The ideal reader

The ideal reader

When you write a non-fiction book to share your expertise, you should have a clear idea of who you’re writing for.  It’s surprising how many authors start writing before having real clarity on what their reader wants.  But, of course, you wouldn’t do that, would you?...
The last full stop

The last full stop

You’ve slaved over a hot keyboard for weeks, or maybe months or even years.  Your manuscript is finished and you typed that final full stop with gusto.  Ta-dah!  It’s done.  Is it time for a huge sigh of relief, a little celebration or the next stage in your plan to...
Planning your book

Planning your book

After 13 weeks with a small cohort of authors on the Author Guide Course, I’ve realised that getting a book from ‘I’ve got an idea’ to ‘selling like hot cakes’, is not about the quality of the idea, it’s about how well you plan. Lots of people have great ideas for...
Wisdom!

Wisdom!

What is wisdom? The dictionary (at least the one on my desk) says ‘Good sense, judgment; accumulated learning, knowledge.’  You don’t have to have grey hair and a long white beard (or whatever the female equivalent is) to have wisdom.  It’s something that we grow over...
Passion!

Passion!

I have a passion for words, some people consider me to be geeky when I get on my soapbox about incorrect spelling, misuse of words and poor sentence construction.  They’re not usually unkind about my geekiness, but I can almost hear the eye-roll they’re suppressing....
Inspiration!

Inspiration!

I read a lot of fiction and sometimes wonder where the authors get their ideas for stories from.  Then I realise that when things happen around me or I hear about something that has happened to someone else, my first reaction is often ‘that would make a great book!’...