Success and Dyslexia: 10 Influential People who forged the way.

Here at Brockway Gatehouse and Bookworm Writing Academy, we know everyone has strengths.

People with learning difficulties such as Dyslexia or who are neurodivergent often feel reluctant to chase careers in the publishing industry.  

But I’m here to say don’t let your differences hold you back; instead, see them as unique keys that unlock your creativity.

Don’t believe me?

There are many aspects of life where Dyslexia is recognised to be an advantage; I have compiled a list of 10 Great Dyslexics.

Photo Collage of 10 influential people with dyslexia

1.   Agatha Christie

black and white photograph of Agatha Christie. The quoted text reads, "I. myself, was always recognized...as the "slow one" in the family. It was quite true and I knew it and accepted it. Writing and spelling were always terribly difficult for me. My letters were without originality. I was...and extraordinary bad speller and have remained so until this day."

Of course, I had o start my list with one of the most successful writers EVER!

It is remarkable to learn that such a famous writer had Dyslexia and continues to be the world’s best-selling author. Born in the South West of England, Agatha wrote over 60 detective novels and The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in the world.

Even 30 years after her death, her books are still being reprinted and adapted into films and TV series.

2.   Albert Einstein

This is not a joke.

The most famous scientist to ever walk this planet used to get bad grades at school. He won numerous prestigious prizes, including the Nobel Prize for Physics. You’ve probably heard of the equation E=mc squared, even if you don’t know what it means.

Black and white photograph of Albert Einstein. The quoted text reads, "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."

3.   Cher

Photo of Cher. The quoted text reads, "I never read in school. I got really bad grades-Ds and Fs and Cs in some classes, and As and Bs in other classes. In the second week of the 11th Grade, I just quit. When I was in school it was really difficult. Almost everything I learned, I had to learn by listening. My report cards always said that I was not living up to my potential."

The Grammy-winning singer and Academy Award-winning actress struggled at school with her then-unknown learning difficulties. She couldn’t finish her homework quickly, and maths became a foreign language! So, she started to learn by listening. Subsequently, her weakness became a strength, and she used sound to become a superstar.

4.   Jamie Oliver M.B.E.

World-famous chef Jamie Oliver has built a food empire selling books and TV shows together with opening successful restaurants. He has Dyslexia, and despite writing his own books, he apparently never finished reading an entire book until he was 38.

Often, it’s been found that people with Dyslexia find learning by listening more accessible like Cher has. Maybe Jamie learns through his sense of taste and smell.

Photo of Jamie Oliver. The quoted text reads, "School was a struggle for me, people thought I was thick, I really needed someone to help understand my strengths."

5.   Keira Knightley O.B.E.

Photo of Keira Knightley. The quoted text reads, "My spelling makes people laugh but I was lucky to have a teacher who focused on what I was writing, not how I was spelling it. That let me explore my creativity."

Keira was diagnosed with Dyslexia when she was 6 years old. She is still a slow reader and can’t read out loud, but she is an award-winning actress who has made Dyslexia her own. The English starlet has held some of the most recognisable roles in 21st-century cinema, starring alongside Jonny Depp and fellow dyslexic Orlando Bloom in Pirates of the Caribbean. She has appeared in many films, including Star Wars, Bend It Like Beckham, and Pride and Prejudice. In October 2020, she backed Made By Dyslexia, a global campaign to help teachers address “dyslexic strengths”.

6.   Maggie Aderin-Pocock M.B.E.

Margaret Ebunoluwa Aderin-Pocock is a British space scientist, science communicator and educator. She believes having a dream is essential for focusing the mind and encouraging hard work. Maggie still dreams of travelling to space and hopes that this may become a reality in the future. She was also determined to break down the stereotypes surrounding science and make children see that anyone could be a scientist. In 2009, she was honoured by the Queen as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, making her Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE.

Photo of Maggie Aderin-Pocock. The quoted text reads, "My dyslexic thinking means "I don't just think outside the box...I think outside the planet!"

7.   Richard Branson

Photo of Richard Branson. The quoted text reads, "Being Dyslexic can actually help in the outside world. I see some things clearer than other people do because I have to simplify things to hep me and that has helped others."

The entrepreneur and businessman have metaphorically and literally had a meteoric rise through his life, establishing the world-famous Virgin brand. You have probably used his companies somewhere, travelling trains, planes or automobiles. Richard Branson has grabbed hold of his ability to see the bigger picture; sometime soon, we will all see it in space travel.

8.   Steven Spielberg

The director and producer have sculpted modern cinema. It was not always easy for him as learning to read took him two years longer than his classmates. In recent years he has spoken about his Dyslexia and returned to college in his fifties to complete a degree.

Photo of Steven Spielberg. The quoted text reads, "Being diagnosed with Dyslexia at age 60 was "like the last puzzle part in a tremendous mystery that I've kept to myself all these years."

9.   Whoopi Goldberg

Photo of Whoopi Goldberg. The quoted text reads, "The advantage is that my brain sees and puts information in my head differently, more interestingly than if I saw like everyone else." Whoopi Goldberg on her Dyslexia

Her real name is Caryn Elaine Johnson. The dyslexic actress has won virtually every award going. Despite the difficulty of learning her lines, she became the second African American woman to win an Oscar. She was made famous for her performance in ‘The Colour Purple’, which hit the screens in 1985. Since then, she has flourished, even attaining an Open University degree, which she often studied between takes on film sets.

