It should go without saying that the most important thing is the manuscript itself – you aren’t going to get representation unless the book itself is terrific, as well as being something the agent feels able to sell to a publisher.

But, before the agent even reads your manuscript, they will look at your covering or pitch letter. This is the place where you introduce your book, and it’s the best place to grab the agent’s attention.

There is a lot of expert advice on the internet about how to structure a pitch letter and what to include. There are some differences in details, but most of the positive advice in these articles boils down to ‘write a great book, find the agent who will want to sell it, and introduce it and yourself to them really well’ – because that is what the pitch letter is for. It is a quick introduction to your book that induces the agent to read the manuscript – no more, no less.

Perhaps it is because the list of what to do is so simple and short that many of these articles spend at least as much time, if not more, describing the longer list of what not to do.

Anyone who has had the experience of working their way through a submission pile will tell you about all the distracting nonsense writers put into their letters, all of it something other than introducing their book really well. Many writers pad their letter with various irrelevancies, and get in their own way by trying to be different or memorable for some other reason than presenting a fantastic book. And while they’re trying so hard, they – fatally – completely fail to do the one thing the letter is for.

The pitch letter should be short – definitely no more than a page and preferably shorter than that, so up to around 300 words total – and it needs to:

1. Pitch your book
2. Introduce yourself

It’s great if you’re able to explain how you think your book will fit in with that individual agent’s list or tastes, or if one of your comparable titles is something they also represent, or that you met at this or that event and the agent invited you to submit, but if you don’t have the material for this kind of personalisation, it’s better to skip it rather than forcing it.

Anyway, none of that will matter if you don’t get the main thing right, which is introducing your book. Even introducing yourself is secondary, and for good reason: the thing that matters is always the book.

Research other pitch letters

A great way to begin is to look at lots of other pitch letters. As well as giving you a feel for the shape and rhythm of a compelling introduction, reading others’ attempts will help you avoid many of the common mistakes. 

Am I suggesting you need to go and work for a literary agent so you too can have the unenviable experience of wading through a real-life slush pile? No, that’s not necessary. There might be a part of me that wishes I could make writers experience the letters they send to agents from the other side, just to hammer home why they are so frustrating, but luckily a literary agent has basically already done this. 

My suggestion is that you spend some time in the Query Shark archives and read as many posts as possible. There, you will find hundreds of query letters in a variety of genres willingly offered up to Janet Reid, an NYC literary agent and the eponymous shark, who proceeds to tear each one to shreds before explaining what the writer should do instead.   

There are obvious benefits to reading what an actual literary agent says about a given pitch letter (or query letter for Americans). It’s advice straight from the horse’s mouth. And her advice is very transferable, so you don’t need to worry about the source being American if you are from the UK or elsewhere. 

Janet Reid was once famously known as Miss Snark in an earlier, anonymous incarnation, so I will warn you now that she’s very direct and she doesn’t sugar-coat anything. But she’s not being mean, she’s just being clear. Her approach is probably quite alarming for some people, especially if they are not used to genuine directness, but I would argue that that’s no bad thing if one is trying to enter an incredibly competitive industry like book publishing, because too much sensitivity and a tendency to take criticism personally will not serve you well. Directness like hers will help you detach and see more objectively what makes a good letter and, by extension, some of what makes a book one an agent can sell.   

Pitch your book

Once you’ve got a strong sense of what works and what doesn’t, you will start to see how you can apply what you’ve learned. It will then be time to think about how to describe your own book. 

What is your book about? Many writers, on being asked this question, panic and start rambling. Or, they summarise the plot from beginning to end, when the synopsis is the place for explaining that.

Lots of pitch letters try to introduce the book using a list of dull facts shorn of context, like the time period, the place the book is set in and the protagonist’s job title, none of which is inherently interesting. Or, the pitch letter describes a version of one of the common plots, with nothing much to differentiate it from the thousands of other books using that basic plot.

Try to be deliberate about considering this question. What makes your book interesting? What is the central conflict or issue? What is it that will make a reader want to experience this story? 

But then, don’t go the other way and use only broad statements about the book’s plot and themes, because being so vague is nearly as unhelpful as concentrating on dry facts. If you’re tempted to try to encapsulate the book in sweeping statements of what it all means, consider whether those remarks are really relevant. If the reply to your pitch could be ‘Ok, but what is it actually about?’ then try again.

Keep reminding yourself that the purpose of your letter is to get the agent to want to read your book.

Simplify, simplify, simplify

At this point, you may have a long paragraph, and possibly two or three, that includes all the things you really want to tell the agent about your book. You may think that it’s all essential, but that’s not true. Every book can be introduced in two or three sentences.

Remember, what you need to get to is those two or three sentences that compellingly provide a reason to read the book.

Distil those paragraphs down to their fundamentals. Simplify your way down to the very essence of the book. Make the pitch as tight and forceful and striking as it can be.

Try the result on some of your early readers or your writing group and see if they agree that it’s an accurate description of your book, and that it’s strong enough to make someone want to read it.

When you feel really confident that you have a brief paragraph that accurately and compellingly introduces your book, you can write the rest of your pitch letter and use it to submit your work.

And if you want to test it out on a publishing professional first, I offer an online mini consultation service, during which we can go through your submission materials together and I can provide feedback and suggestions for improvements.

Janey Burton is a Publishing Consultant, Editor and Contracts Negotiator. She worked for literary agencies and publishers big and small before setting up her own business at janeyburton.com in 2012. You can find her on Twitter and Facebook. You can keep up with her advice for authors by signing up for her monthly newsletter, The Inbox Edition.

Connect with Janey here:

Insta: @janey.burton

Twitter: @jrfburton

Facebook page: www.facebook.com/janeyburtoneditor

Photo by Girl with red hat on Unsplash  

However, it’s entirely possible to want to write without having a clue what to write about. You might be an avid reader. You might soak up hours of TV and theatre. You might love the idea of creating your own story that others will lap up. But … you just don’t know where to start. 

When I’ve heard authors give talks, a common question they’re asked is: ‘Where do you get your ideas?’

Their answer? ‘Ideas are everywhere.’

And actually, once you know where to look (or to listen), you discover they really are.

Here are a few thoughts to help spark your imagination.

People

Be alert when you’re on the hunt for a story. Snippets of overheard conversations can be a great source of ideas. I don’t mean deliberately set out to eavesdrop but just be aware of what’s going on around you.

Supposing, for example, someone walks past you talking on their phone and you hear them say, ‘Sorry, but I’m going to be late back. Don’t wait for me.’

So many questions … 

• Who are they talking to?
• Why are they going to be late?
• What’s happened?
• Is this just an excuse?
• What are they going to be late for?
• Is the other person happy with this situation or fed up?
• Are they suspicious or are they trusting?
• Is this something that’s happened before or is it unusual?

When you let your imagination dig in like that, a few brief words overheard while you’re waiting for your train or standing in the coffee queue at Nero’s can turn into something sinister. Something with a plot behind it. 

A character type can also spark a story idea and people you know can make great characters.

• Who’s the joker in your circle?
• Who’s the person who makes a drama out of every little thing?
• Do you have a friend you love dearly but who has an annoying habit?
• Do you know someone with an unusual job?
• Someone who’s an inveterate people-pleaser?
• Someone who’s full of their own importance?

Think about people within your family and others you come into contact with. What are their characteristics? Has anyone hinted at a secret from their past? Would they make a brilliant protagonist for your novel?

The material for creating believable characters is there if we just pay attention to the people around us – and change their names obviously!

Other stories 

Then there are other stories. These are like seed beds for new story ideas, just waiting to be watered. A book you read could easily kickstart a new story in your own imagination. Or a film you watch or a TV series. After all, this is the basis of fan fiction, where existing characters are taken on new journeys by enthusiastic and creative followers.

It goes without saying that we must never copy the stories of other writers, but there might be a character, a description of something – even one short scene – that could act as a story prompt if we keep our minds open to the possibilities. 

Real life

And it’s not just fiction that can inspire ideas. On a writing course I did during life before the internet (was there ever life before the internet …?), I remember the tutor sending us away to buy newspapers and go through them to find a real-life event that could spark a piece of fiction.

These days, it couldn’t be easier to find news stories from all over the world. So, if you’re in need of a story idea, get Googling. There’s a mine of golden story nuggets out there if you set aside some time and space to dig them out. 

Your own real life can also be the inspiration for a book. Just one memorable event could become the basis of a story. Has something happened to you where the resolution was quite ordinary? Supposing that resolution had been different because your actions at the time were different? Let your imagination get to work and have a play. 

Sit with your idea

Once you have your initial story idea, it’s time to develop it. Now it’s highly unlikely you’ll see all the ins and outs of a plot instantly. But if you sit with your idea, mull it over when you’re out walking, when you’re digging the garden – even when you’re watching TV – the bones of a plot will start to come together. 

If you have any breakthroughs, write them down. Events don’t need to be in order. Characters don’t need to have names. Yet. This plotting, nurturing stage is almost like creating the mood board for your book. You’re dropping in threads that you’ll gradually be able to weave together into a coherent form and order. 

If you feel you’re getting nowhere, don’t panic. There’s no need to rush. The more you turn an idea round in your head, the more it will start to grow and the stronger the storyline will become.

You might come up against knotty little plot problems but you’ll also find solutions. I’ve recently written a podcast of murder mystery stories told through monologues. The storylines didn’t just appear in my head. They needed a lot of mulling. It was frustrating at times but so rewarding when the breakthroughs came. If you'd like to hear them, episode 1 is out now on Apple, Spotify and Stitcher, with episode 2 to follow shortly. Just search The Murder Monologues.

What’s trending?

When you’re deciding on a storyline, it can also be helpful to look at current trends in different genres. For children, for example, what topics are popular for each age group and does your story idea fit within a particular trend? 

But just remember that when it comes to writing an on-trend book, timing is crucial. Will your book be ready in time to catch the current vogue? If there’s a chance you might miss it, as a self-publisher, you may find you don’t have quite the readership lined up that you thought you did. Or, if you’re pursuing an agent, they may see the end of a trend looming and not be so keen to take up your book.

Be open and let your creativity flow 

I hope you can see now that story ideas really are everywhere.

Take your time and notice what’s around you. 

Begin piecing the fragments together. 

If you really want to write a book – you really will. 

For more writing tips and editing chat, why not have a listen to my podcast for self-publishers, co-hosted with author and independent publisher, Alexa Whitten of The Book Refinery. All episodes of The Pen to Published Podcast are available on your favourite podcast platforms and right here on my website.

You'll also find us co-hosting The Reluctant Writers Facebook group so please do join in there too. 

And if you’d like some help with your writing project, please get in touch. I offer a line/copy editing and proofreading service to fiction and non-fiction authors. As a children's author myself, I also specialise in editing children's books.

You can email me here: admin@alexatewkesbury.com

You can follow me on Twitter too @AlexaTewkesbury for useful tweets on writing, editing and proofreading.

If you want people to read your words, you need to know your intended audience before making a start. Otherwise, you’ll be less able to target your writing appropriately, whether fiction or non-fiction.

But in the initial excitement of a book idea landing in your brain and the rapid pulse of creativity it produces, it can actually be all too easy not to do this vital research. You can just get carried away and forget who you’re writing for. The keyboard (or the pen) takes over and you splurge out what’s in your head, delighted simply by the opportunity to share your knowledge, or the story that’s in your imagination. And why wouldn’t you be?

