I’ve blogged before about some of the essential tools of the trade. And this is another vital book for any writer, editor or anybody else who regularly works with words.
Category Archives: author
It depends…
Often, as an editor, I’m asked about what’s right. People assume that there are rules, after all, language can’t be completely random can it?
Well, very often there is no right answer. It depends!
Don’t cause a distraction
Every time I walk into a branch of a, well-known, discount chain, I am distracted by the massive sign they have above one of the aisles. It tells me that I can buy “DVD’s” there.
For the love of books
Authors have a great skill in crafting worlds that we, as readers, slip into so easily. We invest in the characters: feel their emotions, want the best for them.
So why then, did I become an editor and not a writer?
What’s your style?
I’m not talking about the clothes you wear. I’m sure you’re very stylish!
In my role as a copyeditor, I talk a lot about consistency. It’s your ‘style’, it’s how you do things. From a copy perspective, it’s about how you put, or style, words on your page.
It’s all Greek to me
Do you know your recto from your verso? What’s the difference between MSS and MS? What is this stet I keep seeing on the page? Definitions at the end of the post!
Copycat writers
From Beatrix Potter to E. L. James, the world of self-publishing is as old as publishing itself.
And to make your venture into self-publishing as successful as possible, here are a few hints and tips that I have learnt from my experience of working with both traditional publishers and self-publishing authors.
How old are you?
Rude! You should never ask that question!
But, are you the oldest in the room? Or the eldest? What’s the difference?
Telling tall tales
This is something that gets me each time I come across it. I don’t know why, but I must look it up each time I come across this in a manuscript.
They’re six foot. No, they’re six-feet. Or are they six foot tall? Six-foot-tall?
Well, aren’t you dashing!
Well, I’m sure you’ve put your best frock on for this blog post but I’m not here to compliment you!
Instead, we’re going to look at all the different dashes and lines on your page, what the differences are and when you might use them.