10.  Winston Churchill

When we talk about ‘inspirational,’ there are few better than the former two-time Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. He famously led the country through The Second World War and was a historian and writer. If becoming Prime Minister wasn’t enough, he also wrote many books, eventually winning a Nobel Prize in Literature for his life’s work.

I’ll finish with film director, Steven Spielberg’s words of advice and a quote from actor, Orlando Bloom:

“You are not alone, and while you will have Dyslexia for the rest of your life, you can dart between the raindrops to get where you want to go.

It will not hold you back.”

Steven Spielberg
Photo of Orlando Bloom. The quoted text reads, "The challenge of dyslexia--the challenge of climbing that mountain--is something that you can make your own and make it a reason to be a winner in life."

Don’t forget to wave your dyslexia flag especially throughout Dyslexia Awareness Week organised by the British Dyslexia Association.

If you have been diagnosed with dyslexia or any other neurodivergence that makes writing a challenge and want to publish a book. Get in touch.

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4 Grammar Myths Busted!

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.

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6 Familiar Creative Struggles and how to conquer them!

Beginning your journey as a writer is new and exciting but it has it’s challenges too and learning how to conquer any creative struggles that will pop up is essential to a long author career.

Every author has faced obstacles in their writing lives—rejection, self-doubt, criticism, or something else. Doubts and imposter syndrome: “What if my novel isn’t good enough?” have plagued the best of them. When good writers read great books with complex characters and fantastic plot arcs—books so engrossing they can’t put them down—they compare their our novels to those bestselling books. “Why would someone read my story when that author’s book is much better?

But that’s the thing. If you look at those authors, they’ve been writing for what—ten years? Now they have a publishing contract, an editor, beta readers, and others to support them in their work. But they had the same doubts and fears when they first started writing. They all faced struggles.

Today, let’s tackle those doubts, fears and struggles head-on.

STRUGGLE #1: YOU FEAR YOUR WORK ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH

You re-read your manuscript, and you think it’s lacking in everything. In fact, you think it’s just plain terrible. You’re about to throw it in the bin when…

Stop! Don’t throw it in the bin. Not yet. Let me tell you something. Is this your first novel? Okay, here’s the thing: Nearly every author’s first novel is terrible. You just started. I hate to break it to you, but your book will not be perfect on the first try. You have to revise.

Maybe it’s so bad you think it can’t be revised. That’s perfectly okay. Just sit down and work out what’s wrong with your novel.

  • Are your characters too clichéd?
  • Is your plot gripping?
  • Does the story hold the reader’s interest?

Target what’s wrong with your work, and make a plan to fix it.

Turn doubt into action.

STRUGGLE #2: YOU RUN INTO WRITER’S BLOCK

You’re stuck. You bang your head against the table, but no ideas come. Hey! Stop banging your head against the table, please. You’re going to give yourself a headache.

Okay, so you’ve run out of ideas.

What is your plot? Do you even have a plot? Think about what you’re writing. Are you writing a horror story? Fantasy? Romance? Sci-fi?

Do something that inspires you:

  • If you write horror, walk at night when it’s windy, and no stars shine through the clouds.
  • If you write fantasy, think about your hero. What is their goal? What keeps them from reaching that goal?
  • If you write romance, go to the park and people-watch. Observe a couple’s argument. What are they arguing about? Why are they arguing? Is it about something silly, like why all the pigeons are gathered around them, or something serious, like relationship issues?
  • If you write science fiction, consider science. You’re writing a book about clones taking over the world. Research cloning. How would it really work? What if there was some sort of mutation?

For all of the above, go somewhere that helps you get new ideas. Take a break from the computer (or notebook, if you write the old-fashioned way) and go on a walk or a drive. Go somewhere that makes you happy or sad or inspired. Go to a place that stirs strong emotions in you.

STRUGGLE #3: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE INSPIRATION

You have a flash of inspiration. An image of a person, maybe, or an emotion you need to write about.

Figure out how you can work this into your story.

What was this person like? A long scar down her cheek? What was her personality like? Secretive, cold, standoffish? Would this be one of your secondary characters or a main character? When, where, and how can you put this in your story?

Write it down and determine where to use it in your novel.

STRUGGLE #4: YOU’RE NO LONGER FEELING INSPIRED

Your bolt of inspiration has fizzled out. Now you’re left with 30 pages of work that you don’t know what to do with. It’s okay. Don’t panic.

Try to work on your plot.

Figure out what’s going to happen next. Are your characters kidnapped? Do they have to figure out a puzzle?

It may help to consider how you’ll develop your characters instead.

What kind of journey does your character go on? How do they change throughout the story? What struggles do they have to overcome?

STRUGGLE #5: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO GET STARTED

You have great ideas and are ready to start writing — but you have no idea how to draft your book’s beginning. This is something I can relate to. Let me give you some advice: You don’t need to start at the beginning. Wait, what? But when I read a book, the beginning comes first…

Well, duh. But you don’t need to start writing there. You can even write from end to beginning if that’s your preference.

My advice?

Start with the scene that energizes you the most. Excited about your story’s climax? Write that first. Don’t worry about the beginning. Start writing at the place or scene that calls to you.