However, as well as the plot, the characters and the timeline, or the arguments and discussion points, it’s imperative to keep your target audience in mind throughout the act of writing.

Who is your ideal reader?

In some ways, getting to know your ideal reader is perhaps easier for children’s books than for adults’. I say this as someone who writes for children, not adults (well, mostly – blog posts and occasional murdery podcast episodes aside). I know that keeping the age group I’m writing for in mind is key so that the book will be plot, theme, vocabulary, sentence and book-length appropriate. I edit a lot of children’s books too so feel comfortable with the genre and its audience requirements.

Defining your ideal adult reader when you’re starting out may not seem quite so straightforward. However, you could begin by just looking at yourself and examining your own reading habits.

If you want to write fiction, for example, it’s quite likely you’ll want to write what you like to read. That well-known piece of writing advice about steeping yourself in the genre you want to write is not only spot on, it also offers a wonderful opportunity to read bucket-loads of the sort of books you love. And who doesn’t want to spend time doing that?

So, here are some questions to ask yourself to help you identify and pin down your target reader: 

• What is my favourite genre of book?
• What TV do I like?
• What films do I enjoy?
• What magazines and news sources do I choose to read?
• What types of article interest me?
• What interests me in general? Do I like art galleries? Museums? Football matches? Going to the theatre? Am I passionate about wildlife and the environment?
• Where do I like to go on a day out?
• Where do I choose to live (if you’re able to choose) – in town or somewhere more rural?
• Is there somewhere I’ve travelled to where I would love to live?
• How old am I? Not that you want to be restrictive in terms of the age range of your readership (unless of course you’re writing for children). You’re just trying to identify your reader – the person most likely to want to read the book you want to write.

Once you’ve answered these questions – assuming you do want to write what you want to read – it’s quite likely you’ll have a rough description of your ideal reader: your target audience.

Obviously not all your readers have to be exactly like you, and they won’t be. People with interests similar to yours may be at a completely different stage of life and living with a completely different set of circumstances. But if you’ve not taken the time before to consider your prospective readership properly, then this is as good a place to start as any. 

Another way to track down your target audience is to look out for books readers are buying and enjoying that are like yours: the same genre, the same sort of subject matter, a similar style. Then find out who’s talking about these books and who’s giving them good reviews. Research who’s blogging about them – social media is full of book bloggers. 

When you discover the people who enjoy books in a similar vein to the one you want to write, those are likely to be the people who will enjoy the book you want to write too. 

Finding your target readership and taking aim

Once you know the type of reader you’re aiming your book towards, now is the time to find them. And this is where social media can come into its own. 

• Who is on Twitter tweeting about the books in your genre?
• Who’s retweeting author and publisher tweets about them?
• Who’s Instagramming about them? Booklovers on Instagram are so creative about raving over the books they love. Their photographs are delicious, featuring enticing covers and perfectly placed lattes. Even quirky, independent bookshops seem to have become their own artform.
• Which Facebook groups are vibrant with readers sharing and discussing books? Find the groups that will be interested in the book you want to write, and join up. Participate too. Making connections is a sure way to start to build your audience.

It might seem time-consuming when all you really want to do is write, but research like this can be the difference between being able to sell your finished book or not; between being able to generate excitement about your forthcoming publication or not – because either no one knows it’s there or you haven’t marketed to the appropriate audience.

Once you know where to find your ideal reader, you can put yourself in the right spaces to get to know the right people. Then, when you’ve connected with those people, you can start to let them know how much they’re going to love your book. 

Knowing your target audience, connecting with your target audience, letting them know what you have to offer – that’s how you create a buzz. And when you’re self-publishing, marketing and selling your own book, that buzz is crucial.

For anyone who’s self-employed, it’s not just about doing the work in the business. It’s also about strategic marketing of the business to potential clients and customers. 

Being a self-publishing author is no different. You need to know your market before you write your book to ensure you’re producing content they’re going to lap up. Then you need to target appropriately. There’s no point taking aim at an audience of historical-romance lovers, for instance, with a book about a twenty-fifth-century, blood-thirsty serial killer. Chances are, they won’t be that interested. That’s not to say people only stick to one genre in their reading, but many do have a clear favourite.

Writing the right book for the right audience and spending time in the right places to find those readers – that’s a self-publishing strategy anyone can implement and every independent author can benefit from. 

Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

For more writing tips and editing chat, why not have a listen to my podcast for self-publishers, co-hosted with author and independent publisher, Alexa Whitten of The Book Refinery. All episodes of The Pen to Published Podcast are available on your favourite podcast platforms and right here on my website. 

And if you’d like some help with your writing project, please do get in touch. I offer a line/copy editing and proofreading service to fiction and non-fiction authors. As a children's author myself, I also specialise in editing children's books.

You can email me here: alexa@alexatewkesbury.com

You can follow me on Twitter too @AlexaTewkesbury for useful tweets on writing, editing and proofreading.

Sound familiar? My own voice is ringing in my ears.

Time. It’s such a bugbear. There never seems to be enough of it. Certainly not for the things we want to do. It too easily gets eaten up by the things we have to do. So to fit writing the book we want to write into a life that’s already chock-full can be something of a challenge.

To face that challenge down, somehow writing needs to become a habit. If we want to get a book written, we need to commit to sitting down regularly and just getting on with it.

Because writing is exactly that. A commitment.

Here are four things to think about when trying to get the writing habit.

1 Optimal writing time

When are you at your most productive through the day?

For me, it’s the morning. I can work fairly productively all day long but I certainly work more quickly and in a more focused way before lunchtime. I also work better after lunch if I’ve achieved my work goals in the morning.

Once you’ve identified your optimal creative time, can you find a regular, daily writing slot within it? The ‘daily’ part is important. By doing it daily, there’s more chance of it becoming a habit that will stick.

If you have a busy work and family life, is it realistic for you to get up an hour or two early so that you can fit in dedicated writing time? (I know … groan. But it’s a thought.) Or if you work better at the end of the day, could you write in the evening instead of watching TV (or doing the ironing – what’s a crumpled shirt among friends?).

If you think this sounds problematical for you, I find it problematical too!

I’m self-employed and my work day as an editor is usually long so that I can meet deadlines. If I’ve promised myself I’ll write for just thirty minutes at the end of my working day, too often I find I’ve encroached on that half hour with editing. So then I haven’t left myself enough time before I need to go and cook to avoid eating in the middle of the night (my poor son). And if I try to write early in the day and the writing begins to take off and gain momentum, then the last thing I want to do is break off to start work.

Somehow, though, we have to be strict with ourselves. And the bigger the chunks of writing time we can commit, the more productive we’ll probably be. More time at once means more opportunity to find our writing flow. But just thirty minutes a day is still better than no minutes. Even five minutes a day is better than doing no writing at all.

So put it in your diary. Set an alarm on your phone. Ringfence that time however you need to and stick to it as far as you possibly can.

And when it’s a struggle to keep that promise you’ve made to yourself, remind yourself how much you want to write this book. And how much your target audience is going to thank you for writing this book.

2 Writing space

When you’ve established your time slot, you need to find somewhere to write. Is there a suitable, quiet space within your home? I’ve read how it’s great to have a set writing space – the same place you always go to do your writing because when you’re there, it puts you in the writing frame of mind.

I often think of a wonderful photo of Roald Dahl in his writing space – sitting in an armchair with a blanket over his knees in a hut in his garden. And when I was first writing, I loved the idea of having a special writing place. So I set myself up in a corner of my bedroom and that was it. That was where I always went to write.

These days, I prefer more variety. If it’s warm and sunny, I like to be outside. If I have the house to myself (which doesn’t happen often), I like setting myself up in a different room. I might even drive somewhere and write in the car with a fresh view. I find that my brain relaxes when I get out of my usual space. Using a variety of surroundings, when possible, can be a real boost to my creativity.

So go where feels comfortable and puts you in a creative frame of mind. Make a dedicated space if you can and want to, or write in bed if that’s what you’d rather do. Just support yourself in whatever way you need to make the act of writing a habit.

3 Positive planning

Plan out your book. Having established your time slot, you want it to be productive – because sitting down at your specially allocated time in your specially allocated space and finding you have no words will only lead to frustration. You’re likely to break the writing habit before it’s even properly formed.

With a good, solid plan in place, you will be so much more productive each time you sit down to write. Yes, you’ll still encounter hiccups. You may find something you’ve sketched out in the plotline simply doesn’t work. Or that a character starts behaving in a way you weren’t expecting (they can take on a life of their own). But with the grounding of your initial plan, you’ll be able to push forward anyway, tweaking your outline as you go.

Now, I know some writers don’t like making a plan. They feel it inhibits the natural flow of the story as it unfolds. But a plan shouldn’t be immovable. It should be a flexible workmate that helps to guide you through your writing, page by page, chapter by chapter.

At the end of a writing session, I always like to type in a few notes on what’s coming next before I stop. Then I know exactly where I’m picking up the story next time and my session can be as productive as possible from the moment I sit down.

A good way to establish your writing time to begin with is to use it to work on your plan. This is such a creative phase of the book-writing process. It’s also less pressurised. You’re not trying to produce a fully formed, beautifully crafted work of art at this stage. You’re simply gathering ideas to put together into a malleable plot as the foundation upon which to write the complete book. You can enjoy letting your imagination play here.

And remember that when you do begin to write properly, productivity isn’t about the number of words. It isn’t even necessarily about the quality of your writing at this point. It’s about the focus that goes into however many words you get down.

So write daily and, if you possibly can, without getting distracted, and just let the words tumble out. Don’t go back and start rewriting yet. Don’t get hung up on one sentence. You’re not striving for perfection at this stage. You just want to get your story down.

4 Goals to go for

By goals, I don’t mean huge, unrealistic word-count targets. If you aim too high, especially in the early stages, it’s likely you’ll get discouraged very quickly. But if you set yourself something achievable, say, a few hundred words a day – even just one hundred – then it’s not only likely you’ll meet that goal, you may also exceed it. And exceeding a word-count target will spur you on.

Oh, yes, and don’t wait for inspiration to strike. You may be lucky and have a burst of the stuff, in which case, seize that wave. But more generally, producing a book is about sitting down with your pen or your keyboard – and just writing. And writing is work: enjoyable for much of the time. A hard slog for the rest.

Just think of the ultimate reward, though. A bright, shiny, new book filled with your words, your story, your imagination, your experience, your dreams. Basically YOU – from cover to cover. That’s a goal worth aiming for.

For more writing tips and editing chat, why not have a listen to my podcast for self-publishers, co-hosted with author and independent publisher, Alexa Whitten of The Book Refinery. All episodes of The Pen to Published Podcast are available on your favourite podcast platforms and right here on my website. 

And if you’d like some help with your writing project, please do get in touch. I offer a line/copy editing and proofreading service to fiction and non-fiction authors. As a children's author myself, I also specialise in editing children's books.

You can email me here: alexa@alexatewkesbury.com

You can follow me on Twitter too @AlexaTewkesbury for useful tweets on writing, editing and proofreading.

I was captivated.

The idea of a clock striking thirteen in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar house was enthralling; the realisation that the thirteenth stroke meant Tom and his surroundings had slipped back in time, irresistible.

'Hurry! Hurry! the house seemed to whisper round him. The hour is passing... passing...

'Tom turned from the clock to feel for the electric-light switch. Where had it been? His fingers swept the walls in vain: nowhere...

