When it comes to publishing your book, I bet you’ve heard of editors (hi!), book cover designers, proofreaders, and marketers. But have you heard of beta readers? You’re not alone if you haven’t. Most first-time authors I speak to haven’t heard of beta readers, but it’s something I recommend any self-publishing author adds to their publication timeline. By the end of this blog post, you'll know: - What a beta reader is - Why you should use beta r

Have you ever wondered when you’re supposed to use digits and when to write out numbers in non-fiction? Perhaps this isn’t something you’ve considered before, but now you’re wondering whether your manuscript contains an unintentional mixture of the two and you have no idea how to put it right. I can help with that! I’ll guide you through the standard principles for how to write numbers in non-fiction − with a special section dedicated to memoir. Why am I treating memoir

Autobiography is not the same as memoir I’ve noticed a growing trend with celebrities writing ‘memoir’ when they really mean ‘autobiography’. I imagine this is because it sounds more literary or even trendy to say memoir rather than autobiography. Before I go into the detail of the differences between an autobiography and memoir, let me clarify one crucial point. There is nothing wrong with writing an autobiography! If you’ve written an autobiography, then call it that (said

Does your writing bank comprise various blog posts, journal entries, letters, sheaves of thoughts and notes? And are you now struggling to come with some sort of structure or arc to turn these into a book? One option is to STOP forcing this content into some sort of structure and instead let its power come from the composition, message, and intention of each entry. There are two further options within this approach: 1) turn them into a book of essays or letters 2) create a hy

If you’ve been writing for a while or you’ve studied the writing craft then you’ve probably heard of (and are maybe sick of!) ‘show don’t tell when writing’. I work best when I have examples to work from, so I’ve included a few examples of what great ‘showing’ looks like in writing. Show vs tell is especially pertinent in fiction, but it’s also vital in memoir and narrative non-fiction. Oh, and don't worry, you don't have to turn into Dylan Thomas to be great at writing you

Yes, I am mentioning Christmas in August. But seeing as Christmas is a popular deadline for launching books (who doesn’t love getting a book for Christmas?), let’s see what’s involved to get your book published for Christmas. I imagine you’re thinking that August to Christmas gives you LOADS of time for publishing, but if Christmas is a deadline you’re working towards, there are several factors to consider. While I am referring to self-publishing your book in time for Christm

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing my thoughts and advice on how to switch your mindset towards your first draft, so that you can expect less and achieve more. Here, I collate my various analogies and reminders so you have somewhere you can turn to the next time you think ‘This book is rubbish!’. Read on to find out why your book is like a pancake; the difference between a first and final draft; what the first draft is for; why I don’t want to read your first draft,

The world of publishing can be completely overwhelming when you first enter it: from all the unique terms (‘what is copyediting?') to the different job titles used in the editorial business, it’s no wonder most first-time authors just don’t know where to start, or how long it takes to edit and self-publish a book. Knowing what’s involved in each stage of the editing process and how long each one takes means you can plan for them and allow enough time for each part of the edit

I’m sure you’re aware of the power of storytelling in your non-fiction book, especially if you’re writing a memoir. But are you telling stories or simply stating your version of events? Here’s what I mean to explain the difference. Version 1 I finally got an appointment with the physio. She identified the cause of my knee pain and gave me some exercises to do, and was hopeful I’d recover in 4 to 6 weeks. Version 2 After 19 long weeks I finally got an appointment with the phys

1. You don’t have to stick to one genre One of the most common reasons authors decide to self-publish is because they’ve been told (or they assume) the concept for the book crosses over multiple genres[AS1] . If you’re known for a certain niche (due to your business or personal history), you don’t have to worry about fitting your niche into pre-determined genres or book types set out by a publisher. With self-publishing, you can bend the rules of what’s expected from certain