Alternatively, take my free course: First Thing’s First. Let me help you get started.

STRUGGLE #6: YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE REJECTION

This is one of the biggest struggles!

Your novel is finished. You worked hard, poured your heart and soul into it, cried many tears, and were almost bald from pulling so much hair out from the stress. You send it to an agent. A month later, you get a form letter addressed to “dear writer.”

Take a deep breath.

I know you probably cried your eyes out at seeing that letter. I know it hurts. You may want to give up and never send your manuscript to another agent again. You’re hurting, and that’s okay. Go ahead. Cry your eyes out. There’s absolutely no shame in it..

Okay, now listen to me. No author gets it easy. Every author, including JK Rowling and James Patterson, has received rejection letters. I know one author who received 98 rejection letters before he became traditionally published. 98!

You must define where you went wrong if you receive a rejection letter. Was your query not enticing enough? Is your story’s hook lacking? Did the agent no longer want submissions for stories in your genre? If you can take action, do so. Allow rejection to refine your work.

Final word

Writing is hard. I think we’ve all learned this. If it were easy, everyone would do it. You’re different from other people, though. You may write to entertain people. That may be one of your reasons, but you write because you have a voice that others don’t. You can speak for those who can’t.

Every word you write, sentence, and paragraph can change people with what you write. You don’t have to write non-fiction to do that. You can inspire people. Your characters can be the ones readers turn to in times of struggle. And that, is what every writer strives to achieve. You’ll get there. You can get published. You just need to believe in yourself.

I’m here to help with any of your struggles, contact me.

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What’s the difference between a writing coach and a mentor?

The difference between a writing coach and a mentor is a coach works with you for a particular purpose or goal. A mentor is a guru who is with you over an extended period in an advisory role. The relationship between coach and client is shorter-term versus longer-term mentoring relationships.

The confusion between coaching and mentoring

young annoyed female freelancer using laptop at home
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It’s all too easy to confuse coaching and mentoring. Both aim to help clients learn from their experiences to overcome difficulties or succeed in various areas of their lives. Those in the process want to improve, usually through setting goals or working towards new skills.

Both approaches also rely on regular interactions to make a change. Coaching/mentoring sessions are used to review progress, decide on the next steps and gain more insight into what else they could do and how. Without these regular meetings, it is unlikely that any progress would be made.

The exchange of knowledge is a fundamental feature of coaching and mentoring, with each situation having a “teacher” and “student” in some capacity. In mentoring, this knowledge transfer is more direct and may be directly related to the individual’s role. In coaching, the information and guidance focus on how to unlock potential, what processes can be used to achieve success, and how to understand your own strengths and weaknesses.

Finally, mentoring can often involve aspects of coaching and vice versa. A mentor may coach their “student” by making a suggestion that helps them improve their self-awareness and trigger personal development.

However, there are essential differences between coaching and mentoring.

pink jigsaw puzzle piece
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The differences between mentoring and coaching make each more suitable for different situations.

Firstly, a writing coach provides guidance and an actionable framework for growth and development. A mentor, on the other hand, centres around building a relationship between two people. While individuals may have a good relationship with their coach, trust and understanding are at the core of a successful mentoring relationship. More time is often invested in ensuring that the mentor and mentee are happy to work together.

The mentor and mentee relationship may see the mentor’s connections being utilised. For example, to open more doors and provide opportunities for experience and networking, which tends not to be offered in a coaching relationship.

Often, coaching focuses on what can be done in the present, which is another significant difference. In contrast, mentoring looks to the future and decides what needs to be done later to achieve the mentee’s goals. Having said that, goal setting and overall aspirations are aspects of coaching. However, coaching focuses on improving your performance now to uncover potential while putting systems in place to allow you to be more successful in the future.

While every scenario varies, coaching tends to be a shorter process. It may only last until a coachee is thought to have improved and feels more prepared to carry on without additional support. On the other hand, a mentorship relationship is often a long-term arrangement. The mentor and mentee will keep in touch for check-ins and reviews, and the mentor may support their mentee’s entire journey.

Finally, a coach will often have more training and qualifications in techniques and approaches to coaching development under their belts than a mentor. They may even be expressly certified as a business or development coach. Mentors usually have more experience and knowledge of the industry they work in. However, they’re less likely to be certified to coach.

What is coaching?

two women sitting in front of computer monitor
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Coaching is a developmental process focusing on improving performance and achieving goals. It measures what skills, tools, and resources are available and builds on these to enable progress and achievement.

At its core, coaching believes that individuals already have everything they need to achieve what they want. Coaching aims to reveal this potential and help the individual realise how to succeed. A coach highlights the existing tools instead of teaching them something new.

Coaching is also about helping an individual develop self-awareness. This is so that the coachee can realise their skills, work out what they want to achieve, and create realistic strategies for getting there. By the end of a coaching period, an individual will have a workable framework. They should also feel empowered and fully equipped to set and achieve goals without relying on someone else for support and guidance.

What is a writing coach?

A coach enables development by working with individuals to help them realise their potential and plan to achieve their goals. It is not a coach’s job to teach anything new or set out instructions about what needs to be done. Instead, a writing coach asks questions and provides a framework for individuals to find solutions to their challenges.

