Tag: Writing Tips

4 Grammar Myths Busted!

Posted on by Kim

In the world of proofreading, grammar myths abound. These are typically presented as ‘rules’.

Overzealous pedants may therefore try to correct things that are not actually mistakes. But skilled editors and proofreaders will only make changes when they are necessary.

To help you avoid falling into these grammatical traps, I’ll dispel some of the most pervasive myths in this post.

1.  Never Split Infinitives

Telling people not to split infinitives is almost a cliché of pedantry.

But the rule against splitting infinitives is an invention of nineteenth-century grammarians based upon attempts to apply the rules of Latin to English. Modern grammarians do not stick by this rule at all.

In fact, sometimes, splitting an infinitive can boost clarity. For example, to stupidly go swimming clearly implies the decision is stupid since stupidly is right next to go.

In to go swimming stupidly, on the other hand, stupidly is closer to swimming than go, which might suggest that one is swimming in a stupid manner. So, even though this version avoids splitting the infinitive, it is less clear.

I’ll leave it up to you to picture what stupid swimming would involve.

2.  Never Start A Sentence With A Conjunction

You should not start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction (i.e. for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so). But this is not held to be confirmed by any authoritative sources.

In practice, starting a sentence with a conjunction is common. It can even help emphasise the connection between two statements or enhance the flow of prose. For example:

You have a lot of potential as a proofreader. But everyone needs to practise!

So, while starting every sentence with a conjunction would be stylistically poor, never using a coordinating conjunction at the start of a sentence could detract from the flow and clarity of writing.

3.  Never End Sentences With A Preposition

 This is another case of mistakenly basing English usage on Latin. And while ending a sentence with a preposition can sound awkward, it is usually fine.

There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about: not being talked about.

(Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray)

Both clauses here end with the preposition about. To avoid this, we would need to rephrase to something like this:

There is only one thing in the world worse than being the subject of conversation, and that is not being the subject of conversation.

This is almost certainly a less memorable aphorism! And since the original makes perfect sense, changing the sentence to avoid ending on a preposition would be unhelpful.

4. Double Negatives Are Always Incorrect

The prohibition against double negatives is often overstated. You should correct non-standard double negatives (e.g. I saw nothing) if they are used in formal writing.

But these might be acceptable in less formal or literary contexts. And many double negatives are standard in most forms of writing, such as saying something is not uncommon to mean it is pretty typical:

It is not uncommon to find double negatives in a well-written document.

This usually depends on the document’s tone, so take care when correcting double negatives.

I hope you found this post about grammar myths useful and will no longer fear these all-too-often touted “rules”. The English language is a living, evolving thing that changes and develops as society changes.

If you have any writing dilemmas, I’m here to help. Get in touch.

What to Do After You’ve Written a Book

Posted on by Kim

You worked hard on your book baby. 💙 Staying up late, getting up early, pushing through writer’s block, and finally, you’ve finished. You’ve written a book! Congratulations! 🎉

And now breathe…

But, now the questions start hounding you. Beginning with, “I wrote a book! Now, what?”

I’ve created 4 simple steps to follow that lead you through the next part of the process.

What Do You Do After You’ve Written a Book?

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If this is your first book, or the first one you’ve actually finished, I’m sure you’ve got a hundred and one questions clamouring for answers.

Do I look into self-publishing?

Maybe it’s time I look for a literary agent?

Should I hire an editor to double-check my formatting?

Do I have to do all of this to get my book out there?

All of these questions are important parts of the writing and publishing process. However, you don’t need to do all of them right away.

In this article, I’ll break down the next steps you should focus on now (and which ones you could forget for a while, or not bother with at all).

As you’ve probably guessed, when you finish writing your book, you’re not actually finished. Sorry.

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In fact, finishing your book is just the beginning. And if this is your first time, you’re probably looking for advice on what to do next.

In this post, I’ll cover what comes after you write a book.

But before we talk about what you should do, let’s talk for a moment about what you should avoid after writing your book.

First, What You Shouldn’t Do After You’ve Written a Book

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New writers are usually eager to send off their books or short stories as soon as they finish writing. However, very few—if any—finished books are good books after a first draft.

For this reason, the first step you take after finishing a book is not to announce you’re done on social media 📣 before quickly heading to Kindle books or Amazon to self-publish it. Or is it rushing off to a publishing house or literary agency in search of representation. ⛔

There’s still work to be done!

