Consultancy
Idea Workshop and Writing Critique
In addition to my own publishing and media work, I help people evaluate and workshop their prose, and I help writers develop and produce proposals of all kinds: articles, books, websites, films, radio and television shows. I don’t only assist with structure and style; I assist with specific idea-creation and exploration. Virtually all subjects interest me, particularly those that intersect with the mind, which, actually, is all of them. This website is my portfolio; the testimonials below list some of the people I’ve helped. Submit your project for close analysis and judicious concept-seasoning. Critiques can be done via email, telephone, Skype, or in person.
Proposals and Manuscripts
I charge $70 an hour for all reading and evaluation. The latter usually consists of both a written assessment and a follow-up discussion.
Contact information here.
Testimonials
For reviews of my writing, click here.
“Jeff Warren doesn’t think straight. Turns out, that’s a really, really good thing. He comes at ideas like a heat-seeking missile, dodging obstacles and heading directly for the warm, beating heart of the issue. If you’ve read his work, you already know that he’s practically reinvented science writing as an intensely personal, ever-shifting dramedy. If a little of that Warren magic rubs off on your own ideas – and indeed, it shall – you’re already winning the battle against flabby, out-of-shape, slovenly conceptual thinking. Use him.”
– Richard Poplak, author of The Sheikh’s Batmobile and Ja, No, Man and Kenk: A Graphic Portrait.
“Jeff is a one man-brainstorming partner. If you feel stuck, or want to move an idea along, Jeff can be of great assistance. His mind sizzles; he has mental verve and energy. He also is able to play Mr. Big Picture: he sees where you’re going and he helps guide your thoughts into a larger context. When you meet Jeff, you can’t help flipping ideas about like mental flapjacks. Working with him is not only useful– it’s downright fun.”
- Richard Handler, producer, CBC Radio Ideas; “Ideas guy” columnist, CBCNEWS.ca
“Jeff has a unique blend of high rationalism and broad empathy. His reporting from the frontiers – of brain science, of our relationship to other species, of the ability of humans to grow – is brave and curious. He’s a writer and intellectual adventurer, not a specialist in any particular field; his gifts as a communicator help us see the ‘big picture’ and bridge culture to science.”
- Marni Jackson, former Chair of Literary Journalism at Banff Center; former editor Walrus magazine; author of The Mother Zone and Pain: The Fifth Vital Sign.
“I spoke with Jeff regularly during the original conception of my book, the development of the proposal, and then while writing the rough draft. Not only had he been through all these hoops before and thus could offer first hand experience, but his unparalleled brainstorming abilities and capacity for thinking laterally across all fields of arts and sciences helped me widen the scope of what my project could be. Which in turn, was invaluable in helping me choose the direction I wanted it to go. Hire Jeff. And bring a tape recorder. He talks fast when excited, and he’s usually excited.”
-Micah Toub, Globe and Mail columnist, author of forthcoming Growing up Jung.
“I’ve worked with Jeff on several film projects now and he never ceases to impress me with his ability rip through complicated material and synthesize it into something accessible and magnetically interesting. Although his personal writing style is entirely original, he can adapt it to any medium or approach with apparent ease. Jeff has the improvisational skills of an expert jazz musician and the patience of a Buddhist monk. He can latch onto your inspiration and turbo boost it to new levels. I can say with the utmost sincerity that I wish I could install a Jeff Warren chip in my brain.”
-Adam Gray, ParaDocs Productions.
“Jeff is the first person I go to when I need encouragement or guidance with something I am working on. He has an almost supernatural ability to reveal the latent possibilities of a project, however developed it might be, and the intellectual rigor and imagination to see how it can actually happen. Talking to Jeff, I am always struck, not only by his eloquence, but by the agility and incisiveness of his mind. Forget about “creative consultant.” The man is a tempest of creativity and his energy will carry you further than you’d imagined you could go.”
- Erik Rutherford, founder Ryeberg.com
“Talking to Jeff, like reading his work, is always a rewarding experience, and particularly if you’ve reached a point of confusion in something you’re working on. Ideas bubble up, both during the conversation and later on, and the right kind of excitement is generated — meaning the useful kind, the kind that gets you re-energized, helps you collect scattered thoughts, and then lets you switch yourself back onto the right track.”
- Tony Hiss, author of In Motion: The Experience of Travel and The Experience of Place
“I have worked with many freelance contributors to Ideas during my career. Working with Jeff was one of the best experiences I have ever had. His skills in script writing and his sense of documentary composition are impeccable. He’s a real talent. Jeff has a brilliant, curious and restless mind. He is an adventurer and an explorer. He is deeply committed to exploring and popularizing ideas.”
-Bernie Lucht, Executive Producer of CBC Radio’s Ideas and Tapestry
“Jeff Warren has proven to be a valuable source of inspiration for me as I write my current book. He is a highly creative thinker and has the gift of being able to express and detail exactly what writing techniques and styles will improve a work. Because Jeff is both intelligent and intuitive, his comments are deep, authentic and enormously helpful for a writer seeking a broad audience. I highly recommend Jeff as someone who can expertly assess creative ideas, writing style, technique and fluidity. He has the ability to get an idea that is in your head on to paper, with success.”
-Mary Paterson, author of the forthcoming The Greening of the Soul.
“Jeff Warren is one of the most interesting thinkers going. That would be enough for most people, but not Jeff, who combines his deep idea-sowing with great ability as a storyteller. Few writers of narrative nonfiction can present complicated ideas more accessibly. He cuts through scholarly jargon like a razor, baring the truth. Use his rare talents while you have the chance.”
- John Geiger, Editorial Board Editor at The Globe and Mail, author of Frozen in Time and The Third Man Factor.
“When I started The Current, Jeff was one of the first hires, and one of the best. He constantly brought innovation to the program. He could be a journalist without being confined by the tropes of journalism. His creativity was one of the keys to the show’s success. Jeff is always curious, never quite satisfied with convention, and a pleasure to be around.”
-Jamie Purdon, Director of Newsgathering CBC Radio, former executive producer The Current
“When making professional decisions, it’s great to be able to talk to someone who understands both the publishing and journalism worlds intimately. In addition to his own book writing, Jeff worked as an editor at the London-based Dorling Kindersley, and as a producer for Canada’s leading current affairs radio show, The Current. He has an amazing idea-brain, and is consistently able to generate new angles, connections and solutions. In my own work he has helped me recast the familiar into something fresh and original. I recommend Jeff to anyone looking for a creative catalyst.”
- Alexandra Shimo, journalist, author of The Environment Equation, former editor at Maclean’s.