'Hurry! whispered the house; and the grandfather clock at the heart of it beat an anxious tick, tick.'*

Simply delicious.

I loved The Owl Service by Alan Garner too. It was creepy; but the kind of creepiness I wanted in my life. Weird patterns that moved on china plates and strange scrabbling sounds in the attic. Pure adrenalin for the imagination.

If a book led me completely to another place as a child, I gave my heart to it. Lost my heart in it.

And it's the books that stole my heart that made me want to write books myself.

Is your idea a heart-stealer?

If you want to write for children, you probably already have a good, clear idea why.

But do you have an equally good and clear idea of your prospective audience? I don't just mean the age group you're aiming at. I mean what’s going on deep inside. Do you understand, for example...

• What enthuses them?
• What challenges them?
• What makes them laugh?
• What fires their imaginations?
• What fuels their creativity?
• What disappoints them?
• What scares them?
• What gives them nightmares?
• What they hate?
• What makes them angry?
• What they love?
• What puts a huge, sparkling smile on their faces?

Imagine yourself as a bookish detective and see how far you can delve into the child's inner world. And when the puzzle begins to feel more complete, ask yourself:

What is it about what YOU want to write that will make children lose their hearts to your story?

You can only really answer that question when you know and understand your readers.

So, even if right now you have an idea in your head; or a stash of scribbled notes; or even a plan, character sketches and a timeline – before you go any further, try this...

Remember the stories you read as a child that excited you. Then think about how they made you feel and how they succeeded in making you feel that way. Was it:

• The setting?
• The time period?
• The characters (or perhaps one character in particular)?
• The atmosphere?
• The unfolding adventure?
• The shocks and twists?
• The laughs?
• The first paragraph or even just the very first line?

What was it the author got so right? What did they succeed in tapping into in you, their reader?

Do you understand your audience well enough to be able to tap into those things too?

Being around children helps certainly. If you have your own and they’re currently in the age bracket you want to write for, you've a built-in resource well. When your life is immersed in their chatter and play, likes and dislikes, giggles and tears – not to mention their books – you're going to get a pretty fair insight into how a child 'works'.

But you don't have to have your own children, or be constantly around them, to get to know your prospective audience. Don't forget your own childhood days. You were there once, growing up too, in the thick of it.

Use those books you loved so much to remind yourself of how the world looked to you through your child eyes: how you felt, how you thought, what excited you, what you did with those excitements – and what disappointed you and hurt you too.

Then, take yourself off to a quiet nook somewhere – and read. Often.

You’ll have heard it before – and it sounds so obvious – but steeping yourself in whatever genre you want to pen is always invaluable advice for writers. Not just the 'would-be's either. Keeping up-to-date with trends and styles is vital CPD for the author.

And what better way to continually rediscover both the essence of what makes an engrossing children's story, and the spirit of children themselves than by reading other writers' perspectives on the childhood state?

It's certainly not a hardship. What a delight to find yourself compelled to read children's books, from revisiting the classics to discovering the new-borns!

What are children reading?

Whilst the classics have the potential to whisk you back to your own growing-up years, the new-borns are essential for keeping up-to-date with reading trends. These are what publishers are choosing to publish; the books they're willing to take a chance on in a vastly competitive market because children, their parents, their grandparents and more than likely their teachers are buying them.

In fact – hopping back into bookish detective mode for a moment – it's always worth chatting to the adults in children's lives. They're likely to be an excellent source of information on the books of the moment that children love.

And whilst you obviously don't want to copy what someone else may have already written very successfully, grasping the themes and issues that matter to young readers is crucial.

The BBC's 500 Words story-writing competition is an eye-opener when it comes to revealing what's on children's minds. Yes, it produces the stories you might expect from young writers – fantastical tales, other worlds and heroes from the animal kingdom.

But what it also displays is that children are acutely aware of the realities of 21^st century existence. In 2017, many of the story entries were concerned with refugees. This year, whilst the plight of refugees still figured, it was apparently the huge problems facing the environment that were a major preoccupation.

Children aren’t detached from reality. They know what’s going on. These days it’s hard to escape it.

So, taking time to root around in the consciousnesses of today's children before putting fingers to the keyboard (or pen to paper if you prefer a more touchy-feely approach) is essential to producing stories that children will want to read.

That's not to say there isn't room for innovation. Presumably each reading trend begins with one successful book; a fresh idea or a fresh take on a pre-existing concept. Add to that the fantastic breadth of story, tone and content in children's books and you can see how writing is less about subject and plot constraints, and more about the point where writers' imaginations and those of their readers magically intersect.

Your heart matters too 

There’s no point forcing yourself to write what you don’t want to write. If a trend leaves you cold, my advice would be to steer well clear.

Why push yourself to write science fiction because it’s popular when you’re far more suited to writing something firmly based in reality? Or torture yourself trying to come up with a story that’s funny when you’d much rather explore one that’s thought-provoking?

You see, it’s not just the reader’s heart that matters. It’s the author’s heart too.

In the midst of all the wordiness out there, authors shouldn’t be afraid to let their own individual voices be heard; to write in a distinctive signature style. Genuinely – from the heart. Your voice is something you might instinctively be in touch with. Or, finding it may be a matter of trial and error; discovering what works in your writing and what simply doesn’t.

Reaching a deep awareness of your potential young reader – a real sense of what it's like to be a child right now – is clearly vital, not only to winning your audience at the outset, but to holding on to them; to nurturing and growing them.

But if you’ve worked hard to uncover the heart of your audience – don’t be afraid to expose your own in your writing too.

Being genuine is a gift to your readers. And they’ll love you for it.

*Philippa Pearce: Tom’s Midnight Garden, Oxford University Press, first published 1958

Children’s author, Alexa Tewkesbury, is also a copy editor and proofreader offering an editorial service to independent authors and publishers. She trained in proofreading through The Publishing Training Centre and is a professional member of The Society for Editors and Proofreaders.

Why not get in touch to see if she can help you with your writing project?

Email: alexa@alexatewkesbury.com

To keep up to date with news and useful tweets on writing, editing and proofreading, you can also follow Alexa on Twitter @AlexaTewkesbury 

So, for 2018, I thought I might scrap the word ‘resolution’ (which just seems to set me up for failure) and instead decide on some new ‘practices’ to help myself work more healthily.

Freelance proofreaders and copy editors spend a lot of time on their own, glued as much to their computer screens as to their chairs. And it can’t be healthy. In fact, I know it’s not. I have dry eye and a perpetually stiff back and neck to prove it. So here are 5 practices we can all incorporate into our working days to try to help make our desk-bound lives that little bit more comfortable this year.

1 Don’t forget to blink

There’s a famous episode of Dr Who called ‘Blink’. The central message (deliciously delivered by David Tennant) is ‘Don’t blink, or those sneaky, alien Weeping Angels will get you and zap you into the past’. However, to those of us not plagued by Weeping Angels but who stare at a screen all day for a living, I say this: Yes, blink. Blink as often as you can, especially while you’re working. I’m told by an optician that when we stare at a computer screen for long periods, we seem to forget to blink – which means we can end up with sore, scratchy and red eyes (dry eye). Blinking moisturises the surface of the eye and helps to protect it. I can testify to the perils of being so absorbed in my screen that I forget to blink. My daughter sometimes looks at me at the end of the day, horrified, and says, ‘Mum! What is going on with your eyes?’ So forget David Tennant (if you can – mostly I can’t…) and blink away. Blink, blink, blink. Put a big note on your desk to remind you, if it helps.

2 Get up and stretch

When I’m chasing a deadline, I don’t tend to move. I sit at my computer for hour after hour, with only the odd brief kettle dash to break up the day. But it’s not enough. Our bodies need to move. They aren’t designed for all that stillness. Getting away from our desks for a few moments every hour or so and having a good stretch is not only good for us, it feels fantastic too. It reminds our brains that, from our toes to our fingertips to the tops of our heads, we’re alive and kicking, and our bodies are capable of amazing things. We may have to work but we don’t have to seize up in the process.

3 Dance around like crazy

If you share a work space, anything more than a good, regular stretch might be tricky, unless you can coordinate your efforts with other users. But if you’re able to dance around the room like crazy just for 5 minutes, even a couple of times during the course of your working day, it’ll wake your heart up, send the blood pulsing around your body and refresh your head to take on the next batch of proofs. And if you can turn up the music loud, so much the better. Just get down and boogie.

4 Have a creative reading break

If you read for a living, non-work reading may not be your first choice of relaxing activity. But when you spend your days working with words, keeping up to date with writing trends, themes and styles is an important aspect of the job. Life’s busy. Work (hopefully) is busy. If all you can manage is a quick chapter of something over a 10-minute lunchtime sandwich break even 2 days a week, it all helps. It broadens your vocabulary and reminds you of neat ways to put words together. It shows you how other writers are writing. And who knows? You might discover a new author you absolutely love which will help no end to crank up your creative, editorial brain.

5 Try not to let deadlines consume your life

Oh, yes. And this is the hard one. When every project lands at once, it can be tough to shake the weight of words from your shoulders. But we work best and most efficiently if we can keep ourselves fresh. Try to set a finish-for-the-day time – and stick to it. Switch off your computer and leave the room, even if you haven’t hit your daily target. Of course, there will be times when it won’t be possible. Sometimes a job just has to be completed, no matter how many hours into the night that means you need to work. That’s the nature of sole-working and deadlines, I suppose. But in the main, if you can switch off – then switch off. After all, in the words of Scarlett O’Hara, ‘tomorrow’s another day’.

So, 5 simple practices to build into a routine to help you work more comfortably, more healthily, more productively and, hopefully, more calmly. It’s a challenge but, this time next year, I’d like to think it will have paid off. 

If there’s anything you do to help your working day move along with more of a swing, do please feel free to leave me a comment below. 

Have a happy, healthy 2018.

Louise’s blog, The Proofreader’s Parlour, is a masterly curation of interesting and informative posts, and she writes business books too, all with the intention of helping colleagues to grow and improve along their career path, and all underpinned by her sound knowledge of publishing. If you want to know something, just look on Louise’s website – it’ll be there somewhere.

Something fantastic I’ve come across recently is her Content Marketing Primer for Editors & Proofreaders. With such a buzz around ‘content marketing’ these days, I find myself flailing about, unable to answer my own questions on whom specifically to target (let alone how), and suffering brain freeze when I try to choose a specific direction for my blog. (There’s also the time issue. When I’ve got deadlines coming out of my ears – come on, blogging? When am I supposed to fit that in too??)

But it’s almost as if Louise has heard me from afar, tearing my hair out at my own inaction, and hoping no one will realise that, largely, I depend on other people’s fabulous content to keep my Twitter topped up. You see, her Content Marketing Primer is a gorgeous A to Z of how to do the whole content thing, specifically targeted at proofreaders and copy editors. It’s actually made me excited about content creation.

Louise’s aim when sharing marketing strategies is to help editorial freelancers to improve their discoverability, ‘so that we have choice in the fees we accept or set, the clients we work for and the number of hours we dedicate to that work’. (Content Marketing Primer for Editors & Proofreaders, Louise Harnby, 2017, p5.) To that end, she takes us through what content marketing actually is, paring it down to a beautifully simple definition that is easy to call to mind if you think your posts are getting off track. She looks at editorial customer groups and the benefits of careful content targeting. She addresses six key principles essential for producing memorable, valuable, visible content (it can be the best piece of writing in the history of content production, but if no one finds it – what’s the point?).