You’re going to want to make some revisions before that first attempt, even if it’s a decent first draft, becomes a great book.

In a nutshell, here’s what to avoid after you write a book—for now.

Don’t send your book to a publisher.

Good writing is rewriting. If you want to get published, don’t send your book to any of the following people yet:

  • Agents
  • Acquisitions Editors
  • Publishers

Submitting your manuscript before it’s ready could lead to permanently burning a bridge. Some literary agents even have a policy that rejection of a manuscript is a rejection from the agency as a whole.

This is why literary agents will openly encourage writers to participate in programmes like NaNoWriMo, but also politely ask them to not send their manuscripts to them as soon as November ends.

Revising Needs to Happen First!

I know you’re excited about sharing your hard work, but there’s still a lot to do.

Don’t send your book to beta readers.

Beta readers, are people who read your book and give you feedback before you publish. Good beta readers can help transform your manuscript from mediocre to excellent.

However, beta readers are best used after you’ve worked out some of the kinks in your manuscript on your own first. Or else, you might get feedback that you’re not ready for, or that hurts your self-confidence as a writer.

We’ll talk about the best time to send your story to beta readers in a moment.

Don’t edit your book.

What most people do after they finish their book is going back to page one and start line editing from the beginning; fixing typos, correcting grammar, and polishing sentences until they shimmer.

This is a huge mistake.

Here’s the problem: after you finish your first draft, there’ll be major structural issues. There are going to be sections that need cutting, other sections that need to be written from scratch, and others that need replotting.

What happens when you realise you have to cut a section that you’ve devoted hours, or even days polishing? At best, you’ve just wasted a heck of a lot of time, and at worst you might be tempted to “just leave it in” because of the time you’ve spent on it.

Instead, I have a better system that will save you time and result in a better book at the end of the process.

Next Steps After You Write a Book

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Now that you know how to avoid the dangers, let’s talk about what you should do next after you’ve written the book.

I recommend these four steps.

1. Let Your Book Rest

What to do after you've written a book - Step 1. Let your book rest (1)

Not only do you need a break after you’ve written the book, but your book also needs one too.

This is because after you’ve finished writing, you have no perspective on it. You’re too close. You won’t have the objectivity to know what works well, what should be cut, what needs work, and what is fabulous and should be left alone.

Letting your book sit for a few weeks, even a month, gives you time to regain perspective and start to see your book for what it is — or what it can become.

If taking a break is hard for you, remember that working on your book doesn’t mean you have to stop writing or growing as an author.

If you’re feeling antsy, head out to your favourite coffee shop. Brainstorm new book ideas. Read your favourite published author’s books. Lose yourself in the latest bestseller. Listen to your favourite podcasts on writing.

If you want to see your whole book for what it is, you need to spend enough time away from it before picking it up again, this time with fresh eyes and a clear head.

2. Read Your Book

What to do after you've written a book - Step 2. Read your book from start to finish

Before you jump into editing mode, read your book from start to finish. This is the second step in gaining perspective on your book. While it is time-consuming, it’ll save you countless hours in the long run because you’ll see exactly what you need to work on for your next draft.

As you read, ask yourself the following questions and take notes about what you find:

  • What’s missing?
  • What isn’t needed?
  • Which bits need rewriting?

I understand that this step can be both exciting and a little terrifying. But I promise you, it is worth it!

3. Edit and Rewrite for Structure

What to do after you've written a book - Step 3. Edit and rewrite for structure

Now that you have a good idea about where your book is and where you want it to go, you’re ready for the second draft.

This is when you write new sections for those holes you found when you read through your draft. It’s when you cut those sections that weren’t necessary, and when you rewrite the sections that were needed but weren’t quite right.

Your second draft isn’t about fixing typos and polishing sentences. It’s about structure.

This part can feel like sculpting, chiselling away at your book trying to discover the treasure hidden in the unsophisticated, hulking block.

Once the overall structure of your book is sound, only then should you start to polish it.

Depending on your comfort level, you might decide you can do this with self-editing. If you’re less sure, don’t be afraid to reach out to a developmental editor for direction and advice.

4. Get Some Help

What to do after you've written a book - Step 4. Get some help

It’s a good time to start inviting other people into your book once you got your second draft, this includes critique partners, beta readers or even an editor.

