Catherine Sinclair is a former senior editor at Faber & Faber and current director of a prestigious UK creative writing programme, specialising in literary fiction, narrative structure, and publishing industry navigation. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and editorial certifications from the Publishing Training Centre. With 17 years spanning Big Five publishing and academia, she guides writers from manuscript development through to successful agent submission.
Catherine Sinclair has shaped the careers of numerous literary voices while developing deep expertise in both the craft of fiction and the commercial realities of contemporary publishing. Her career began after completing the renowned MA in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia, where she studied under prize-winning novelists who emphasised rigorous craft alongside artistic vision. She joined Faber & Faber as an editorial assistant and rose to senior editor over twelve years, acquiring and developing literary fiction across genres and learning precisely why beautifully written manuscripts continue to receive form rejections despite winning workshop praise. Catherine understands the structural problems that plague ambitious fiction: subplots that feel like distractions, world-building that reads like medieval theme parks, and dialogue where every character sounds identical despite different backgrounds. She now directs a creative writing programme while maintaining relationships with literary agents and independent presses, giving her current insight into query letter conventions, submission timing to avoid August holidays and January backlogs, and the genuine differences between Big Five imprint deals and indie press partnerships. Her teaching covers both formal verse technique—why children remember nursery rhymes but forget prose—and the commercial positioning required to avoid the automatic rejection triggered by claiming to be the next Sally Rooney. Catherine writes to help serious writers understand that craft and market awareness are complementary rather than opposing forces.