www.youwriteon.com is a great peer review website for novice, apprentice and improving writers. It was originally set up with Arts Council funding. Writers can post their own writing – short stories or opening extracts from novels – and by earning credits for reviewing the work of others, can in turn have their own writing reviewed. I learned a lot in my time there while writing ‘Change of Life’ – not least how to take criticism and not be too precious about my writing.

Reviewers award scores for character, narration, setting etc and authors can gain a place in the top ten chart and the chance of a professional review.

But even if you don’t top the charts – it’s a great way of learning more about the craft of writing – and it costs absolutely nothing.