Indie authors:  why not tell your story as an after-dinner speech?

After delivering my first after-dinner speech to a local Rotary Club, I discovered the power of sharing our indie publishing journeys. Learn how indie authors can inspire communities by stepping up to tell their story.

What Are Your Characters Made Of? Fay Weldon’s Take on Character Creation

Do you build detailed character profiles, or let your characters grow as the story unfolds? Fay Weldon shares her unconventional approach.

Improve your writing craft in 2025 – free and paid options

Looking to improve your writing craft in 2025? Join the free Cherry Edits Writing Craft Facebook group or invest in 1-to-1 coaching for personalised support. Let’s make your writing shine!

It’s late. You’re reading. You’ll treat youself to the next chapter if… (Poll)

This poll was surprisingly tricky to construct; we all read at different speeds and perhaps our format choice affects our answer… So please take this poll as a jumping-off point, really. I’m interested to hear what the cut-off is when you’re at the end of a chapter and you decide whether or not you wantContinue reading “It’s late. You’re reading. You’ll treat youself to the next chapter if… (Poll)”

Last two slots for summer 2024 edits. Get in touch today.

Novel editing slots are filling up fast, with availability down to the last two slots this summer. While specializing in women’s fiction, romance, and fantasy, Cherry Edits covers a broad range of genre fiction. Act quickly to secure your spot. Limited openings are available in July and August. Prospective clients get a complimentary 1000-word sample edit. Don’t miss the opportunity to enhance your manuscript – reach out soon!

‘Show don’t tell’ is a useful rule of thumb. Here are some easy wins.

Struggling to express your characters’ emotions without telling? Let me help! Here’s a sneak peek into a no-stress method. 👉 Negative emotion ‘tells’ to avoid: He felt frustrated. 🚫 They looked uncomfortable. 🚫 She was sad. 🚫 👍 Better to ‘show’: He grabbed his coat and left. ✔ They fidgeted in their seats. ✔ SheContinue reading “‘Show don’t tell’ is a useful rule of thumb. Here are some easy wins.”

‘This was meant to be the year that I…’ Would I be right to assume you’re in a philosophical mood?

💭 “This was meant to be the year that I…” I’ve been thinking about an image. It shows a guy doing an about-turn. He’s mining for diamonds and he’s hunched over. He’s expended so much energy and he has no more reserves. But what he doesn’t realise is that there’s only a thin layer ofContinue reading “‘This was meant to be the year that I…’ Would I be right to assume you’re in a philosophical mood?”

Is it mantelpiece or mantlepiece?

Do you know your mantles from your mantels? I do, but Microsoft Word doesn’t. It NEVER flags ‘mantlepiece’ as an error. If you are attached to your mantlepiece (seek help! 🔗) you’re not alone. Merriam-Webster recommends ‘mantel’ (‘el’ like the ‘el’ of ‘shelf’ ) for the over-the-fireplace ledge, but it acknowledges that ‘mantle’ has been/isContinue reading “Is it mantelpiece or mantlepiece?”

What are metonyms? What are anaphoric references? And (why) do they matter in fantasy writing?

❓ Do you know your metonyms from your anaphoric references? This week, some terminology that was relevant when I was teaching A level English language has popped into my head. It doesn’t really matter what these things are called, but what does matter is that these things are *things. One term was metonymy. The otherContinue reading “What are metonyms? What are anaphoric references? And (why) do they matter in fantasy writing?”

Has the cat got your tongue? Find it with self-publishing.

Stuart’s non-fiction book Felicette has been in my orbit for a while. I’ve been meaning to read it and this week it made its way to the top of my TBR pile. It tells the story of the first cat in space. This is not a children’s story. It’s not twee or sentimental. And StuartContinue reading “Has the cat got your tongue? Find it with self-publishing.”