully chosen mentors, selected for their ability to guide writers through every stage of their journey. It’s this approach that has helped countless authors launch their careers, sign with top literary agents, and even become Sunday Times Bestsellers.
With experience both from working within publishing as a Rights Manager and from approaching the industry as an author, Naomi’s unique perspective makes her a brilliant mentor to elevate your project into a marketable prospect. With an encouraging, positive outlook, Naomi can support you from the earliest stages of forming your ideas to the final polish and preparation for submission.
Why writers love working with Naomi