In addition, a range of current content marketing examples are included, from Louise’s own blog, to a podcast, to a resource hub, to a self-editing course for fiction authors, and other samples too. It’s inspiring to see the inventive ways in which other editorial professionals are compiling their message and getting it out to the people who need to read it, raising their own polished business profiles in the process. I’m in awe – truly. And fortunately, I now have the Primer to properly kickstart my content ambitions. There is even a helpful list of questions Louise has been asked from time to time, each one, as she puts it ‘ripe for turning into superb useful content that you can use to promote your expertise to potential clients’ (p26).

With further sections on how to build excellent content, and comparisons between content marketing and other strategies, the Content Marketing Primer has to be the ultimate go-to guide for any proofreader or copy editor who’s flailing about a bit (like me) in the online content ocean – or who simply needs a creative marketing boost.

It’s so appealingly packaged too, with a branded cover of crisp, clean stripes that makes you feel right at home, eager to explore, and up for the challenge all at the same time.

The Primer is only available direct from Louise, so if your editorial appetite has been whetted, you can order your copy here: https://www.louiseharnbyproofreader.com/content-marketing-primer-for-editors--proofreaders.html.

And if you’re feeling a little, ‘Ooh, should I? Shouldn’t I…?’ then let me put you out of your misery. Yes. You definitely should.

Are you a writer bursting with ideas, but just need that little confidence boost to show your work to the world?

Or perhaps you create content but know you need a competent third eye to make sure it’s bang on the button?

Or maybe it’s peace of mind you’re after – assurance that your website copy shows you and your business off to your best advantage?

Professional proofreading and/or copy editing isn’t just the sweet red cherry on a wordy cake. It’s a key ingredient in the mix, ensuring that your book, ebook, website or blog shares its message crisply, concisely – and really rather enticingly.

Why? Because the editorial sweep allows your words to shine. Our published words are constantly sparring for attention with other people’s. So ‘shining’ is important.

• It makes an impact.
• It gets you noticed.
• It builds readership.
• It grows your customer base.

Technical writer and editorial professional, John Espirian, explains it beautifully, with some facts and figures thrown in.

How many customers did you miss out on today?

So - proofreading and copy editing: what are they and what’s the difference?

To fully appreciate the value of a good editorial service, perhaps the first step is to identify what your words need.

Are you looking for the polish - the finishing touch?

Or do you need something more in depth?

Perhaps your writing could do with a bit of moulding; some structural help to sentences and content to give a smoothness (or a sharpness, depending on the message), an easy-to-read flow.

It's a simple fact that errors jar, word repetitions can be annoying, and timeline discrepancies downright confusing.

The wrongness that slips through undoes the rightness.

It can even lead readers or prospective customers to feel irritated and not to trust you, your book or your business. Worse - they might give up on your words altogether...

But there’s a whole eager bank of editorial professionals out there, just falling over themselves to help! They love working with words. Many have spent a wealth of highly focused hours training to get the very best out of other people’s writing.

So, where’s the harm in just having a little explore – getting clear in your mind exactly what form of editorial assistance you think you need and what you want it to achieve?

What is the difference between copy editing and proofreading?

Copy editor or proofreader, which one do you need?

What’s the difference between proofreading and copy editing?

why does professional proofreading matter?

You’ve got this writing lark – haven’t you? You’ve read your words through and they sound good. Your Aunty Rosy, who’s never without a book in her hand, has glanced through them too and given you a hearty pat on the back. Surely that means you’re ready to publish. After all, do the odd one or two slips really matter that much anyway? You could save money on proofreading and invest it in some fancy artwork instead… right?

Sorry. Wrong…

Why proofreaders are worth their weight in… books

Editing is just using spellcheck, right?

Does proofreading matter?

5 ways a professional proofreader will help make your stand-out copy outstanding

How much do professional editorial services cost?

If you need a job doing well, by someone who has the right tools and the proper expertise, the chances are you’ll call in a professional: a builder, an electrician, a mechanic. You realise there’ll be a bill to pay when the work is complete, but you should also have the satisfaction of knowing your problem is solved and all is now in good working order.

Using a professional copy editor/proofreader to scrutinise and help shape your writing does undoubtedly cost. But the investment is worth it when you realise how your words can be honed and polished, lifting you, your book, blog, business or website to a new level of competence.

Who can make my writing better?

What am I paying for?

How can I make my writing better?

Advice to writers that you’ve probably seen often is: read a lot and write as often as you can. Write about anything and everything. Don’t hold back, just let the words flow – the idea being that through observation and analysis (reading), and the constant practice of writing yourself, your writerly skills can only improve.

It’s good advice, but there’s a wealth of other tips available, too, to help you further develop your craft and your content. From less is more, to losing repetition, to checking your tenses, to getting the punctuation right – can you improve your writing skills? Oh, yes, you can…

7 smart ways to tighten your writing

How to write well

11 smart tips for brilliant writing

True writing is re-writing

What’s a style sheet and how do I create one?

Can I proofread my own writing?

Does it matter if it’s not perfect? You’ve probably got it by now – YES, it matters. Mistakes are amateurish and distracting, and the message they send out is that your book or your business is also likely to be amateurish and not hitting the mark.

Copy editing and proofreading undertaken by trained professionals are crucial, pre-publication steps that are not to be missed.

But that’s not to say you can’t help your own words along before handing them over. There are checks you can make and simple errors you can correct when you know what to look for. And if you can save your chosen professional time, you’ll also save yourself some money.

10 consistency checks to help smooth your copy

How do I proofread my own book?

Top 10 proofreading tips

Get your eagle eye on: 10 tips for proofreading your own work

Making the most of your writer-editor collaboration

From the writer’s point of view, it might be encouraging to know that the editorial process isn’t a one-way learning spree. Editors and proofreaders who also write, or simply as they put themselves in the shoes of their clients, can constantly grow their skills through the projects that land on their desks.

A writer’s perspective on editing

What’s important to remember, as you wend your way through the writing maze, is that the whole cycle of write-copyedit-proofread-publish is a partnership between writer and copy editor/proofreader. Your editorial professional is as passionate about achieving the best outcome for your words as you are.

And that’s the ultimate joy of writers and editorial pros working together – they work with each other. They both want the same thing: stand-out writing that vibrantly proclaims a stand-out message.

When it’s your writing that creates the first impression – don’t let it be the last.

Have a look here for ways to get the most out of your editorial experience:

21 top tips to make the most of your freelance copy editor or proofreader

I am an experienced copy editor and proofreader, a professional member of The Society for Editors and Proofreaders, and have trained in proofreading through The Publishing Training Centre. If you’d like to work with me on a project, please get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote.

Email: alexa@alexatewkesbury.com

Visit www.alexatewkesbury.com for more information

You’ll also find me on Twitter @AlexaTewkesbury

I’d love to hear from you. Together, we can make your words fly.

The longer I live here (and I have lived here a long time) – in this house, in this village, in this county – the more “comfortable” I get. I don’t mean by way of plusher carpets (in any case, I prefer the painted floorboard look), or finally acquiring the king of snuggly sofas. I mean in my head. My head says: “I suppose I may as well stay. After all it’s been years. And when I mention I live in Devon, people go ‘Wow! How lovely!’” – which it is. It’s beautiful with its rolling hills and fern-fringed, heather-clad moors and enticing stretches of coast. Oh, yes, Devon definitely has the wow factor. And I do love it. 

I love the fact that I run my own small business, too, from my own wooden desk in a corner of my own home (in Devon). I love that sense of autonomy and the degree of flexibility that comes with it. The flexibility especially benefits me in my particular situation.

But I have to ask myself – if I love it that much, why am I not fully content?

It hits me whenever I go somewhere else. A holiday in the stunning Yorkshire Dales; a short break to the wilds of Cornwall; or, as last weekend, a sneaky couple of days in Stratford-Upon-Avon to indulge in an exhilarating performance from the RSC.

On the surface, I may feel “comfortable”, but it’s those times away that pull me up and make me realise that, inwardly – I’m not.

So, what should I do? Move house maybe, somewhere else altogether, where that newness of place and people will kickstart new ideas and enable new perspectives? (It’s an on-going dilemma for me that one.) Overhaul my wardrobe? (Maybe not – on a bit of a tight budget.) Try to find time to read more books and more widely? (Ooh, inviting…) 

But I think what really struck me last weekend is the possibilities I might be missing in my work life (let alone the broader scope of my existence – still, you’ve got to start somewhere). Have I let the business I’ve created stagnate? Just a little bit?

A business lives through its instigators, its innovators, the people who tussle with it, grow it, beaver away at it, use it. But just because it starts out as one thing doesn’t mean there can’t be opportunities for it to develop in further, really rather unexpected ways. Surely in my writing, proofreading and copy editing field, there must be fresh directions to explore; steeper challenges. And if I embrace them, won’t that bring me greater fulfilment in the work that I do? After all, if I don’t keep moving, I can’t expect to see over one horizon to marvel at the magnificent views stretching towards the next.

With so many motivational quotes doing the rounds on social media, it’s easy to grab hold of something and try to make it our mantra, repeating it, writing it down, displaying it on a mirror we glance in regularly to remind ourselves of the way forward; the way to live the rest of our lives with purpose and drive. 

But how about this? Perhaps instead of grasping at other people’s words and using them to cover over the things that aren’t quite right like plasters over a sore, why not try asking: how comfortable am I? Is everything fine? Am I content with the way things are? If the answer’s yes, then there’s nothing to do. No searching at present, no digging. If it’s all working, that’s good. That’s wonderful. Just enjoy the fact that right now, at this particular time, everything is exactly the way you want it.

But if, when you scratch the surface a little, you discover underneath that it’s not, then maybe it’s time to make a change. In your life. In your wardrobe. In your reading matter. Wherever the unrest is, even something quite insignificant can be a step forward. And as a small business owner, don’t let yourself be defined (or restricted) by the services you currently provide. Look at what might complement them. Analyse your skills and see how they might be extended to embrace new roles and unexplored opportunities. 

That post-holiday feeling can bring us down. But in a short while, we generally bounce back and return to our routines and schedules. We have to. I just don’t want to let normality sap my enthusiasm to grow and develop myself, my business, or my ambitions. I want to remember how I feel when I’m away and let that motivate me to bring about the changes I need to make when I’m home again.

I suppose creativity lends itself to one of those muscle similes – it needs to be exercised. And I have a feeling that, in my case, being comfortable probably stifles my creative urges. Not that I’m suggesting a radical shake-up (I’m probably the least radical person I know). Throwing out the old to make way for the new sounds great but, in practice, a lot of the old is probably hugely valuable and will make up the blocks on which to build the new.

But if beneath the veneer of comfort, some part of you is discontent, maybe don’t ignore it. Don’t push it away – invite it in. Sit down with it. Have a chat with it. Find out where it’s coming from and where it wants to take you.

The last few months have seen such political upheaval and uncertainty, and we can get very bogged down in anxiety and fears about the future. I do it often. But time is so fleeting and so precious. If a new direction beckons, wouldn’t it be good to get out the map, sit down with a cup of coffee and explore some possible routes of pursuit – at the very least?

And then it happens. Or rather, it doesn't. It stops. The phone doesn't ring. The inbox sits empty. The work dries up.