Before this stage, your book isn’t you enough. Getting too much involvement from other people after a first draft may cause your book to get lost, to lose some of your vision. The second draft allows you to put more of yourself into your book.

It can be hard to tell when your book is done, which is why it’s so important that you find a writing community and critique groups that can push you through not one, not two, but at least three revised drafts. The more revisions the better.

And finally…

Only then, when your manuscript is the best it can possibly be, should you consider your publishing route.

Traditional or self-publish?

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If you hope to pursue traditional publishing, your next steps will involve tackling the submission process.

The jobs needed here include:

  • Researching literary agents
  • Writing query letters
  • Writing a synopsis (a synopsis is NOT the book’s blurb)
  • Contacting your list of dream literary agents

If, on the other hand, you want to self-publish your book, the next steps will include tasks such as:

  • Editing the book to a professional level
  • Get an eye-catching cover design
  • Formatting the inside and outside for publication
  • Market the book to drum up sales pre and post publication

Taking the time to assemble a good team that can help you take your book to the next level will give you the tools to be on a level playing field with the bestselling authors in your genre.

💡You’ve written a book – my final tip

You’ll spend a lot of time “waiting to hear back” during the publication process, whether you’re going down the traditional route or taking the plunge and self-publishing your work.

Precious writing time shouldn’t be wasted by sitting back and not doing anything. You can always do something you’re waiting for a stage to be completed. Take the time to think about what your next book is going to be. Start plotting. Make notes. Start writing!

Have you written a book? Do you have a published book out at the moment? Have you survived the submissions process? 😂 How did it feel?

Let me know in the comments!

SPaG: Affect or Effect – 3 tricks to remember which to use💡

Posted on by Kim

Hello, welcome back. Do you struggle to know whether to use “affect” or “effect” in your writing? Are you tired of giving up and using “impact” instead?

Woohoo! Fantastic! I can help with that because today, I’m going to let you into a few of my teaching trade secrets about those pesky words. Is it affect or effect? After reading this post, you won’t have to ask that question again.

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Here in the UK, even as native English speakers, mixing up affect and effect is commonplace. They’re different parts of speech, but they sound almost identical. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Bear and bare, here and hear, and write and right are other examples of homophones that cause headaches to writers of all ages. During my years in the education sector, I’ve collected quite a few handy mnemonics related to spelling and grammar. Today, I’m sharing some affect vs effect handy helpers with you.

How do I remember the difference between affect and effect?

Getting the meaning behind each word cemented in your mind is vital. Having that knowledge will give you the confidence to use affect and effect correctly.

➡️Effect

Effect is usually a verb that means to cause change but when effect is a noun, it means the results of a change. For example:

The effect of climate change is worldwide. Climate change may benefit some plants by lengthening growing seasons and increasing carbon dioxide. Other effects of a warmer world, such as more pests, droughts, and flooding, are more severe.

If you’re discussing the final result of action then you can use ‘effect’. By using this simple rule, you can remember that ‘effect’ represents the end, as they both start with ‘e’. Think end, think E!

➡️Affect

Affect, on the other hand, is usually a verb and means to influence or to produce a change in something.

Gravity affects everything in the universe, but the amount of gravity affecting an object depends on two things: the masses of the objects being attracted and the distance between the objects.

Another handy mnemonic device to help you remember when to use affect in a sentence is Think A is for action!

You may also come across it used as a noun. Affect can be used to mean the facial expressions, gestures, postures, vocal intonations, etc., that typically accompany an emotion as well as the conscious emotion that occurs in reaction to a thought or experience.

His facial expressions were diminished and presented a flat affect.

💡Affect Pronunciation Hint:

  • When affect is a verb, the second syllable is emphasized = uh-FEKT
  • When affect is a noun, the first syllable is emphasized = AH-fekt

However, as with many words in the English language, using affect as a noun in this way is now only really used in psychology.

⭐3 simple tricks for remembering the differences ⭐

1. “A” comes before “E“ in the alphabet. The “A“ stands for the action that affects and comes before the effect. Think cause followed by effect.

2. If you can replace the word with influence, then you should probably use affect.

If you can replace the word with result, you should probably use effect.