A coach is usually a trained professional who has studied and developed coaching practices and models. They are hired by individuals (or companies) to guide and reveal hidden abilities and aspirations, enabling reflection without offering direct instructions.

What can you expect in a coaching session?

A coaching session is a meeting between a client and a coach, where personal development is the main focus. The coach assesses the client’s current situation and suggests what needs to be revised to accomplish specific objectives. Coaches can’t tell you precisely what to do but may offer strategies to point you in the right direction. They will utilise coaching techniques in the tasks they set you.

A coaching session consists of objectives and activities the coach instructs the coachee to complete to achieve those specific goals. It’s not about sitting down and asking for someone else’s advice. It is about following through on those instructions so that you begin to see improvement in your personal and professional performance.

What is the difference between coaching and training?

I thought I’d deviate a moment to highlight the confusion between coaching and training.

Training is another method of learning that can easily be confused with coaching. However, an easy way to remember is that training involves acquiring new skills through transferring knowledge. In contrast, coaching builds on your skills and enhances your existing talents.

What is mentoring?

people sitting on the couch
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Mentoring is another developmental process that relies more on the relationship between two people and the transfer of knowledge that comes from this. By pairing an individual with a more experienced peer, learning and development can occur more equally. A relationship of support and trust can be developed, leading to more meaningful progress.

Mentoring comes in many forms. Utilising the mentor’s experience and ability to pass on knowledge or starting from what the mentee can get from the relationship and what they hope to achieve. There doesn’t have to be a hierarchical difference in skill or experience in mentoring; sometimes, the mentor may be less qualified but possess skills that another may benefit from. The outcome of mentoring is to drive long-term growth and career development.

What is a mentor?

A mentor is a guide or supporter. They have extensive skills and experience and offer training and insight to someone at an earlier stage of their journey or right at the beginning.

The formality of a mentor’s role can vary based on what is appropriate for the situation. For example, companies create mentoring programmes between senior and junior employees. These programmes may have regularly organised meetings, structured systems of measuring improvement and a set timeframe. In contrast, other mentorship schemes may be more informal and about building supportive relationships.

What can you expect in a mentoring session?

Mentoring meetings are guiding conversations where your mentor will advise you rather than give hands-on instruction for you to follow. Mentors generally have already succeeded in the aspect of life you want guidance in. They’ll have more expertise and knowledge than you and share it during your sessions.

A mentoring session may focus on helping you improve your goal-setting skills. You can use the time to ask specific questions or for general advice. During a mentoring session, you’ll gain insights into life’s challenges and possibilities, such as career development, specific skill requirements, and business collaboration.

Writing coach or mentor, which is right for me?

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Coaching and mentoring are instrumental ways to develop and learn. Many authors and business owners use both to support and enhance their growth.

A mentor gives advice and act like a role model by sharing helpful information over an extended period, while a business or writing coach enable you to take action with a framework. When seeking these services, look for information on their processes to make an educated decision about the support you require and what they give while working with them.

If you’re wondering if you’d benefit from utilising a coach or mentor, I can confirm that they’re incredibly beneficial strategies for everyone involved. Mentors and coaches can assist you in achieving your objectives.

Want a writing coach? Check out my coaching services.

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The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Debate

AI is the biggest news story of 2023, causing impassioned debate in the creative community. (Listen to The Creative Penn podcast by author Joanna Penn or read her blog.)

Opinions can be polarised: on one side, you have a kind of utopian optimism (I, for one, welcome our robot overloads). And on the other extreme, apocalyptic doom-mongering.

I want to create a middle ground. I’m aware of the dangers and respect potential rights issues while accepting that AI is already here, whether we like it or not. I have to ask myself whether there is a safe and ethical way to use AI tools.

OpenAI‘s creation is Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT). And it’s the tool I’ve been playing with since hearing about it on Joanna’s podcast, hoping to make some marketing tasks more efficient rather than something more creative.

The explosion in popularity of ChatGPT has caught everyone by surprise. A few days ago, it passed 100m users—the fastest-growing consumer application in history.

For context: it took Instagram two years to reach 100m users. TikTok did it in 9 months, the pace of its growth throwing all the other social networks into a panicked redesign.

ChatGPT hit that milestone in 2 months!

man in black crew neck t shirt sitting beside woman in gray crew neck t shirt
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Why is AI so controversial?

The depth of feeling on this issue is substantial. This is to be expected with any technological advancement which has the potential to be hugely disruptive. But it’s not just disruption which is causing concern.

As an editor and writing coach, I will not enter into the sea of societal and political concerns around AI. However, there are pressing issues specific to authors, artists, voice actors, etc., which I want to talk about.

Although I see the positive potential of AI, significant questions remain about how those Al models were trained:

  • Were creators’ work used without permission?
  • Were any rights infringed?
  • Plus, what is the legal status of work created with AI-powered tools?

Those questions have not been addressed adequately. Legal action has already been filed against Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, claiming that billions of images were scraped from the web without authorisation. (The first of many such steps, one would imagine.)

However, whether we like it or not—whether we’re ready or not—AI is already here.

They’re here.

AI is now being incorporated into Bing, and Google will follow shortly with its own version of AI-augmented search.

