We are now a Chartered Institute!

Today is our first working day as the Chartered Instuitute of Editing and Proofreading, having changed our name from the Society for Editors and Proofreaders yesterday.

This is the result of a lot of hard work by our Council, who have been working through the process to get approval from the Privy Council since 2015. We now have a shiny new seal on our Royal Charter, and there is a lot of scurrying around to get names and logos changed everywhere. I think I’ve done all mine, but it is difficult to be sure!

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.

Proofreading recipies (or possibly not)

Some things are easier to check than others. If you can work through logically, and keep track of where you’ve got to, it usually helps. Sometimes a check list is useful, but for some jobs, ticking things off seems to be a bit of a pain. You think you will remember what yopu’ve done, and will save time by ticking several items off in a moment.

Which is probably what caused these problems with recipies.

6 Top tips from a radio professional about writing for audio

Want to make your writing more “ear friendly”?

Well, this post is a good place to start top get a more powerful performance.

Just ignore the typo: nobody is perfect.

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.

Portraying accents

Roddy Doyle said that the best way to reveal a character is to get them to open their mouths.

And when they are speaking, you’ll need to convey how they do it. This includes the minefield of how to convey accents in fiction writing beyond phonetic spelling.

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.

Building a plan for your book project

This post will be useful for two groups of prospective authors:

1. Those who are still getting their head around what is involved.
2. Those who feel the need to plan, so that progress can be monitored.

Both are sensible approaches to planning a book.

Just don’t get bogged down in a plan. It is a means, not an end!

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.

Marketing your book

If your New Year resolution is to become a self published author, you are going to need to get your head round marketing what you produce. This beginners guide to how to market your book  could be just what you need.

You may also find this summary of book marketing advice from 2018 posts useful.

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.

Writing for a large cast of characters

Is your aim for 2019 to write another War and Peace?

If so, to stand any change of getting past that ballroom scene equivalent, it might be useful to read this post about managing a large cast of characters.

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.

A useful checklist for novelists

This checklist claims to be the 10-step checklist to writing an above-average novel.

My guess is that most people know it isn’t that simple. Especially those who have tried the process.

But still, it is a good common sense summary of things that might be overlooked.

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.

Selling to your local book shop

Have you got your eye on selling to your local book shop?

Don’t just assume that because you are a local, don’t assume that they will want to stock your book.  You are more likely to be successful if you see the transaction from their perspective, as this post booksellers’ objectives explains.

And of course, you should make sure they know you are local already, by being a well established customer.

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.

Best writing advice of 2018?

While we are still in the mood for summaries of the year, here is one that might help your good intentions.

The Alliance Of Independent Authors’ best writing advice for 2018.

Visit my websites via the links at the top of this page.