I’m currently ticking off my last couple of January goals. 🎯 I said I’d contact eight publishers in Jan. So far I’ve done five, so I’ll do another three today. 🎯 I said I’d attend an in-person creative writing group in Jan. So I’m going to one this afternoon. “I said I’d…” refers to theContinue reading “How do I find motivation to tick things off my to-do list? I tell my accountability group I’m going to do them.”
Tag Archives: forwriters
Are you on BookTok? I’m having a go!
Achievement unlocked? I’ve created my first TikTok video. I’m not sure what I hoped to achieve other than to just join in the fun. These BookTokkers have infectious energy. I’m loving the fun and creativity I’m seeing as I dip my toe in the platform. Are you on there? Drop your usernames and we canContinue reading “Are you on BookTok? I’m having a go!”
How writing could help you if you’re feeling stuck.
Feeling stuck? Do some writing. (Or basket weaving or something. Whatever suits. 😁) Caught two minutes of the Steven Bartlett podcast and learnt a cool thing that I’d never thought about before. Well, I have, but not quite in such straightforward terms. Mel Robbins (? — I will look her up…) was talking about peopleContinue reading “How writing could help you if you’re feeling stuck.”
Is it to faze or to phase?
😳 To faze = the verb you’re looking for when someone is rattled. Often we use it to report that we weren’t flustered. 👍 I wasn’t fazed. ✅ And that’s correct. ❌ Step away from the use of ‘phased’ for this intended meaning. ❌ ‘I wasn’t phased’ is incorrect. 😳 Faze = (verb) to disconcert/discombobulateContinue reading “Is it to faze or to phase?”
Indie authors: I’m making in-roads with publishers and that will benefit you too.
One of the Big Five traditional publishers has asked me to do a proofreading test. If I’m successful, I will hopefully be added to their freelance pool. The sample is from a fiction manuscript. It’s typeset and will need marking up with PDF tools. It’s ‘proper’ proofreading. As in, it does what it says onContinue reading “Indie authors: I’m making in-roads with publishers and that will benefit you too.”
How do you concentrate on more than one book at once?
❓’How do you stop yourself getting drawn into the novel and staying in the proofreading zone?’ I was asked this question on LinkedIn the other day when I said I was proofreading a thriller, and it got me thinking… I find it pretty straightforward to compartmentalise what I’m reading. I always have several books onContinue reading “How do you concentrate on more than one book at once?”
Do you need a space between the number and the symbol in percentages? That’s where the Chigago Manual of Style comes in handy!
My buddy for today’s work. To be a good proofreader and editor, you don’t need to know everything. You just need to know what to look up and where. Armed with this book, Google and editorial buddies, I can find the answers to life’s big questions like: 💯 Should there be a space between theContinue reading “Do you need a space between the number and the symbol in percentages? That’s where the Chigago Manual of Style comes in handy!”
I enjoy flexing my imagination at creative writing groups. Do you?
I attended Shap writing group again yesterday, this time on Zoom. My second time joining in and it was a lot of fun. There are some proper characters in the group. I mean that with affection. 😊 Like the first time I met them and one of them said he lives near the house whichContinue reading “I enjoy flexing my imagination at creative writing groups. Do you?”
Q. How do I get my book finished this year? A. Read this. ⬇️
📍 Why booking a slot with me will help you finish your novel. Have you decided 2022 is the year you’ll finish and publish your book? I can help you make that happen. — 🔊 I’m partway through listening to Robert B. Cialdini Ph.D’s book, Influence. A scenario he shares about a woman who wantedContinue reading “Q. How do I get my book finished this year? A. Read this. ⬇️”
What’s it like working with me? Check out this testimonial.
🎉 A new testimonial. This has kindly been sent to me by S. A. Houghton, author of ‘A Father’s Love’. “Claire was recommended to me by another author, and boy am I glad. I am a first time author so there was quite a lot of work to be done. Still, Claire was able toContinue reading “What’s it like working with me? Check out this testimonial.”