What is this? Two weeks ago, you were screaming for space. Now – all of a sudden – you have enough room in your schedule to swing an elephant, let alone a cat. A new month looms with its host of fresh bills to pay, and there you are, glued tensely to your computer, twiddling your thumbs.

I used to think it was just me. 'Everyone else, all those other freelance proofreaders and copy editors, those amazingly successful editorial small business owners – this won't be happening to them. I'll bet this never happens to them…'

But, do you know what? Yes, it does. Like the rise and fall of the tide, it seems there's an inevitable ebb and flow to editorial small business workloads. There may be variously a trickle, a steady influx, an absolute abundance, or an overwhelming torrent. On the other hand, there may be nothing. Not just for me, no. However well established you are, this seems to be reality for the many.

If this conjures up images of much inactivity (and thumb-twiddling) among freelance editorial professionals whilst hanging around for a nice little earner to ping into their inboxes, nothing could be further from the truth. I asked the question in The Society for Editors and Proofreaders Forums recently: 'Is it just me…?' And what came back, apart from the resounding, 'No!', was the busyness. Not paid busyness (no current projects, no billing potential obviously), but the bursts of energy directed into other aspects of the business – things to get stuck into that don't get a look-in when the deadlines are bearing down.

There's sorting out accounts (maybe even getting to grips with that tax return); tidying whatever makes up your office space so that it remains efficiently functional for the next torrent when it arrives (got to stay positive); exploring automating your systems as much as possible with email templates for quotes, for example; undertaking some training, either through courses, or simply getting to grips better with the software you use to save yourself time on jobs in a busy patch; reassessing your marketing strategy; creating and scheduling blog posts; revisiting your social media profiles and your website to make sure everything is up to date, that you're showcasing yourself and your skills in the best possible way. Even when you're quiet, your business still needs your attention.

And I'm told it's all right to give yourself a break, too. A day or so to walk in a wood, or sit in a park, or enjoy a creamy latte (none of this 'skinny' nonsense) in a coffee shop you've been meaning to try for ages. Or how about whipping out a paint brush and re-vamping a neglected corner of your home?

Clear the decks and clear your head. Certainly you need to keep up the drive for more work, but a little bit of breathing space in the lull? It's allowed.

Working from home, running a small business, being a consultant, being freelance – however you like to phrase it – requires determination and tenacity. It means throwing yourself into the lean times as wholeheartedly as into the abundance. That positive mental attitude is key. Easy to say, I know, as yet another bill slips through the letterbox while your inbox remains obstinately empty, but those who've been in this business for longer than I assure me there's a cycle to this and the work will surface again. So, if you can, keep at it. If you can, keep believing you will turn this stubborn corner eventually.

If you can, carry on freelancing…

With lots of thanks to helpful and supportive editorial professionals John Espirian, Beth Hamer, Margaret Aherne, Graham Hughes, Sue Browning, Melanie Thompson, Sara Donaldson, Caroline Petherick and Paul Beverley.

And with the 'lurgy' season on our doorsteps and posing yet another challenge to small business owners, Sara Donaldson's recent blog post has some great tips too. Read it here: https://northerneditorial.co.uk/2016/10/21/5-things-to-do-when-youre-ill/.

That question ('How do you know if you've got a novel in you?'), along with ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ is probably the most asked question of any novelist. It usually comes from people who secretly – or not so secretly – would love to write one themselves and are genuinely interested in the answer. However, other types of comments include:

‘I would write a novel if I had time’ – implying novelists must have a stress-free life with oodles of spare time. Nothing could be further from the truth. I remember writing my second novel over the course of 18 months in the small waiting room in my daughter’s gymnasium where, at the time, she trained three times a week hoping to qualify for the regional gymnastics squad. She never qualified for the squad; but I did get my novel finished!

Another one is: ‘I’d love to be able to afford to leave my job and stay at home and write’ – implying only financially independent people can be novelists. I did leave a full-time, reasonably well-paid job to write; but not because I could financially afford to. And every day is a struggle to find paying freelance work. I am far poorer, in financial terms, than I was before I ‘left my job to write’. I do earn enough to get by, but that nice new car and the house in the ‘better neighbourhood’ and holidays abroad are things I’ve had to sacrifice in order to pursue my dream of being a published writer.

So, if you are the type of person who asks the latter questions then there’s nothing I can do to help you. Only you can decide if the sacrifice will be worth it. But if you are the type who asks the first, then here are some thoughts:

How do you know you’ve got a novel in you?

You have stories playing out in your head. You sit watching the telly and your mind wanders into your own dramas. You would rather spend hours on the train thinking up stories than reading a book or watching videos. You have already invented characters with names and an idea of what might happen to them – but you don’t yet know where to take them. If that’s you, I think you might be pregnant with book.

How do you know you can write a book?

You don’t until you try. My first attempt was a bit of a failure. I could never seem to write chapters longer than 1200 words. This was because I had trained and worked as a journalist and 1200 was the optimum length of a feature article. But 1200 words is too short for your average chapter for adults (although fine for children and young adults). My ‘full-length novel’ turned out to be 50,000 words long. I was very proud to have finished it, but that was soon dashed when I discovered that most published novels were 80,000 words plus. Disheartened, I abandoned that novel. However ten years later, after much practice and development, including a MA in Creative Writing, I picked it up again and finished it properly. It is now published as The Peace Garden. In those ten years I had done four things that made the difference:

1. I had researched the market to see what books were being published and studied them to understand how they were written and structured.
2. I had attended a number of creative writing courses where I received feedback from fellow writers on what I was doing right and wrong.
3. I had studied the art of scriptwriting which helped me understand story arcs and structure. (I’m not suggesting everyone should do it, but it helped me.)
4. And finally, I had never let go of my dream.

So if you think you have a novel in you, why not give it a go? But don’t give up at the first hurdle. I have a rejection file three inches thick and it took me 15 years before my first commercially published novel was accepted. Editorial services like Alexa’s can also be immensely useful. I have paid for a few critiques of my work over the years – and they have been invaluable. Happy writing!

Fiona Veitch Smith has written books, theatre plays and screenplays. She is best known though for her novels and children's picturebooks. The Jazz Files is the first novel in her mystery series, Poppy Denby Investigates, and is set in 1920s London. It was shortlisted for the CWA Endeavour Historical Dagger Award, 2016. Book 2, The Kill Fee, sees Poppy continue to investigate murders and mysteries in the Jazz Age. Her next book, a historical romance set in the First Century, will be coming out Easter 2017 and the third Poppy Denby in September 2017.

http://fiona.veitchsmith.com

www.poppydenby.com

I know the concept is nothing new – do you live to work, or work to live? But as a small business owner providing a professional editorial service from the comfort of my own home and my own computer, I’ve discovered it’s all too easy to blur the margins – work/life, life/work, it’s all one, isn’t it?

You see, it’s the deadlines. Whether you’re proofreading, copy editing or writing, you can’t escape the deadlines. They’re insatiable day (and night) gobblers. There’s only ‘this’ much time to get a job done. And even if you’re able to negotiate a little longer, sometimes a little longer isn’t practical because of the time frame you’ve been given to turn around the next job in the queue.

Saying no to a project often isn’t an option either. If you’ve had a quiet month you’ll probably need the additional work to boost your revenue. Or you may take it on in anticipation of any quiet weeks to come. It can be hard to find the middle ground. Running your own business, being responsible for you own marketing and on-line presence, building up your own client base, and getting the actual work done for those clients – yes, it’s wonderful and brilliant and exciting. But let’s face it, it can be rather all-consuming too.

I’ve not long come back from a holiday: wandering the glorious open spaces of the North Yorkshire Dales, ambling beside Lake Windermere, and climbing Snowdon as part of a leisurely journey back home via North Wales. (I confess I did get lost in Newport trying to find my way onto the Severn Bridge, but that’s another story…) Holidays are great for giving you perspective. Especially, I find, those under big skies.

My holiday this year has certainly hit me with a fresh outlook. Out of the blue, someone asked, ‘Do you live to work, or work to live?’ And for some reason, it was a moment of revelation. Suddenly, I could see quite clearly how I’ve let work dominate my life. I could appreciate why it’s been hard to get to sleep at night and, once I am asleep, why it’s been virtually impossible to stay that way for more than a couple of hours at a time. I could sense, for perhaps the first time in my life, how the endless cycle of work/wakeful-night/work has begun to take its stressful little toll.

It’s been quite an eye-opener. But do you know what else? Surprisingly highly liberating.

You see, I’ve realised that I don’t actually want to ‘live to work’. I want to work, yes. I love my work (most of the time). I actually enjoy juggling those voracious deadlines (most of the time), and I get a huge sense of fulfilment and satisfaction from finishing a big project with time to spare, acquiring a new client, or receiving a glowing testimonial – most of the time. I do, I really do.

But I also want a life. I want space to breathe and find fulfilment through things outside work. I want time to relax with my Country Living magazine and picture the gorgeous ways I could give my house a facelift (even if just picturing is as far as I'll ever get). I want to get out there and dig my garden. I want to lounge on the sofa and read a book – not because I’m checking the grammar and punctuation, spelling, content and layout, but simply for the pure joy of reading a book where someone else has already put in the hard work. And I want to take my dog for longer, more adventurous, non-rushed walks (he’d like this too); get out in the world and explore new places.

In short, I want to look after myself better and reclaim my time. Not all of it. A very large proportion still needs to be invested in my business. But I want to put some aside for me too. At least once each week, I want to be creative and spontaneous and reckless (yes, proofreaders can be reckless), to remind myself that there’s more to life than work. And won’t the refreshment derived from those snatches of freedom re-ignite my business passion on a regular basis more than ten hours a day, seven days a week ever could? Oh, I think so.

It’s perhaps easy for me to write this now – from the position of a brief work lull. I currently have three writing deadlines but they are manageable, and work expected in the next couple of weeks hasn’t yet arrived. It’ll be harder to think like this when the jobs stack up again – still harder to put into practice.

But awareness is a start.

So, I’m setting myself goals. Not professional goals; not business targets; not reams of things to aim for or ‘where I want to be in five years’ time’ discourses. No. The goals I’m setting are break goals.

Tranquil moments.

Creative spaces.

This morning when I took my dog for a walk, we lingered. Yes, lingered – to forage and pick blackberries. It was bliss. Country Living would be proud.

No matter how much we love what we’re doing, we all need a break because (perhaps especially as small business owners) we constantly put ourselves under far too much pressure. Perform, perform, perform…

So, how about you? In the midst of your editorial deadlines, or whatever other pressing commitments you may have, when was the last time you asked yourself: do you live to work, or work to live?

Many years ago, when my two children were small and I was bringing them up singlehandedly, what I needed from a job above all (apart from the obvious living wage) was flexibility. All the more so as my son has autism, dyspraxia and epilepsy. When you’re factoring in regular hospital visits, it’s tricky to commit to being anywhere else other than at home, ready for the emergencies when they happen. My son is an adult now but the situation remains the same – I need the flexibility to be at home when he needs me to be there. Consequently, that’s where my work has to be. That’s why I’m a freelance.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s in no way a sacrifice. I love it. And I count myself fortunate to be someone who adores dealing in words because that’s given me a business. But all the love in the world doesn’t make it easy. Here are 10 reasons why, for me, being a freelance proofreader can be an upper as well as a downer …

1 To proofread, copy edit or write, you need peace and quiet. You need (at least, I need) to be able to focus without distraction. That can mean working alone for much of the time, which tends to be a bit isolating – although far less so these days, with so many online communities out there. I’m lucky. I love working by myself.