3. You can put that altogether by remembering RAVEN:

  • R – Remember
  • A – Affect is a
  • V – Verb and
  • E – Effect is a
  • N – Noun
Infographic - SPaG Affect or Effect - 3 handy tricks to remember which to use in your writing

My final bit of advice about this and other mix-ups

English, like many other languages, has its own set of tricky rules and intricacies. We may not like it, but it is what it is. However, don’t give up.

With a little bit of practice and help from guides like this one, you can become a grammar master. Jotting down the things that repeatedly catch you out, as I suggested in my post about spelling mistakes, is a great way to retrain your brain.

I hope you found this post about affect and effect helpful. Are there any other bits of the English language that you struggle with? Drop me a comment below so that I can feature the solution in my next grammar post.

Until next time,

Kim

Everything you need to know about Beta Readers: What, Who, Where, and Why?

Posted on by Kim

Did you know that good beta readers are one of a writer’s most valuable external resources? Not only can the right beta reader help you improve your manuscript in a way that you never could on your own, but they’ll also keep your editorial costs down.

Fantastic! But … what are beta readers, where can I find them, and how do they help me?

What the heck is a beta reader?

Beta readers are people who evaluate completed or work-in-progress (WIP) manuscripts. Sometimes they’re fellow writers and offer a reciprocal evaluation. Many are avid readers themselves and offer their feedback either in exchange for a set fee or a word-of-mouth testimonial. These helpful people will give you their opinion on what works and what doesn’t in your story.

Good beta readers are worth their weight in royalties so treat them well. Make sure that:

  • Your manuscript is the best version that you can produce without outside help.
  • It’s in the format which they are comfortable with, i.e. .docx, .pdf, .mobi (or comes with clear instructions on how they can convert it).
  • You’re clear about what you want from them. Let them know if you are aware of specific problem areas that you want them to pay particular attention to.
  • The turnaround time that you are asking for is reasonable.

Great! I like the sound of these beta readers. They seem like wonderful people. Where can I find one?

Beta reader wish list.

When looking for your ideal manuscript evaluator there are several characteristics that you should look for. First of all, let’s talk about who they aren’t. Beta readers are not:

  • Your best friend or mate since school.
  • Any member of your family member. No, not your mum, dad, brother, sister, cousin, auntie, uncle, granny…
  • Your husband, wife, or romantic partner of any description.
  • The person who has been reading your manuscript as you’ve written it.

These lovely people are all either too close to you or too invested in your story. They’ll want to help but they’re not objective enough to give you the candid, constructive criticism that you need. The people who love you or who have shared in the agonising, creative process so far won’t want to hurt your feelings or cause you any pain. Yes, the process will leave you more open to criticism, and it will probably be painful. However, the pain is necessary. You know that. Well, OK … deep down, you know that.

This is what good beta readers are:

  • Honest and dependable. They need to live up to their promise of help and do it within the agreed timeframe.
  • Avid readers and/or writers themselves. Both of these groups have a good understanding of what makes a great story. You’ll get useful insights from both sides of the process if your betas are a mix of readers and fellow writers.
  • The target audience of your book. If your book is aimed at young adults (those in their teens or early twenties), you want your beta readers to be within that age range too. If you’re writing within the mystery genre, you’ll want people who regularly read or write mysteries.
  • Able to offer a constructive critique. Strong opinions are good but any criticisms must able to be communicated without crushing your confidence. Balance is the key; they should highlight the strengths in your manuscript as well as the weaknesses and faults.
  • Aware of the importance of a writer’s “voice”. They’ll know enough of the publishing world to understand the fluidity with the rules of language.
  • Understanding of what’s needed at the beta reading stage. They’ll know that their job is assessing the big picture not nit-picking about any typos or spelling.
  • Experienced or knowledgeable about any specialist content in your book. e.g., foreign locations or language, astrophysics, law enforcement, deep-sea diving.

A single beta reader may not have all of these characteristics. Therefore, many writers gather a team of betas to cover all the necessary aspects for what their manuscript needs. Having a small team ensures you are well on your way to some excellent feedback.

Oh, yes! I’d trust my manuscript to people like that. But where can I find them?

Where do beta readers hang out?

If you have the money or time is of the essence, you can pay for a manuscript critique. You can find many professional beta readers advertising their services through social media, or freelance websites such as fivver. However, if you’re working to a tight budget, you may end up spending money that should have been used as part of the editing process. To help with this very issue, I offer my beta reading clients significant discounts off later editing needs.

