Category Archives: Uncategorized

Why Your Book Cover Is the Ultimate Marketing Tool

Discover how to create a book cover that captivates readers and enhances your marketing efforts. Learn why your cover is more than just art—it’s a powerful tool for attracting the right audience and making a lasting first impression in the competitive world of indie publishing.

How to Keep the Spark Alive as a Full-Time Author

Becoming a full-time author is a dream that many writers hold close to their hearts. The idea of turning a passion into a profession is incredibly appealing, but when that dream becomes a reality, it can bring unexpected challenges. One of the most significant challenges is maintaining the enthusiasm that initially drove you to write.Continue reading “How to Keep the Spark Alive as a Full-Time Author”

FantasyCon 2024. Will you be there?

Jon and I are excited to attend our first FantasyCon, which is on between the 11th and 13th October 2024 in Chester, UK. We’re both appearing on panels, with Jon discussing the apocalyse, disability, grimdark, and rogues. I’ll be discussing editing, naturally! There are so many sessions on that have piqued my interest, so myContinue reading “FantasyCon 2024. Will you be there?”

Go get ’em, tiger. How to punctuate contractions correctly.

Learn a quick tip to avoid a common apostrophe error in Microsoft Word and Google Docs! Today’s advice helps you spot the difference between an apostrophe and an opening quotation mark. Use ALT+0146 to ensure correct punctuation. Don’t worry if you forget—your editor will catch it, but mastering this trick gives you the upper hand!

Is ‘Save The Cat! Writes a Novel’ a formula or a framework?

Hey, writers. I’ve got some questions for you about the very popular writing craft book: ‘Save The Cat! Writes A Novel’ by Jessica Brody. 💬 Here’s what the Amazon blurb says about this book: ‘Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to theContinue reading “Is ‘Save The Cat! Writes a Novel’ a formula or a framework?”

Books about where you live: Do they paint an accurate picture?

A short review of Tom Chesshyre’s Lost in the Lakes’ This book. 🤩 Oh yes! Right up my street — or, more accurately, my old stomping ground. I finished this over the weekend and loved it. I’m not so sure that this cover (as lovely as it is) quite encapsulates the feel of this travelogue,Continue reading “Books about where you live: Do they paint an accurate picture?”

Could you make a ‘permeance’ slip? It depends on your process.

Step 1: The creative writer is hammering the keyboard at speed. There’s a slip of the fingers and ‘oops’: they type ‘permeance’ instead of ‘permanence’.Step 2: The writer finishes the manuscript and runs a spell-check. But the spell-check does not see a misspelling.Step 3: The writer self-edits and reads what they ‘think’ is there ratherContinue reading “Could you make a ‘permeance’ slip? It depends on your process.”

What’s the difference between an antagonist and a villain?

🔥 Antagonist or Villain: two words for the same thing? Christopher Vogler doesn’t think so. In The Writer’s Journey, he explores the distinct dynamics between a hero and an antagonist versus a hero and a villain: “Antagonists and heroes in conflict are like horses in a team pulling in different directions, while villains and heroesContinue reading “What’s the difference between an antagonist and a villain?”

James Scott Bell says: Write your blurb before your outline. Thoughts?

James Scott Bell suggests that writers should write their back cover blurb before they start writing. Before they even start outlining. He says:“When you are comfortable with your LOCK elements [Lead, Objective, Confrontation, Knockout – a system to work out a basic plot; described earlier in the book] move on to the writing of yourContinue reading “James Scott Bell says: Write your blurb before your outline. Thoughts?”