AI tools are now being incorporated in all sorts of other places, which will increase their usage exponentially. For example, WordPress announced that it is testing generative AI art blocks. This means that I’ll be able to effortlessly generate AI art by typing a description of the image I’m looking for right there in the back end of my WordPress site.

Change doesn’t wait for you to be ready. AI isn’t going to pause while everyone explores all the issues. The moral and legal issues around creators, rights, infringement, and the copyright status of anything made with these tools or the ramifications for society at large.

AI isn’t just here already—it’s about to go mainstream. And that’s going to make it impossible to ignore.

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Apple and AI Audiobooks

Tech giant, Apple announced last month that it would accept AI-generated audiobooks for the first time, something that most retailers like Audible don’t permit yet as I write this. Not only that, but Apple would provide AI narration tools to authors and publishers.

You can see why the idea is attractive to some: audiobooks can be expensive to produce (or require an incredible time investment if you make them yourself). Having AI narrate an audiobook would solve that problem neatly, significantly reducing the time and money needed to produce audio editions.

What worries me is the fate of some narrators. Voice actors are suddenly facing an existential threat of their own after finally seeing a viable and healthy audiobook market come into being. I’d be surprised if any real audiobook lovers welcome this development.

I’ve been told that some YouTube videos now seem to have AI narration. The quality is generally awful. Although it’s claimed that AI narration will soon be almost indistinguishable from human narration.

However, even if AI narration improves considerably, I doubt the quality could be as good as a human narrator. There’s more to narration than simply reading the text.

The worry is that once Apple has cut the narrators out, they’ll put the squeeze on authors next.

ChatGPT and Authors

What’s of most concern to authors is how AI might affect the future viability of their profession. The disruptive threat facing today’s narrators is just the beginning.

The most obvious concern is that authors could be replaced by a bunch of story bots chained up in the basement of Penguin Random House.

But after playing with Al a little, we’re still quite far away from it producing professional-grade creative work. Of course, given the pace of technological development, we can’t rule out an AI takeover in the future.

high angle photo of robot
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My take on ChatGPT

I’m an independent woman, so even though there are genuine controversies around AI tools, I want to know a little more about how they work. This helps me understand the issues better.

I also want to see where all this AI stuff is headed. Work out how it might impact my business.

I’m no expert; if anything, I’m late to the party. But I’ve been playing around with ChatGPT recently and can see some potential in marketing terms. (I’m not using it for creative work at all.)

I heard it suggested that you shouldn’t think of ChatGPT as an expert-on-call, as the media often portrays it. A better approach is considering it a team of interns with boundless energy.

photo of women at the meeting
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They often make mistakes, and you definitely have to check their work. Still, they can take much off your plate with clear parameters and constant supervision.

Here are some things I’ve been playing around with using ChatGPT.

•            Taglines, product descriptions, and sales copy

•            Social media text, captions, and headlines

•            Newsletter subject lines

•            Brainstorming/bullet pointing/outlining

Some of the stuff generated was useful, while others were terrible. However, I got better results when crafting more deliberate and detailed prompts. And I got the best results when I forced ChatGPT to refine its responses—one of the most impressive parts of this tech.

ChatGPT can give you an answer to whatever you ask. Still, you can interrogate it and force it to amend its responses based on more specific parameters. This process can lead you to the pot of gold you’re looking for.

person reaching out to a robot
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The AI middle ground.

I hope I have eased some more fanciful concerns about AI replacing humans entirely. Creativity still needs a human mind—at this point, anyway. Al needs humans to input probing questions and analyse, interrogate, and curate the output. Humans will iterate the prompts and know when the true destination has been reached.

And then—most importantly—to execute the information generated.

We’re not obsolete quite yet!

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Emerging Writer Prize (2023) Open for Submissions

The Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize is an annual competition. The award showcases Canadian debut authors with the chance to win CAD 10,000 per category, plus marketing support for the three winning books.

About Rakuten Kobo Inc.

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Rakuten is a Japanese multinational technology company based in Tokyo. Kobo is its digital publisher and bookseller business created by and for book lovers, with its headquarters in Toronto, Canada.

Rakuten Kobo has 38 million users worldwide. Its books can be read anytime, anywhere, and on any device.

Its mission is to improve reading lives by connecting readers to stories using an open platform.

The reason behind the Emerging Writer Prize

Kobo wants to raise the profiles of debut authors. This prize recognises exceptional books written by first-time Canadian authors in three categories:

  • Literary Fiction
  • Non-Fiction
  • Genre Fiction (a different genre is chosen each year, Speculative Fiction is the genre for 2023)

The Emerging Writer Prize is in its ninth year.

Last year’s winners were:

  • Literary Fiction: Ghost Forest by Pik-Shuen Fung. “A graceful and indelible debut about love, grief, and family”.
  • Non-Fiction: Unreconciled by Jesse Wente. A powerful part-memoir, part-manifesto which uncovers the truth of our flawed concept of reconciliation”. 
  • Genre Fiction (Romance): New Girl in Little Cove by Damhnait Monaghan.A delightful small-town, slow-burn romance”.

Three prominent authors are chosen each year to select the winning titles.

The 2023 judges are:

  • Literary Fiction: CS Richardson
  • Non-Fiction: Emily Urquhart
  • Genre Fiction (Speculative): Robert J Wiersema

Submit your book before the deadline: 6th March 2023!

