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!
Category Archives: Uncategorized
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?”
The Value of Community in Writing and Editing | A Gratitude Post
✨ A Gratitude Post to See Out the Week ✨ I joined a Zoom meeting the other night and felt nervous while waiting. It was a writers’ group, and their agenda mentioned editing. I thought it might be helpful to join, hoping I could offer something valuable to the discussion. Even if I stayed quiet,Continue reading “The Value of Community in Writing and Editing | A Gratitude Post”
Achievement unlocked 🎉 I’m a professional editor and I’ve got the badge to prove it!
This is pretty epic for me… The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading have upgraded me to Professional Member status. When I was a newbie editor, I was on their ‘entry level’ membership. After I’d completed some courses with them, I moved up to ‘intermediate’ level. And then I stayed at intermediate for several yearsContinue reading “Achievement unlocked 🎉 I’m a professional editor and I’ve got the badge to prove it!”
What this editor wants to know from the word go and why this enquiry ticks many boxes
Here’s what I love about this email that landed in my inbox this morning. ⭐ ‘Indie author’: I’m all about the indies, and I love helping early-career authors. 📞 ‘Someone suggested I contact you’: Excellent. I love to hear from people who’ve come to me via word-of-mouth recommendations. 💬 ‘Would love to chat’: Me too.Continue reading “What this editor wants to know from the word go and why this enquiry ticks many boxes”
Talking to an editor: enrichment for all!
Apparently, talking to me is ‘enriching’! I’ve just come off a Zoom call with the student newspaper group at Notre Dame College in Leeds. I was invited along to talk about my job as an editor. What I really wanted to do was to set my job in context and to show the Year 12sContinue reading “Talking to an editor: enrichment for all!”
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