Trisha Sakhlecha

Trisha Sakhlecha is the critically acclaimed author of two psychological thrillers, ‘Your Truth or Mine?’ and ‘Can You See Me Now?’, published by Pan Macmillan. 

Trisha’s writing has been compared to that of Salman Rushdie, been praised by award-winning authors and reviewed in the Sunday Times, the Times, Guardian, the Herald, Harper’s Bazaar, Daily Mail and more. She’s been on panels at festivals and events and spoken about her work and the importance of representation on BBC Radio 4 Open Book, BBC Radio Kent & Talk Radio.  

Trisha enjoys crime, thriller and upmarket women’s fiction and has particular interest in novels featuring complex female protagonists and diverse stories. Trisha grew up in New Delhi and now lives in London. 

Specialises in: Psychological suspense/thriller, crime, upmarket women’s fiction. 

Trisha provides tuition for our Mentoring Service.

One of the questions I get asked most frequently about writing has to do with endurance. How do you keep going when the plot of your novel feels elusive, the writing arduous and you have no idea if the story you’re telling is true to the fresh, original premise you started with? I get it. Writing a novel is not only an act of faith but one of resilience and contrary to popular belief, there are very few writers who can work entirely in isolation. At some point, we all need objective feedback and sound advice and I know first-hand the difference a supportive voice can make when the doubts start to creep in. 

There’s nothing I find more rewarding than working with other writers to untangle the different elements of their novel to get to the heart of the story. It’s a privilege to step inside another writer’s fictional world, to examine with them the endless possibilities of plot and the slipperiness of character motivations, and I take the responsibility that comes with that privilege seriously. In our very first conversation, I’ll ask you about your goals and ambitions for your work-in-progress as well as your writing career as a whole. Whether your goal is to improve your craft, land a traditional publishing deal or simply to finish your draft in the most honest, enjoyable and fulfilling way, we’ll identify your ambition from the outset and structure the mentoring sessions in a way that works best for you and your writing dreams. 

As a mentor, my approach is warm, encouraging, helpful and honest. I’m generous in sharing my own experience and throughout our time together, I’ll challenge you to think clearly about the choices you make in your work. In one session, I might help you brainstorm plot points and character motivations. In another, we might look at structural choices or tackle the more practical aspects of pitching to agents and publishers. Irrespective of the main focus of our session, I’ll do my best to keep you motivated and if you’re the kind of writer who likes deadlines (not all writers do!), I’ll help you set targets and keep you accountable. 

I read widely and I’m entrenched in the publishing industry. If you’re interested in the traditional publishing route, I can help you think about your novel the way an agent or publisher might while remaining true to your voice and premise. My feedback on your work-in-progress will always be constructive, practical and honest and you’ll walk away from our sessions with some new exciting ideas to play with. 

I love character-driven novels with a strong sense of place and I’m a big champion for diverse narratives and characters. If you write crime, thriller, literary or women’s fiction and you enjoy stories that combine emotional and psychological depth with a page-turning plot, I might be the mentor for you.