The 3 winning authors will be announced in June 2023. The winners receive a cash prize of 10,000 CAD however, that’s not all. They also receive valuable marketing and communications support for the rest of 2023.

All books submitted must be available at kobo.com.

 Read all the Rules, Regulations, Terms & Conditions before entering.

Spread the word, and good luck!

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Publishing Team: Why you need one as an Indie Author

Self-publishing authors need a publishing team to help with all the stages traditionally published writers get done for them.

The self-publishing market has exploded since 2010. But this means that as a self-publishing author, you must carry out all the stages your traditionally published peers get done for them.

The Self-publishing Learning Curve.

At first, self-publishing seems like the easy choice, with no rejection letters, no negotiating royalties, and no forced deadlines. However, when you investigate self-publishing more deeply, you soon realise that a lot goes into publishing a book beyond simply hitting publish.

There are many departments and specialists within a traditional publishing company, each playing its part. As an indie author taking the self-publishing route, you’ll oversee the editing, designing, typesetting, proofreading, distribution, marketing, and finance surrounding the publication of your book.

“It’s a misnomer to call it self-publishing. No one does it by themselves. You have to have cover designers, book designers to do the layout, and usually marketing support and help. So, there’s a big team that any self-published author needs to create to make a project successful.”

Tom Corson Knowles (author)

But you don’t have to do all of this alone. Finding the right people to help you get your books out is essential. Thankfully, when self-publishing started to take off, many people who had worked for traditional publishers decided to do freelance work instead. They like the freedom and flexibility of working as a freelance provider and the access to self-published authors.

How to Create the Best Team to Support Your Book

Let’s talk about two of the many hats you can delegate:

  • Editing
  • Cover design

“The most common advice is to ask your peers and other authors in your genre. On the one hand, I think it’s great advice because what worked for one author might work for you. But on the other hand, it depends a lot on your genre, for both cover design and editing. Editing depends a lot on your personality and writing style.”

Ricardo Fayet (creator of readsy)

Finding the Right Editor

The most important factors affecting your relationship with your editor are your personality and writing style. Because every writer is different, it’s less likely that one author’s advice about a good editor will translate into a good working experience for another.

When looking for an editor, it’s best to look for an editor who specialises in your genre. Reach out to three or four and see how they work; look at their social media. Good editors usually ask for a small sample of your work; this lets you both get a feel for the relationship before you commit to working together. Taking these steps is even more important when looking for a developmental editor; you want someone specialising in editing your genre!

When you hire an editor, it’s all about developing the right kind of relationship. That’s why it is crucial to reach out to several people, get quotes, and get an idea of what type of feedback each editor will give you.

The best way to ensure you will have a good relationship with an editor is to check out their social media. Do you like their posts? Can you relate to their writing and communication style? It’s perfectly normal to contact a few editors until you find a good fit.

The editor/author collaboration is a special relationship, and you must make sure your personalities match as much as possible before you agree to work on a larger project together.

After the editor receives your submission, they’ll likely have additional questions. Typically, after an editor responds to you, a natural conversation takes place.

If, after you send initial information to an editor, that conversation doesn’t take place, you should look for another professional.

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Finding the Right Cover Designer

The most crucial factor that affects the cover design is your genre or category. Ask authors in your specific genre or category for advice and recommendations on cover designers.

Communication is always vital. If you start a project with a £500 budget and find a cover designer who says they’ll design you a cover without asking questions, that’s a warning sign. You haven’t said what genre your book is or whether your cover design is for a print book or an ebook. Those are fundamental questions that any good cover designer would ask.

It’s always good practice to send your designer images for inspiration. Find two or three covers on Amazon in the genre of your book that you like. When you send those to the cover designer, that’s going to give them an idea of what appeals to you, and then they’ll most likely begin a conversation with you about the specifics of your cover.

You must hire a cover designer with experience with book cover design, especially if you don’t. If you are an experienced indie author, you can take on an inexperienced cover designer because you’ve been through it before. But if this is your first project, you want someone who knows the ins and outs of cover design.

You’ll want someone who:

  • Knows the type of images that will work for your genre cover.
  • Knows the kind of typography that will work for your genre cover.
  • Knows how to lay out your cover so that it looks right.
  • Has to experience the problems that can occur when designing a cover.
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Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com

How to Get the Best Out of Your Team

It may seem strange, but it’s probably best to work with editors, marketing assistants, and cover designers with fewer clients. If you work with freelancers with fewer clients, they’ll have more time to devote to your individual projects.

Communicate, communicate, communicate! If you’re not honest about a problem at the beginning of the process, it leads to miscommunication, hurt feelings, and bad relationships throughout the entire process. Bad situations like this mean losing time and money for you and your team member.

The longer you wait to let your freelancer know there’s a problem with your project, the more likely it is that you won’t be able to publish your project on time. Don’t be afraid to tell a freelancer that you don’t like how the project is going early.

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Final Thoughts

Experienced freelancers will ask the most questions up front because they know the process and all the issues that might pop up during their work. They’ll want to have as many solutions for those potential problems as possible before they put in the time and effort to do the project.

If you’re on a tight deadline, you must contact multiple specialists for the position you need to fill. It’s also important to brief them thoroughly about the project so the rest of the process can go smoothly.

