James has taught since 2005 on the Oxford University MSt in creative writing, and was head of examinations there for three years. He has been External Examiner on many courses, including the top-ranked MA in creative writing at UAE.
From 2022, James offers private tuition/mentorship to writers. Here are some things his former students and fellow-tutors have said about him:
James Hawes was the first person who made me believe that I could write. His confidence in a new Creative Writing student who didn’t get to University until she was 51, made all the difference and helped me realise my ambitions.
James Hawes is an outstanding Creative Writing tutor, and I can best describe why by describing what he does not do, as well as what he does. He does not mislead with false positives. He does not dissect the text like a copy editor. He has the gift of seeing how a piece of writing can be made to work better, and in my experience this is rare indeed. If something is wrong, he will say why it is wrong, and offer suggestions on putting it right, but leave it to the writer to make decisions on his or her own work. In other words, James encourages the development of the writer’s own critical faculties, which in my opinion is the only way to becoming a better writer.
James Hawes was the right tutor at the right time for me. Just as I was working on the MS for my first novel, The Well, he gave me the confidence I needed to keep going, but also the challenge I needed to revisit and redraft. With disarming humour, he was always able to deliver difficult news about shortcomings in my writing in a way that made it almost palatable; it's equally true that he clearly derived a great deal of pleasure from getting to know his students as individuals and revelled in any success they might achieve. The writing tasks he set often took us to the edge of our writing comfort zone, which is how it should be. A lot of writing is about hard graft. Somehow James made that fun.
Beyond James' boundless enthusiasm for literature there's a depth of knowledge that's so valuable to any student of creative writing. What's more, he's intent on drawing out and nurturing the talents of new writers.
James Hawes had faith in my writing that I, with five abandoned manuscripts and hundreds of rejections, had completely lost. Under his guidance my historical writing moved from clunky and over researched to trim and exciting – so much so that it snagged a top London agent and clinched a two-book publishing deal. I feel privileged that James continues to champion my writing career, and his many words of wisdom remain with me to this day.
I have had the pleasure of not only being one of James Hawes's MA students in creative writing at Oxford Brookes University, but have also benefited from his critical and creative advice as my PhD supervisor. He instinctively knows what will make a truly great piece of writing, and is passionate about helping others develop their skills. A great mentor, teacher and character who will make you glad you joined his course!
How to sum up James Hawes in words? Having worked with him for over a decade, I could start by saying that as a teacher he is substantial, compassionate, attentive and knowledgeable. I would add that both in – and out – of the classroom, he is infectiously good-natured and humorous. Put all that together with his acute intellect and experience and it creates an environment where people feel both safe and, at the same time, willing to be challenged, to take risks with their work and learn, not just from him, but from one another. Creative writing doesn't come much better than that.
Since 2009, I've worked repeatedly with James Hawes at the Creative Writing department at Oxford Brookes University. His passion for writing of all genres, acute criticism of manuscripts and effervescent personality make him brilliantly suited to running a creative writing house. Enjoy!
The way James works with you – time-frame, online or in person, conditions, fees and suchlike – is agreed individually, once he has seen a sample of your writing.
He will only take on writers who he feels he can genuinely help towards completing a work, getting an agent, and publication.
This may mean that you already have a substantial project well in hand and in need of a final push to get you over the line – but it could equally mean that you have an idea you're excited about, still at a very early stage: James believes, on the basis of experience, that he can quickly tell whether a writer and their idea have what it takes, and what they need.
You can get in touch via the details in the Contact section.