Amber Hatch
Author and Editor
My story
Growing up I always wanted to be a mum and a writer. I moved fast. By 24 I had an MA in Creative Writing (with distinction) from Bath Spa University, and I was pregnant with my first child.
​
It wasn't easy to write with a babe in arms and I threw my energies into parenthood . I registered as a childminder and set up a local baby group. I discovered an intuitive yet pragmatic alternative to nappies, and started teaching the method through workshops. Later that experience and knowledge became my first book – Nappy Free Baby (2015, Penguin Random House).
​
Motherhood made me reassess myself and the world and when I was introduced to Buddhist meditation in 2009, it helped me make sense of it. My meditation practice and teaching has been a major influence in my life and my exploration of combining meditation with raising a family led to my next books – Mindfulness for Parents (2017, Watkins), and The Art of Silence (2017, Piatkus). I also wrote the words for the Colouring for Contemplation series (2015 & 2016, Watkins), alongside my illustrator partner Alex Ogg.
​
I volunteered for two years for the mental health charity Mind, where I put together and delivered a course on Writing for Wellbeing. I've also taught writing skills to English Literature students at Oxford University.
​
In recent years I have returned to creative writing - now with a focus on writing for children. In 2023 my story The Great Fish Rescue came joint second in the inaugural Yoto Makers Competition. This year I am collaborating with Yoto to publish two children's audio books.
​
I love helping authors communicate their message more effectively and I've worked extensively as a book coach, editor and ghost writer. I have edited and ghostwritten for publishers Watkins and Profile Books and I am an editor on Reedsy.com.
​