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!”
Tag Archives: personalblog
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!”
Between the lines: Cherry Edits off the books.
I live and breathe books: that’s true. And a bookish life is the best life of all. But like all the best novels, worldbuilding matters. Today, I’ll share a wider view of what I get up to when I’m not editing. Claire Cronshaw bakes! I’m a basic baker. I often use the cook book that’sContinue reading “Between the lines: Cherry Edits off the books.”
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)”
Crafting connections: the power of social opportunities for people-person writers and editors.
Social energy is poweful. As a people-person writer, embrace opportunities for interaction. Not all writers are introverts. Gain inspiration from coffee meetups, virtual accountability groups, and writers’ cafes. Let social interactions fuel your creativity and propel your writing forward.
The Promise of the Premise. A lesson for authors from the Willy Wonka Experience.
Leap week was a gift, was it not? Not only were we given the gift of an extra day, but we were given the gift that kept on giving – and that was news of the farcical Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow in all its technicolour (and muted grey) glory. The short version of theContinue reading “The Promise of the Premise. A lesson for authors from the Willy Wonka Experience.”
My editing work is 100% fiction, but my testimonials are 100% fact.
Word clouds are so early 2000s 😅 But I made one because I was curious to see what words were being repeated in the testimonials written about me by my lovely authors. If you sense a bit of own horn tooting going on here, you’re absolutely right. Sorry about that! 📯 📯 Toot toot! ThisContinue reading “My editing work is 100% fiction, but my testimonials are 100% fact.”
It’s good to talk. Writers/editors, do you do enough of it?
Eighteen months on from going all-in with Cherry Edits, I’ve added time to talk into my schedule. Excuse me while I mix my metaphors… The majority of my week is still taken up with at-the-typeface edits: my bread and butter. And it’s good bread and good butter! I love the work I do – keepContinue reading “It’s good to talk. Writers/editors, do you do enough of it?”
Creative writing groups: they’re many and varied. Find the right one for you.
Who here attends in-person creative writing groups? 🙋♀️ TL;DR – They’re so varied. If you try one and don’t like it, try others. Here are some reflections on the creative writing groups I’ve attended over the years. ⭐ A weekly group in a Leeds cafe after closing, perhaps a Thursday evening. Great. Nice atmosphere. GoodContinue reading “Creative writing groups: they’re many and varied. Find the right one for you.”
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