Feel free to ask me any questions you want. My inbox is always open, and I’m happy to recommend freelancers for your project from my extensive network of friends in the industry.

For more helpful resources about self-publishing and the craft of writing, check out my Resource Library.

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Conscious Language: Q&A with Crystal Shelley

Words have Power

I don’t think any of us refute that statement. Words can empower and uplift people or isolate them and cause harm. My training as a teaching assistant taught me many useful skills. It also gave me valuable information about the use of inclusive language with children and young people.

However, this is such a large subject that I’ve invited a guest to answer a few questions about conscious language. Crystal Shelley is the owner of Rabbit with a Red Pen. She provides editing and authenticity reading services to fiction authors. I’ve heard Crystal speak about the importance of conscious language on podcasts and read her blog posts on the subject.


Hi Crystal and welcome to The BG Blog,

Q1. For anyone who doesn’t know, what is conscious language, and does it differ from gendered language and inclusive language? 

Conscious language is a coin termed by a writer and editor named Karen Yin. She describes it as “language rooted in critical thinking and compassion, used skillfully in a specific context.” The goal of the conscious language approach is to consider how the writer’s intent can be best achieved based on the context of the piece, which might require questioning language and framing that is commonly used but possibly biased, harmful, or exclusive. 

Inclusive language is similar, but the idea of critical assessment based on context and intent isn’t necessarily built into inclusive language. Gendered language refers to language that references gender, such as saying “mankind” or “ladies and gentlemen.” There’s been a push for gender-neutral language when the intent is to speak to a broader audience, regardless of gender, such as saying “humankind” or “folks.”

Q2. When did you first become aware of conscious language, and what drew you into championing it in the publishing industry?

I first became aware of conscious language in 2019 when I started my freelance editing business, but I’ve been conscious of my own language since what feels like forever. When I discovered Karen Yin’s website Conscious Style Guide, which is what started the conscious language movement, I found a name for what I’d been doing.

As an editor, I’m looking critically at the works I’m editing for anything that will make a reader pause, stumble, or stop reading. This includes when language or representation is potentially harmful. I believe it should be part of every editor’s job to look for these types of issues and to let the writer know about them so they can make informed choices for their work. That’s why I advocate for it in the publishing industry and created the Conscious Language Toolkits for Writers and for Editors.

Q3. What is sensitivity reading, and is authenticity reading the same thing?

Sensitivity reading, which I call authenticity reading for reasons outlined in an article I wrote, is a service that’s used when writers want feedback about an identity or experience they’re writing about from someone who has that identity or experience. It’s often used when the writer is writing outside of what they know. The reader can evaluate how the writer handled things—what’s done well, what’s inaccurate, and what might need to be adjusted. For example, if I’m writing a blind character but I’m not blind myself, I can hire an authenticity reader who’s blind to assess how well I represented what a blind person’s experience might be like.

Q4. What steps can writers take to ensure that they’re not inadvertently distorting their intended meaning? Or, worst-case scenario, offending their readers!

Learning about language is so critical, such as the origins of terms or phrases, how they’ve been used to harm or oppress groups, and what alternatives can be used instead. This can be a daunting undertaking, and the learning process is never-ending. There are tons of resources out there about language, and I recommend going to the source and learning from those who are directly affected by the language being used. (I list some resources below.)

Recognizing our unconscious biases is also an uncomfortable but necessary step in the learning process. Taking tests from Project Implicit can help reveal biases, and based on those results, you can seek out resources to learn more.

Asking someone to look at the writing and offer honest feedback can also be helpful. Ideally, this should be someone from your target audience.

Q5. Could you recommend 5 useful resources should my readers want to learn more about conscious language.

There are tons of resources out there, but here are some of the ones I recommend most often, in addition to Conscious Style Guide:

Crystal Shelley headshot
Crystal Shelley

Crystal Shelley is the owner of Rabbit with a Red Pen, where she provides editing and authenticity reading services to fiction authors. Drawing on her background as a social worker, she unites her love of language and her passion for social justice by advocating conscious language use and inclusive representation in her editorial work.

She is the creator of the Conscious Language Toolkits for Editors and Writers and serves on the board of ACES: The Society for Editing. When she’s not working with words, she’s probably swearing at a video game.

Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn

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I hope that you enjoyed this post and found it as informative as I did. Ensure we are being as inclusive as possible when in conversation and in our writing. I love Crystal’s passion for the written word and her community spirit. She’s an editing treasure! 💙

Do you follow Crystal on any of her social media accounts? Please take a moment to visit her blog, Rabbit with a Red Pen like, follow and comment on a few posts.

For more helpful resources about the craft of writing, check out my Resource Library.

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Ultimate First Draft Checklist: Secrets to Bestseller Success

Are you in the process of writing your first novel? Have you taken part in NaNoWriMo this year? Do you have a first draft written and ready for the next stage?

🎉That’s fabulous!  🎉 You’re at the perfect stage to take advantage of my Ultimate First Draft Checklist 

👇 Keep Reading 

You’re a new writer wanting to get your story published. I understand how overwhelming it is to have so many answers available at the end of a google search. There are a never-ending supply of people offering new writers and indie authors advice about what the rules of the wordsmith are. Some even seem to contradict one another!

