English and Related Literature
- Department of English and Related Literature
- About us
- Writing at York
- Getting help with your writing
Getting help with your writing
The Department of English has developed a range of simple resources to help anyone improve the quality of their writing. The advice is intended not just to help with academic work but also fiction, journalism and all forms of prose.
There are also a range of other options available at the Department to help you improve your writing.
Writing Resources to help you improve your writing
Book an appointment with the University Writing Centre
The Writing and Skills Centre is a free service, based in the Harry Fairhurst Building (LFA/102), open to all undergraduate and taught postgraduate students interested in discussing and developing their academic writing.
They offer one-to-one appointments during which they help you work on all aspects of academic writing. They are open throughout the Easter holiday period via online support.
Book an appointment
Support for students with specific learning difficulties
, 19kb)Royal Literary Fund Fellow
Mark Illis writes novels for adults and teenagers, and has written extensively for television. His new novel for teens, Running Away for Beginners (Scholastic), is published in March 2024. This follows The Impossible (Quercus 2017), which won a Northern Writers’ Award and was optioned for TV, and its sequel, The Impossible: On The Run (2018). Mark has had nine novels published in total, beginning with A Chinese Summer (Bloomsbury, 1988). His most recent novels for adults are Tender (Salt, 2009), and The Last Word (Salt, 2011), which was short-listed for the Portico prize. His short stories have been published widely in magazines and anthologies, and he has been short-listed for the Whitbread Young Writers’ Prize, the Bristol Short Story Prize and the Bridport Prize. Mark’s TV work includes EastEnders, The Bill, Peak Practice, Emmerdale and Jamie Johnson, and he has had a number of ideas for original TV series in development. He also wrote the screenplay for a romantic zombie movie, which won the Best Screenplay award at the Bram Stoker International Film Festival.
Mark is available to help students with their academic writing. Whether you’re staring at a blank page, or you aren’t sure how to improve an almost-finished essay, Mark can help with planning, structure, grammar, analytical skills and more. Mark is also happy to help with creative writing, where it’s part of your course work. You can book an appointment of up to fifty minutes at the following times:
Semester 1
In Weeks 1-11, and also in weeks beginning 8th, 15th, and 22nd January 2024:
Mondays: from 10.00 to 13.00, and from 14.00 to 17.00
Tuesdays: from 09.00 to 12.00, and from 13.00 to 16.00
Semester 2
In Weeks 1-11, and also in weeks beginning 13th, 20th, and 27th May 2024
Mondays: from 10.00 to 13.00, and from 14.00 to 17.00
Tuesdays: from 09.00 to 12.00, and from 13.00 to 16.00
To book an appointment please email Mark at Mark.Illis@rlfeducation.org.uk
Please note that appointments will normally be face-to-face, but Mark has some remote availability for students who have a compelling reason not to be able to come to campus.
The Royal Literary Fund Fellows' office is D/L/140, Derwent L Block.
Please note that there is sometimes a great demand for these meetings. Be sure that when you make an appointment you are able to keep it.
A student perspective
Hear from some students about how working with the Royal Literary Fund Fellows improved their writing.
FellowshipsStudentPerspective from Royal Literary Fund on Vimeo.