2 Set-up and running costs are low. Another reason I love my job.

3 The work can be so varied. I can be proofreading a novel by an independent author one day, checking business documents another, and going through a student essay on feminist ideology in Victorian times on yet another. (I don’t think I’ve ever actually read an essay on Victorian feminist ideology, but you know what I’m saying. There’s a great mix.)

4 The flexibility side is still a huge bonus. Yes, I have to work every day, including weekends when the need arises, so in a sense, I’m still tied to a job. But I don’t have to ask for time off. I don’t have to plan when to take a holiday months in advance. I don’t have to worry that I may not be allowed leave for an emergency at home. I make my own schedule. It’s hectic but, to a large extent, I can adapt it to the particular needs of the moment.

5 I have to be creative and adventurous in order to build my own workflow – which I find immensely fulfilling.

6 However, a little more on that – building my own workflow is also hugely stressful when my inbox sits empty; when a few weeks go by with no new leads, no fresh approaches, promised work just doesn’t appear, and there’s an ominous silence from current clients. I won’t say that’s when I hate being freelance. Hate’s too strong a word. But it is a downer that really bites.

7 Then there are the deadlines. Sometimes they can be painfully tight, but when you need the work, you have to meet them – even if that means working late into the night or getting up with the dawn chorus to finish.

8 It’s a challenge too when projects collide. They shouldn’t collide because I try to programme quite carefully. But stuff happens. Things get delayed. All of a sudden, there are at least three time-consuming jobs all needing to be turned around by the same time on the same day – causing a massive spike in stress levels (not to mention under-eye baggage).

9 There’s professional development to take account of as well. It’s a mistake to assume that anyone can be a proofreader if they enjoy reading. Proofreading is a skill. The world of publishing is a constantly shifting platform. There are different ways to mark up copy, using different tools, and there are often new developments. I’m more and more aware of the need to be bang up to date with the latest editorial technologies. However, to undertake training involves cost. There’s a time implication too. Another couple of challenges to juggle.

10 The work can be immensely pressurised, as can finding new clients and maintaining the workflow. It’s hard graft and tiring, but concentration still needs to be top-notch. Working when you’re tired isn’t good for anyone, whether freelance or not. But a deadline is a deadline and, however you’re feeling, it needs to be met with a high-quality service. Otherwise there’s the risk that the client will go elsewhere next time. To be honest, finding new clients is too much of a challenge to let them go again so easily.

So – is it possible to be enthusiastic about your work 100 per cent of the time? Is it realistic to think you can wake up every morning shouting, ‘Yeah! Let me at it!’? Well, after more than ten years of doing it myself and making it up as I go along, despite the drawbacks and financial stresses, I still seem to have more than enough ‘let me at it’ days to keep on going; to keep pushing through the tough times. I certainly can’t imagine what else I could do that would fit – and give me quite such a buzz.

If your work is for traditional-route publication, it will be tinkered with to suit publisher house style, but it's important that your typescript is consistent in the first place. Here are 10 consistency checks to make as part of your overall self-editing/self-proofreading strategy.

1 Is your use of initial capitals consistent throughout? For example, if you refer to your 'Blog' on one page, is it still your 'Blog' on the next – or has it become your 'blog'?

2 Have you expressed an event such as 'World War I' in the same way all the way through? If 'World War I' is your phraseology of choice at first mention, don't let it morph into 'World War 1', 'World War One', or even 'WWI'.

3 Is each statement of time in the same format? 3:00 am, 0300 hours, 3.00 am, 3 am – three o'clock in the morning. There are a few possibilities. Choose one you like and stick with it.

4 Are there italics where there should be? If, for example, you use italics to express thought – ie If I carry on like this, she thought, I'm going to get caught … – be sure to italicise every thought.

5 Have you expressed headings consistently? Are you using initial capital letters on all words in a heading, or just for the first, or for significant words only?

6 Is your spacing consistent? In Word, use the show/hide spaces button on your toolbar to pick up extra spaces between words and sentences. And keep to a layout plan: are paragraphs indented or spaced with no indent? Are headings followed by a line space? Make sure that whatever you decide is implemented throughout.

7 Are names spelt the same? For example, is 'Susannah' always 'Susannah', or has she occasionally become 'Susanna'? And, while we're on names, if you've decided to change a character's name at some point during the writing process, have you changed it all the way through, or is there still the odd original name tag lurking to confuse your reader?

8 How do you express numbers – as figures or words? Or perhaps numbers 1 to 10 in words and those above 10 in figures? Have you followed your own rule?

9 How's your timeline looking? Does it make sense? If dates are mentioned, are they in the right order and do they properly correlate with events in the text? It's surprising what can get muddled during any rewriting.

10 Are your speech marks singles or doubles? If you've chosen doubles, have any singles sneaked in, or vice versa?

Checking for consistency takes times but, with care and concentration, it's a straightforward process and the results will speak for themselves – one more tick in the professional presentation box.

The quote will also depend on the service required. If the typescript of the book has been copy edited and any re-writing work done, then it’s a straightforward proofread that will be needed, which will aim to pick up anything that may have slipped through in the way of grammar, punctuation and spelling errors, as well as inconsistencies of style (use of hyphens, initial capitals, italics etc).

If, however, the manuscript is being sent fresh from writing, then a copy edit will be a more appropriate service as there may be some content, plot (if fiction), style and language issues that need to be addressed, and work required to the text generally to improve the flow. Do remember, though, that amendments can be suggested by the copy editor to help achieve the best possible final text, but in the main it will be up to you as the author to decide whether or not to choose to implement them.

Following amendments made after the copy edit, this is when the proofread will be required to pick up any outstanding errors, as already mentioned.

There is also something that’s come to be known as a proof-edit, which is a combination of the two services. The proofreader/copy editor will both proofread and copy edit the book as they go through it. I have done this quite a few times and it seems to work well. From your point of view as the author, it also means only having to look to hire one editorial service provider to carry out all the work.

For the self-publisher, once a book has been laid out by a designer (if that’s how you choose to proceed), it will then need another proofread as, in my experience, things can go adrift during the layout process – for example, italics and occasional spaces between words may disappear. It’s also another final check to make sure that nothing has been missed and that the layout itself is consistent, page numbers in the Contents reference the correct page numbers in the text, running heads are correct – basically it’s one last check of everything.

When you’re writing, inserting the final full stop isn’t the end of the job. It’s where the next level of work begins. Both copy editing and proofreading are necessary steps to ensure text is as near perfect as possible, so they are a vital investment, whether paid for individually or in combination.

And copy editors and proofreaders really do want you to make the most of your words – just as much as you do.

And proofreading isn't just a service for book authors. From corporate literature to blogs to websites, content is everywhere and competition for engagement is steep. So whatever kind of writer you are, it's worth remembering the final polish a proofreader can give to your words.

Here are 5 checks a proofreader will make:

1 Spelling – Yes, your computer has a spellchecker, but it doesn't flag up a correctly spelt word incorrectly used. 'Their' and 'there', for example; 'practice' and 'practise', for another. Proofreading involves proper spelling correction.

2 Punctuation – When you're in full flow, it's easy to drop in a comma instead of a full stop (or leave it out altogether). Or forget to use double inverted commas inside singles, or vice versa. Or get carried away with exclamation marks. Or ask a question, without inserting the required question mark at the end. A proofreader will tidy up any such anomalies.

3 Omissions – If typing in haste, your brain can often be three steps ahead of your hands, and words inadvertently get omitted. Even when you read your writing through, your brain may still leap ahead, telling you what it thinks is on the page (or the screen) rather than what is actually there. Proofreading crucially picks up such omissions and rectifies them before the piece is published.

4 Consistency – A professional finish requires consistent presentation. If initial capital letters are used on certain words, they need to be used on those words throughout the copy. If any words are hyphenated, they need to be hyphenated each time they appear. What happens once should happen every time. A proofreader will make sure that it does.

5 Layout – If text alignment or indentation are incorrect, if line spacing has gone awry, if illustrations are incorrectly positioned or titled, or the wrong font has been used, proofreading provides the safety net to catch the mistakes and rectify them before the written piece is thrown open for public view.

Proofreading should never be an optional add-on. Professional proofreaders help content producers of every persuasion to showcase their strengths and abilities through their writing, by eradicating any jarring production errors and so allowing consumers simply a jolly good read.

I love language. I love its forms. I love the way we can use it not just to communicate the everyday; with language, we can create the fantastical. We can take each other to far flung places, real and imaginary. We can ignite passions and inspire dreams. With words, we can enable escape.

Language that’s beautifully crafted, where words fit together in a seamless flow is, to me, quite simply, heavenly.

And in the spoken word, I love the breadth of accents; how one simple sentence can be transformed from mouth to mouth, depending on each speaker’s geographical origin. It fascinates me. I hear an accent and I want to try it out. (Is that usual?)

So why is it, when we have something so beautiful, so vivid, so creative to craft with and exciting to manipulate, that we sometimes take language and reduce it – to a load of old claptrap?

Why must we sink into this jargon where we ‘take things on board’, ‘think outside the box’, ‘push the envelope’ and ‘land and expand’ (is that last one to do with setting up camp in Arrivals at Heathrow and stuffing your face?). Why must we grapple with the ‘end-user perspective’ and the ‘win-win situations’? And why, oh why, do we have to ‘get our ducks in a row’? What have ducks ever done to anyone? Leave them be.   

And it’s not just jargon that rankles. It’s the trend for distorting and squishing together words, largely names, that were never intended to be distorted and squished together. My current gripe is this one: ‘Brexit’. I mean, who came up with this? Why did they think it was a good idea? Whose minds is this irritating little amalgamation supposed to appeal to?

More to the point: who started this evil trend in the first place?

Consider … We’ve got Brangelina; we’ve had Bennifer (in case you’ve forgotten, that’s Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, and poor Jennifer had already succumbed to JLo). We’ve got SamCam (that’s as political as I’m getting). There’s a string of character name abominations in the TV series, The Vampire Diaries, my daughter’s personal favourite being ‘Klaroline’ (Klaus and Caroline). And, much as I adore the BBC’s The Musketeers (and I seriously do adore them), why must Constance and D’Artagnan be melded into Constagnan? Or Athos and Milady twisted into Milathos? I mean, come on – how would Jane Austen have felt if her readers had reduced her masterpiece to Pridpred, or her leading lights to Fitzliz (or Bendarcy)? And what of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights? I doubt she’d have delighted in her turbulent lovers being marked down as Cathcliff?

In the words of the irressible Miranda Hart (now, let’s see, how can we maul her name – Mirart, perhaps?), IS IT JUST ME?

Coining a phrase is one thing, but jargon? Surely that’s something else altogether. And as for this mangling of words and names, from the bottom of my language snob’s heart I'm begging, please, let’s leave the splicing and dicing in the kitchen for the vegetables.

One of my books for children, Topz Gospels - Matthew, has been shortlisted in the UK Christian Book Awards 2016. To cast your vote, please visit http://christianbookawards.org/my-vote/ and give it a click!

Is it normal, for instance, to wake up in the night and remember you need to double-check the use of a capital letter in the proofreading project you're currently working on? Is it normal to lie awake, wondering how on earth you're going to juggle all the editorial jobs you've said, 'Yes', 'Yes' and 'Yes' to, because to turn any of them down would be foolish in case you hit a dry spell? And when the dry spell arrives (which, after all, is only normal now and again – isn't it?), is it normal to fill your days with excessive bursts of marketing, vigorous tweets, a re-budget paring everything down to the absolute bone, and a frantic scuffle every ten minutes checking each email account you've ever used in the faint hope that someone somewhere will be asking for your services?

