about Precious

Praise for Precious's memoir:

'Shatteringly moving...gorgeously written, with a fiercely honest voice.' Boston Globe

'A startlingly powerful memoir...Precious Williams upends every expectation about race, class, gender and ambition.' USA Today

'A wry, charming...beautifully-wrought memoir.' Publishers Weekly

'Williams's writing is accomplished...pacey yet carefully spare...' Sunday Times

About Precious:

Precious Williams's first book, Precious, A True Story, published by Bloomsbury in August 2010, is a memoir about growing up in trans-racial'private foster care'.  (A US edition, titled Color Blind, is published by Bloomsbury USA). Precious's story has been featured on Sky News and  BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour and in the Daily Telegraph & the Guardian.  Her memoir was also serialized in The Times and featured as a People Magazine "Great Read," a Sunday Times "Must Read" and Elle Magazine's "Recommended Read" for August 2010. A German translation of the book, titled Farbenblind, was published in October 2010.

Born in the UK, Precious is of Sierra Leonean and Nigerian descent and she has lived in London and in New York.  She studied English Language & Literature at Oxford University and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Periodical Journalism from the London College of Printing.  

Precious was first published aged eight when her poem took first prize in a poetry competition (she won £2).

Since then she has been a Contributing Editor at Elle, Cosmopolitan and the Mail on Sunday's 'Night & Day' magazine.  Precious's work has also been published in The Times, Marie Claire, the Sunday Times Magazine, the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, the Financial Times, Glamour, Korean Vogue, New York magazine, Wallpaper and several other publications. Her journalism focuses on health and lifestyle features and celebrity interviews.  Notable interviewees include [click on each link to read the interviews] Jon Bon Jovi, Nina Simone, Yoko Ono,  Destiny's Child, P Diddy, Bryan Ferry, Lenny Kravitz, Naomi Campbell and Ali G.

Precious is at work on her second book, a novel.

Email Precious at MsPreciousWilliams@Yahoo.co.uk

 

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Precious has also taught narrative non-fiction writing classes.  Here are some testimonials from previous students:

"I signed up for How to Become a Celebrity Interviewer to meet Precious Williams. I have long read and loved her articles in UK Elle, so it was no surprise how much I enjoyed her class. Precious wasn't afraid to let us know some of the mistakes she'd made and learned from in the past, which made her class all the more encouraging. I'm now signed up as a stringer and have some very exciting interviews with singers and actors already lined up! Meeting Precious definitely gave me both the inspiration and the confidence to try out this new world of celebrity interviews." -- Katrina Lawrence, beauty & lifestyle writer

"(Precious Williams) is a perfect role model for novice writers like myself. She is witty, engaging, and lively. She made me want to hear everything she said because she had so much to offer. I really came away with a better understanding of how to write for magazines as a whole and magazines I preferred. She clearly navigated the publishing world for the class each time, and made it sound possible to be a writer. Precious gave every student hope and showed us just how opportunity knocks for everyone. I have already sent out my first pitch letter, and have a second one ready." -- Jackie Matragrano, former student

"Precious Williams is a wonderful mentor. I spent the past two years writing a chick lit novel set in Manhattan, and her classes on Writing About Dating & Relationships and Celebrity Interviewing helped me get back to writing shorter pieces -- and get them published! Her tips helped me land a weekly newspaper column writing profiles of noteworthy people in New England. I've also had success with articles on The New York Times best-selling authors and domestic diva Martha Stewart. The great thing about her classes is that while you're learning, she makes you laugh." -- Noelle Ashley, author & columnist

"Taking Precious Williams' workshop on Writing about Sex and Relationships was wonderful. She covered everything from first person essays, to service pieces, to interviews.  She's intelligent and extremely perceptive and writes from the heart.  This completely translates into how she deals with students and in her handling of the course.  The class was thought-provoking as well as fun." --Beth Bernstein, former student

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