If financial constraints mean that you’re unable to pay for a beta reader, take the time to choose wisely. Honestly, my best advice is to simply go where writers go (Twitter, Facebook, writing blogs, and writing forums) and start making connections. It’s important to find beta readers that are the right fit for your book.

The best time to begin your search is, at least, a year before you think you’ll need them. Yes, that long. Taking this time means that you get to know more about lots of different people, building productive relationships and contacts. This leads to longer-lasting professional friendships which you’ll benefit from throughout your writing life.

Some key pointers for making and supporting connections with your potential beta readers:

  • Be genuine. Don’t pretend to be interested in someone’s life or writing just to get them as a beta reader. The relationship with your beta reader needs to be one based on honesty.
  • Be generous. Offer up your time and feedback willingly. Volunteer to critique other manuscripts before asking for yours be assessed. Fellow writers will soon reciprocate because they want to help you.
  • Be gentle. Take your time; it takes patience to nurture the sort of relationships that both parties can trust and rely on. You want to be sure that your manuscript will be safe in their hands.

Yes, yes, but WHERE can I start making these connections?

Post Featured Image - Everything you need to know about beta readers - A portfolio of beta readers

As I mentioned before, you can find beta readers through a variety of places:

Face-to-face.

  • Writers’ seminars and workshops. The first contact will be face-to-face. But then you can keep in touch via whatever method both party agree to, usually social media.
  • Local writers’ groups and critique groups. Find out what’s going on in your area by visiting your library or try meetup.com.

I know that the pandemic has had an impact on in-person connections. However, most face-to-face events have become virtual ones instead with the help of Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet.

Online.

Social media. Interact with other writers on Twitter, join Facebook groups for writers, Goodreads has a Beta Reader Group, LinkedIn has various discussion groups for writers covering a variety of genres.

Writers’ forums. Sign up to writers’ forums that have critique dedicated areas. You’ll most likely have to do some beta reading yourself before you can offer up your own work for assessing, but it’s all part of the relationship-building process. Joining other writers’ forums that don’t have areas dedicated to critiques will help you meet like-minded authors. In time, they might be interested in beta reading the kind of books you write.

Book discussion forums. Some book websites focus on specific genres and have community forums where people discuss the books they love from that genre while other sites allow discussions about any and every genre. Frequently, you can also find sections dedicated to authors and writing where critiques can be exchanged. OnlineBookClub.org is a great site with active forums and resources available for writers and authors as well as readers. They have separate forums for different genres as well as boards specifically for authors and the art of writing.

Writing blogs. Search for blogs related to writing. Which ones are well-written and have content that engages you? Interact with the author by commenting on posts and sharing what they have to say across your social media accounts; they may even begin to reciprocate. Over time, you’ll be able to tell if there’s potential for a mutually beneficial beta reading partnership.

Remember the fundamental rules of relationship building: Be genuine, be generous, be gentle.

Excellent! I know who I’m looking for and where to find them. But why should I go to all this effort?

Why do I need a group of beta readers at all?

Post Featured Image - Everything you need to know about beta readers - Rewarding benefits

It takes hard work and dedication to build up a portfolio of beta readers who you can call on when needed. What makes it worth your while?

Working with beta readers will:

  • Improve your writing skills. You’ll become increasingly aware of your weaknesses and develop a more professional style that’s more conducive to success in the publishing world.
  • Improve your manuscript. Problems and areas that you grappled with will be resolved, missed plot holes will be highlighted and solutions suggested, weak characters will be strengthened … The list could go on and on.
  • Create your very own support network. Authors are solitary creatures and don’t usually have a team behind them. However, your portfolio of betas will be people who are dedicated to the written word, who get you. They’ll understand the challenges and recognise the triumphs. Even if only a few of the connections you make join your beta team, you’ll have built up an invaluable network that’ll prove its value time and again.
  • Save you money. A large enough team of beta readers means that you can garner their thoughts at key junctures of your manuscript’s development. Done properly, you may be able to skip the developmental and substantive editing stage at the beginning of the process. This will dramatically reduce your costs and mean that the line/copy-editing stage may come in cheaper too. The ‘cleaner’ your manuscript is, the lower your overall editing costs will be.

As you can see, just one of these benefits makes the time and effort spent finding good beta readers worthwhile.

I hope that you’ve found this article beneficial. Before you go, don’t forget to find out more about the services I offer.