Well … is it?

The world of work strewn with deadlines. Dates for this and dates for that have to be scribbled into diaries or on wall charts or calendars – unless you're one of those clever people who can set up some kind of schedule thingy on your computer. I probably could with the right mentor, but I'm the sort who rather likes having a hard-backed A5 diary at my elbow. There's something solid about a proper diary; dependable. You can consult it with a flourish. Flip to the right page and it will efficiently jog your memory as to what's currently expected of you. You can easily count down days to various project completion dates; work out a proper plan. (Oh, and by the way, is it normal to make plans which, alarmingly often, become almost impossible to stick to – so then you have to make another plan – and more than likely another after that?)

As an author as well as a proofreader and copy editor, I find, along I'm sure with the rest of the freelance community, that my gaze is perpetually fixed on some date in the future. A piece of writing to be finished by then, a magazine to be proofread by then, another job needed by then to fill a gap ... It can actually be quite hard to live in the present; to get a grip on what's normal and what's perhaps faintly ridiculous.

So maybe, in the midst of the hurly-burly, what's needed is to stop and take a few very deep breaths. To go outside and look at something beautiful: a flower or a spreading tree, or a patch of blue sky (if you can find one) with a single white cloud suspended at its centre. To remind yourself that, though you may work on your own, there's a great fellowship of freelance writers and proofreaders out there, all with the shared experience of pulling in and programming work, then beavering away to get it done to the schedule and satisfaction of their clients. A great fellowship who suffer the odd dry spell just like you do, and seek to prevent its happening too often with cunningly devised marketing strategies.

A great fellowship who, more than likely, wake at night with points of grammar running through their heads (surely that's not just me ...?).

In any case, does 'normal' really matter? After all, it's probably a pretty broad spectrum. And when I'm tussling with this and that and the other on my own, that's such a comfort.

One of my books for children, Topz Gospels - Matthew, has been shortlisted in the UK Christian Book Awards 2016. To cast your vote, please visit http://christianbookawards.org/my-vote/ and give it a click!

A boot print in mud, for example. Once you get beyond the obvious (that someone somewhere is walking around with one muddy boot), that lone print could be the springboard for creating a chilling crime novel. Much as a snail's trail, simply slimy in daylight (and let's hope the little blighter isn't heading for my lettuces), is silvered under a full moon, provoking a potential feast of poetry without mention of a single vegetable. Or what about the mobile ringtone that causes a head to turn (chiefly mine) and is answered by a smartly dressed young man with, 'What d'you want? I'm in Tesco ...'

No, perhaps that is a step too far. But the point is, inspiration can leap up and bite us on the nose anywhere, anytime; sometimes when we're on the look out for it, sometimes when it's the farthest thing from our minds. Which is good to know. Not just for so-called creative types, but for everyone. Everybody needs a bit of a pick-me-up now and again. A new view. A new perspective. A fresh challenge. Otherwise, whatever life we live, whatever job we do, we're going to get stale.

You'd think proofreaders and copy editors might get all the inspiration needed from the vast quantities of reading matter chomped through in the course of a working day. And some of it may indeed be inspiring - although you do need to keep a bit of a lid on it as anything editorial requires manic concentration. It's not helpful if your mind takes itself off in flights of fancy. But much of it won't be. It may be useful and informative, interesting and well-written even, but that's not the same as being inspiring because that may not be its purpose.

So where might proofreaders find inspiration? And what particular aspect of their work might they need inspiration for?

As a fairly new business-builder, this particular editorial professional is bolstered by seeing people take an idea and explode it into life - with all the ups and downs that go with the journey. It gives me that exciting sense of, 'I can do this'.

And me, I love a good film. Two of my favourite inspirational features are - wait for it - Kinky Boots and The Full Monty. Not what you were expecting? Bear with me. I know neither are new (The Full Monty was released way back in 1997 - doesn't time fly?), and you might dispute their inspirational value. But the thing is, they both start with a failing - which instils an idea - which is carried through (eventually) to a successful, and really quite emotional conclusion. Well, I get emotional anyway.

In Kinky Boots, a failing shoe factory is saved when its owner comes up with a niche market idea and goes into business with a drag queen. The Full Monty gives us long-term unemployed Gaz, who is failing to find another job. Unless he comes up with some money, his ex-wife will stop him from seeing his son. So he famously gets together with five other unemployed men and they form a Chippendales-type dance act to raise some cash - for one night only.

What I love about these films (and Kinky Boots is based on a true story) is the failures coming good. When they're really up against it, these desperate, hapless and endearingly human people fight back. They fight back and they win. It's glorious.

Working on your own, as so many freelances do, can be a bit isolating. You can Tweet and Facebook till you've got cramp in your fingers but at times still feel weirdly separate from the outside world. Especially if work has gone a bit quiet and you're not sure where next to go with your marketing, because you can't see where your marketing is currently taking you. It's at moments like that that an injection of motivation and determination (if faintly frivolous) is not just an indulgence. I think it's pretty vital.

Where are you on the inspired scale right now - where 10 is fantastically inspired and 0 is not currently inspired by anything at all? Whatever your field of work, perhaps it's time to grab an inspirational film. Seriously, try watching my choices with fresh eyes. (Who can resist a script with the immortal line: 'Look to the heel, young man. The sex is in the heel.') And if you end up feeling a bit weepy ... what the heck?

One of my books for children, Topz Gospels - Matthew, has been shortlisted in the UK Christian Book Awards 2016. To cast your vote, please visit http://christianbookawards.org/my-vote/ and give it a click!

(a) a rather Dickensian-looking individual with glasses perched on nose, hunched over paper or screen whilst ferreting through copy in the eager anticipation of errors they can mark up with unrestrained glee? Or

(b) a more laid-back approach, the reader sprawled on a sofa and lazily digesting the latest project to arrive in their inbox, along with a large box of Celebrations? Or

(c) a combination of the two (if that's even possible)? Or

(d) someone with a very particular skill to offer, a highly trained eye, excellent judgement when it comes to making editorial decisions and who, quite frankly, deserves every bit of chocolate that comes their way?

You see, it's easy to underestimate the power of a professional proofread, perhaps especially if you're a first-time self-publisher who wants to get their book out there in the shortest amount of time with minimal production costs. Or if you've worked long and hard on your website copy and it's been checked and double-checked by Richard in Accounts, so surely it must be good to go.

Richard in Accounts is no doubt a first-rate reader, as may be your mum, your brother-in-law and your Great-Aunt Mildred, but being a good 'reader' isn't at all the same thing as being a good 'proofreader' and it's important to make that distinction.

Professional proofreaders have a lot of responsibility. They know they're being entrusted with other people's precious words. They are often the final link in the production chain. It's up to them to catch whatever errors have been missed; whatever inconsistencies have been overlooked. Their job is to spot and correct wrong spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes; to make sure any house-style has been adhered to throughout; to check the right fonts have been used in the right places; to see that running heads are accurate, page numbers run consecutively, and that those in the list of contents reference the right pages in the text; to ensure the layout is correct in terms of spacing and alignment; to read not only for sense, but also to register the accuracy (or not) of every single word.

Proofreaders are trained to look for the tiny details, as well as to appraise the overall layout. It's not about snuggling up for a couple of hours for a comfy, relaxing read, or savouring the opportunity to indulge in a spot of unnecessary criticism. As with most jobs, it's actually hard graft. You have to concentrate, really concentrate. A lapse in concentration could mean a lapse in the ultimate quality of someone else's hard work. How frustrating to receive your freshly published book, or peruse your newly live website, only to find the errors that the lapses in concentration or the untrained eye allowed to slip through; the errors that your readership may well have already found and just can't resist highlighting on social media.

Competition abounds. To compete with the best, at the very least your work needs to be presented to its best advantage. Now, I'm not saying that proofreaders are infallible. No one's infallible. But good proofreading needs to be recognised as a skill that, quite rightly, should be properly charged for. Proofreaders really are worth their weight in books. Not a stack of cheap paperbacks. But beautifully produced, solidly bound hardcovers - with thick pages that smell downright gorgeous.

One of my books for children, Topz Gospels - Matthew, has been shortlisted in the UK Christian Book Awards 2016. To cast your vote, please visit http://christianbookawards.org/my-vote/ and give it a click!

Yes, I know, but as you may or may not be aware, there is a debate around adverbs. Quite heated at times it seems, if any of my Googlings are an accurate representation of how numerous writers and creative writing tutors respond to the little critters. There's a definite divide: those who see adverbs as evil infiltrators of language that should be banned, flung forever into the nether regions of grammar hell - and those who've never heard anything so ridiculous in all their lives and if we're banning adverbs, why not ban adjectives, nouns and verbs too ... Seriously, I sense a lot of desk-thumping going on out there.

When I was at school, I was taught by my various English teachers that a verb is a doing word. I've never liked that definition (don't know why, just makes me prickle), but I suppose it does serve to sum up a verb's purpose. A verb tells you what someone is doing. And what does the adverb do? It qualifies the action expressed through the verb. Which is fair enough, isn't it? It makes someone smile 'impishly', or laugh 'heartily', or shout 'loudly', or march 'purposefully', or flinch 'painfully' or ...

Ah. And therein lies the problem for the 'get-them-out' thumpers. I suppose if you flinch, then 'painfully' is an unnecessary qualification. The action of flinching of itself suggests pain is involved. Presumably the narrative leading up to the moment of the flinch would have described the painful instance resulting in the inevitable 'ouch' moment - thereby making 'painfully' redundant. And as for shouting 'loudly', has anyone ever shouted softly? Unlikely, although I like to think my mind is open to the possibility. (I did once write an essay exploring prison life called 'The Silent Screaming'.) As for marching 'purposefully', what other way is there to march? And let's face it, aren't 'impishly' and 'heartily' just - well - a bit cliché?

The 'get-them-outs' would call writers who rely on the use of adverbs, lazy. Instead of creating a narrative that shows through an unfolding characterisation or situation how someone might move or speak or think - or flinch - adverbs are the cop-out. They tell what should already be evident. Or at the very least implicit. Should it ever be necessary to describe someone as talking angrily? Shouldn't the anger be integral to the content of the text at that moment?

And what of the other camp - those who swear by adverbs? Who think they add richness to text, depth to the action; who want the reassurance of reading (or the freedom to write) exactly how someone speaks or moves or thinks; who, immersed in a book, like to be given it straight - not coaxed or manipulated to an understanding or realisation. Perhaps they would be accused of being lazy readers.  

Everything has its time, I suppose. Who knows? Perhaps adverbs have had their day. But maybe the old adage, 'Everything in moderation', holds good even on points of English grammar. Good writing, we're taught these days, should be pared back and precise, not littered with non-necessities that clutter the page and do nothing to drive the action forward. In other words, stick to the nitty gritty and you won't go far wrong. But if there are odd and infrequent phrases where a cleverly inserted adverb might just enhance the flavour of a particular written moment that tiny bit more, then perhaps they shouldn't be shunned completely? (Yes, I did intend to use the adverb 'completely' there. Only suddenly I find myself asking, 'Can anything be shunned slightly ...?')

Yes, tricky little things, adverbs.

