How to protect your unique writing voice during editing

In my last blog, we discussed what a unique writing voice is, and the components it can be made of. This is important to recognise in your work, especially during editing, so you can make sure you don’t lose your voice in the changes and corrections. Whether you are editing your own work, getting peer […]

How to identify your unique writing voice 

Your unique writing voice is what distinguishes your work from another author’s. It holds your perceptive, style, and storytelling choices, and keeps developing throughout your writing career with different influences, skills and experience honing it.   It’s your personal signature in a book that your readers can recognise and the writing style they enjoy and keep coming back for.  But how do you actually identify what makes […]

No motivation to write? Here are 4 tips to beat writer’s block

There’s a story inside you that you need to get out but every time you sit down to write, you draw a blank.  You might not know where to start. Or maybe you want it to be perfect. Whatever the reason, you are feeling stuck to write even one word, let alone thousands.  Writer’s block is common, but learning how to overcome it is […]

How to self-edit your manuscript 

Self-editing your manuscript is a crucial part of the writing process whether you intend to have your story professionally edited or not.  However, the process can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure what to look for or you try to fix everything all at once.  So, how does a writer self-edit their book?  They break it down into manageable steps. […]

How to choose the right book editor in 7 steps

Finding the right book editor for you can feel like walking through a minefield. Everyone says they are the right choice, but it’s hard to know which voice to actually trust.  But this decision doesn’t have to be guesswork.  With a good checklist, and dedication to following each step, you can increase your chance of finding a good match for you and your manuscript, and […]

5 ways to prepare for and handle editorial feedback without losing confidence

Every writer has been there.  You complete a story you absolutely love and ask someone for feedback; maybe a loved one, or a teacher or even a professional editor.   Then the dread starts to kick in. It suddenly feels real that your work could be completely rubbish and someone is about to crush your dreams.  This is a common fear among writers, especially new writers. As is the spike […]

Why Fiction Editing costs so much, and 5 ways to make it more affordable 

As a new writer, finding out the price of editing knocked me on my arse the first time I looked into it.   I was quoted £1000+ for an initial edit and thought that editing couldn’t be for someone like me – an indie writer working on her first book. When I didn’t know if I was even going to make money off my book, this price […]

What does a Developmental Editor actually do?

When new writers think of editing, they usually think about Copy Editing – the type that fixes spelling, grammar and punctuation.   But there are plenty of other types, and all play their part in the Editing process.  I spoke about the 5 Types of Fiction Manuscript Editing in my last blog, but let’s drill down into the specifics of a Developmental Edit – my favourite kind but, as a […]

The 5 Types of Fiction Manuscript Editing

So, you’ve written a story, that’s the hard part done, right?  Well, yes and no.  Firstly, congratulations, you’ve achieved a goal many set out to do but never accomplish. Secondly, brace yourself for the world of Manuscript Editing.  When I finished my first story, I thought a quick once over by me, a friend and maybe a professional (if I wanted to be fancy) […]