Now, where's that's chocolate fudge cake? Oh, and in case you're wondering, that old adage I just mentioned? It hasn't ever applied to chocolate fudge cake. Not in this camp.

With thanks to Lydia Tewkesbury (follow @LydiaTK on Twitter) for blog inspiration.

More than ten years on, and my children are fully grown. But I'm still a home-worker and I still love it. It suits my life and my personality. It allows me to use my skills (the editorial ones I've studied and the writing ones I continue to develop). And, despite the inevitable uncertainties, the constant checks on the bank balance, that awful moment once a year when I realise I can't put off doing my tax return any longer - I wouldn't change it for the world.

So, a quick super six: six things that have worked for me over the years as I've beavered away behind my own front door. They may not be new to you, but they're fully tried and tested - right here.

1 Make a morning routine. Whether that's getting straight up and at it, or at it after taking children to school and walking the dog, develop a rhythm that works for you. Oh yes, and never skip breakfast. Make time, even for just five minutes, and really savour that first meal of the day. It's good for you.

2 Create a dedicated workspace. I'm fortunate. In the words business, I don't need much room. I have a desk in a corner of my bedroom. Underneath is a tray of folders - my filing system. To my left is a shelf of regularly used reference material. Other than my computer, a changeable montage of photos and postcards, and a rather funky green desk lamp which offsets everything beautifully, that's it. That's all I need. Depending on your business, you may need more. So decide what you need and want - and create it.

3 Don't feel bad about saying no to people. Because you're at home, friends and neighbours may assume you're available - for coffee, to child mind, to pick them up from the station because the bus is a pain. Just remember that a work day is a work day. You couldn't help if you were out at work. You're in at work. You have bills to pay, and only so many hours to spend at your desk. Don't feel bad about saying no.

4 The same goes for cleaning. The stairs may need a hoover. There may be splatters on the cooker from some rather over-enthusiastic porridge-stirring. Leave them. Leave it all. You'll make time later. On a working day you need to be in your lovingly created workspace. Working.

5 If you find it hard spending your days alone and you have what you need to make your business mobile, pack yourself up now and again and go and work in a coffee shop. You'll find plenty of others doing the same. Personally I need the peace and quiet of my own desk, but if you're the sort who can zone out and not be distracted by noise around you, a different view and a large, steaming latte can make a refreshing change to your work routine. It might even kick-start new inspiration.

6 Network. You can do a lot online. There's LinkedIn, which helps you to connect with others in your line of business - or with those who might be looking for the services or products you provide. I use Twitter a lot too. And if there's a professional body associated with your work (I'm a recent member of the Society for Editors and Proofreaders), look into the cost of joining. There will often be local meet-ups where you can get together with people who understand because they do what you do and face the same pressures (and rewards) as you face.

I know. You've probably heard all this before. But sometimes it's good to remind ourselves how to frame a home-based working life so that we can build it into what we want it to be. It's certainly the way I've kept things ticking over through the years, and so far, I've managed to hold on to our roof whilst working under it.

With thanks to Lydia Tewkesbury (follow @LydiaTK on Twitter) for blog inspiration.

Christmas recedes alarmingly quickly. Doesn't it? I mean, considering the weeks (more likely months) of preparation lavished upon it. The New Year is barely into its stride before we're forging ahead once more, with barely a backward glance.

Tucked away in my wordy garret, I'm already seeing January unroll some interesting, wonderful and all-round unexpected projects - along with some rather exciting news. One of my books for children, Topz Gospels - Matthew, has been shortlisted in the children's category of the Speaking Volumes Christian Book Awards 2016. Held every two years, the Awards celebrate Christian writing with a wide appeal. So what an honour to be included alongside fabulous writers like Bob Hartman, Alison Mitchell and Claire Page. As I say, exciting news!

Whoever ultimately claims the lion's share of the public vote won't be known until May (and who knows, it might even have stopped raining by then), but it's got me thinking about the tight teamwork involved in producing each of those finished offerings on the shortlist. Because let's not forget, behind every author, more than likely there's a great copy editor.

In some ways, a manuscript is a bit like a play in rehearsal. There are actors who could probably just about pull it together themselves without a director, but would they end up with something as cohesive, as enthralling or memorable - as 'finished' - as they would without strong directorial input? Someone who can be on the outside, visualising the final production as a whole; suggesting this, coaxing that. Ensuring that everything works, both artistically and technically, to tell the story in the most effective way.

Similarly, over time, an author develops an idea, fleshes it out with characters and locations, new perspectives, twists and turns. But when that part is done, it's time to collaborate with a 'director' - the copy editor. The person on the outside of the book who works with the same critical attention to detail as a director does on a play.

And it should always be a collaboration, with both author and copy editor open to each other's point of view. There's trust involved. An author needs to believe that their baby is safe in their editor's hands; that suggestions and amendments will serve to enhance the narrative not detract from its flow or voice; that the editor wants the ultimate work to be the best it can be, just as much as its creator. The external eye spots the minutiae. And often it's the minutiae that makes all the difference.

Having been involved on both sides - as a writer being edited, and an editor working with a writer - I can honestly say, I think it's a stimulating partnership.

If you'd like to vote for my children's book, Topz Gospels - Matthew, in the Speaking Volumes Christian Book Awards 2016, it's very quick and easy. Just pop over here http://christianbookawards.org/my-vote/ and give it a click - and I'll be very grateful - thank you.

I want to be noticed. (Gosh, sounds like one of those introductory spiels from candidates on The Apprentice – which, by the way, I love.)

So, back to The SfEP forum. Having had a bit of a root around to find suitable on-line advertising platforms, I was keen to know what had worked for others in the words business. Are any particularly promising in producing editorial fruit? Are there some it’s best to leave well alone? With so many places to advertise, a bewildering and it seems ever-expanding array of marketplaces, all telling you ‘you need to be THERE to be seen’ – how are you expected to find your way?

Well, I was delighted to find that my tentative enquiry, as an all-round newbie to The SfEP, produced a ‘thread’. An actual thread of thoughtful, detailed and extremely useful responses from other kind Society members, who’ve been out there, trying and testing the marketplaces for quite some time before me. What a wonderful thing a forum is!

In summary, overall I’d say that advertising on findaproofreader.com came out as one of the best options. Although highly competitive (there are a lot of us on there), the annual subscription is very affordable and there’s a handy ‘Get a quote’ system for service searchers, which triggers emails to subscribers alerting them to possible opportunities. Having now placed my ad, I can also testify to the very courteous service I received on my initial contact with the FaP office. (I do so like a courteous service provider.)

Comments on the likes of Yell.com, HotFrog, FreeIndex and Scoot, were less optimistic, perhaps partly because their search systems are weighted towards finding local businesses. This seemed to be the main thrust of my lengthy (unbelievably lengthy) call from the Yell.com salesman, who didn’t seem to grasp that editorial freelancers aren’t confined to a locale – we can work with anyone from pretty much anywhere in the world, all from the comfort of our own computers, so why be restricted in our advertising?

The forum thread clearly signposted the SfEP’s own directory of editorial service providers as the top place to be. Which is why I’m now training with The Publishing Training Centre in order to further hone my skills and gain my entry. A goal for as soon as possible in 2016.

There was also advice to develop an identifiable brand and maintain its presence out there in the digital marketplace, whilst at the same time trying out a variety of platforms to see what works, if only for the possible SEO benefits. I suppose there may be occasions when the local thing actually turns out to be a plus. And after all, if it’s free there’s nothing to lose. Who knows who might stumble across you during a casual Google?

With grateful thanks to the following SfEP members who not only gave me food for thought, but also made me feel very welcome in all my newbie-ness to the forum:

Graham Hughes www.gh-ed.com

Louise Harnby  louiseharnbyproofreader.com

John Espirian  www.espirian.co.uk

Steve Garnsey

Happy Christmas.

It’s just as well, really, as we have a large, blond Labrador who drops copious amounts of hair, the odd dollop of mud and who-knows-what-else about the place, and it needs cleaning up with alarming regularity. All fine, if it wasn’t for the fact that cleaning takes time. So much time. Our dog mega-moults. Constantly. I’m sure I could have stuffed at least three mattresses in the time I’ve had him - and why he’s not bald …? But perhaps that’s a discussion for another blog post.

Time for me, as for most of us, seems in short supply. So the hairs tend to pile up as days disappear in whirls of activity, not the least of which is earning a living.

Which brings me to the point of this post. (You see? I told you there was one.)

I like to tidy. I enjoy taking something that needs a bit of a sort-out, dusting it down and sprucing it up. I love to see the transformation and bask briefly in the fruits of my efforts. (Where my house is concerned, the basking is indeed brief as the hairs never stop falling.)

But I’m convinced that’s why I enjoy editorial work. Copy editing and proofreading – they’re the spit ’n’ polish. The effort and attention to detail that bring about a clean and crisply professional finish to a manuscript. With the fundamentals in place, we editors and proofreaders power in with the elbow grease (metaphorically speaking), and, where necessary, shake it up and iron it out.

In short, we give it a good old tidy. And for me, with my housekeeper’s mentality, there’s something really rather satisfying about that.

For some months now, tucked away in my freelance garret, I've been increasingly aware of a certain haphazardness in my approach to my work; a 'make it up as you go along' mentality, which at times, when the work has flowed in, has been tremendously uplifting and exciting. I've eagerly grasped this, that and the other job - not all in the writing/editorial field, I also do a bit of acting on the side - thinking joyously, 'Ha ha! This will help to see me through the lean times!' And whilst that's been true to an extent, in the end and over years, it has left me not only slightly frazzled, but also less and less clear of my role as a freelancer, and (if I'm honest) a bit soul-destroyed.

So, it was time for a rethink. A revamp (a word I do rather like). I've listened to the voice in my head that's been nagging for I don't know how long, 'You need to streamline. You need to focus.' I've taken notice of the pressure build-up inside my brain - whilst fairly adept at leaping from task to task to task, it is, after all, only human - and I've thought to myself, 'Enough is enough.' I know the business I want to build. I've been working in it for the last ten years or more, writing, proofreading and copy editing with gusto. I know I want to nurture it. Cosset it. Be more creative with it. I just need to let some stuff go so that I can reclaim time to zoom in and do it properly.

This has led to a much needed head declutter (another word I really like). And do you know what? I feel so much better. In fact, if you're feeling swamped, over-burdened and as if your entrepreneurial fire is down to its final embers, I can thoroughly recommend it.  

Step one of my revamp/declutter was to read a brilliant book: Marketing Your Editing & Proofreading Business by Louise Harnby. It really helped to clear my head. It gave me a framework for my editorial business, a direction, goals to strive for and, most importantly, the inspiration to take a fresh look at the services I provide and repackage them into something attractive, appealing and all-round essential to prospective clients, be they publishers, self-publishers or businesses.

It's also resulted in this - a brand new blog for a brand new website. Informal, newsy, with the odd bit of grammar nitty gritty, hints, tips and thoughts aired, and perhaps even a guest post here and there, if I can entice other editorial and writing-type bloggers to help me brighten the space. And I very much look forward to connecting with the people I hope will visit it.

Oh yes, and now for the best part. I feel excited again! I feel like a business owner. A proper business owner, working to provide a friendly and professional service to those looking for something - well - professional and friendly.

So, it's all good.

As I say, I like a new beginning. Why wait for New Year to make a fresh start? Welcome, all. I hope you'll join me on my new business adventure.