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And that’s the thing, as a qualified editor myself and self-confessed bookworm, I’ve learned that these often touted rules are in fact only guidelines and opinions; they shouldn’t be followed blindly.

What’s next?

I wrote a post showing you the 4 steps to do After You’ve Written a Book and what tasks can be left for now. With that in mind, my Ultimate First Draft Checklist should be used when you assess your manuscript in step 2.

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?

In my Ultimate First Draft Checklist, I cover the 6 core aspects of any story:

  • Opening Scene/First Chapter
  • Characters and Dialogue
  • Plot and Conflict
  • Flow and Pacing
  • Setting and World-building
  • Writing Style

The questions on my checklist ultimately get you to answer the big question: Is my manuscript a best seller?

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

…are you ready?

Receive my Ultimate First Draft Checklist now and start honing your story today!

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For more helpful resources about the craft of writing, check out my Resource Library.

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Book Bloggers Unveiled – Meet Michael @ A Novel Chapter

Hello everyone and welcome to The BG Blog. Today’s post is Book Bloggers Unveiled: Meet Michael the blogger behind A Novel Chapter.

In the last decade, there has been a self-publishing revolution as I discussed in my first Book Bloggers Unveiled post. I have a strong appreciation for the book blogging community and the part it plays. It’s obvious to me that book bloggers are a valuable marketing resource for any author wanting to self-publish their novels. Not only will they read your novel and write an honest review, but they’ll share their thoughts with their friends – they have hundreds of blogging friends.

Therefore, I’m using my voice to sing the praises of the humble book blogger. Today, it’s the fabulous Michael @ A Novel Chapter.

Hello Michael, thanks for joining us. Firstly, let’s find out a little bit about you.

Michael Wilson Profile

What’s Your Name?

Michael Wilson

What’s Your Blog Called?

A Novel Chapter

How long have you been a book blogger and why did you start blogging?

I first created the blog in 2014 on Blogger but have only been really seriously pursuing it for about a year or so which is when I moved it to WordPress and onto it’s own domain. Initially I started it to become a better writer and also to potentially earn a some money on the side to my job but also have come to enjoy learning about new book releases and recommendations.

What Are The Best and Worst Parts About Being A Book Blogger?

The best part is I think when your content goes live and when I share it on social media and see the engagement with it. The worst part which is something which I initially struggled with was maintaining the flow of content – especially at the beginning as I wanted everything to go live straight away due to my own impatience but I’ve now learnt to schedule and plan content much further in advance.

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Photo by Bich Tran on Pexels.com

What Books Do You Read?

Happy to read most things as I read fiction and non-fiction books from most genres.

Are There Any Genres or Type of Books You Avoid?

None I avoid in particular but I generally don’t read many romance books just because I usually struggle to get through them.

Do You Have A Favourite Genre, Author, Series? Tell Us More.

I love Crime/Thriller, YA and Fantasy novels the most. I love a book with plenty of twists and turns that will keep me up reading far too late (though my boss in my day job probably doesn’t!) I also do loves books with escapism where I can forget about what is happening.

Some favourite Fantasy/YA series of mine are Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Noughts and Crosses. I also love The Millennium Trilogy, the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child. I also love Martina Cole‘s crime novels.

What Type Of Posts Can We Find On Your Blog?

Reviews, Lists, Discussions, Sometimes I do write personal non-book related articles as well such as if I’ve been on holiday.

What is Your Favourite Type of Blog Post to Write?

Discussion posts as I like sharing my thoughts on specific questions.

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What Has Been Your Proudest Blogging Moment To Date?

It’s not really a blogging moment but I have also been working on my Bookstagram social media account for the last 12 months which I just passed 600 followers on so I am hoping to reach the 1,000 followers soon.

Also possibly my Top 5 Children’s Reads post as it my first collaborative post where I had a guest blogger and have had some comments on it as well.

What Are Your Top Three Favourite Blog Posts You’ve Written?

Traffic wise my top 3 posts over the last 90 days have been:

Which Five Authors (Living or Dead) Would You Invite To Your Dinner Party? Tell Us Why.

So that I can discuss there works it would have to be my top five authors so J.K Rowling, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Malorie Blackman, Roald Dahl and Lee Child.

I would love to discuss Harry Potter, Noughts and Crosses and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda and George’s Marvellous Medicine with Rowling, Blackman and Dahl. F. Scott Fitzgerald would also provide some jazzy 1920’s music I think and Lee Child can tell me about his next Jack Reacher book!

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Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Do You Have Any Hobbies Outside of Blogging? What Do You Do To Relax?

Probably my other two passions are fitness as like going to the gym and I’m also training to be a Zumba instructor and I also enjoy playing games – mostly action-adventure and story-driven ones such as Tomb Raider and Uncharted.

Tell Us Something That Your Existing Followers Don’t Know About You?

I don’t think I’ve told them about the Zumba before 🙂

Thank you for sharing your innermost secrets with us, Michael.

Now, let’s talk stats and find out some nitty-gritty blog details.

A Novel Chapter Logo

How Many Blog Followers Do You Have?

I don’t have a blog follow option on the site, on social media I have 612 Instagram, 64 on Twitter and 21 on Facebook.

How Many Monthly Visits, Likes and Comments Do You Get?

In the last three months I have had 48, 71 and 31. On Instagram I usually get around 10 likes per post though I have had two book meme posts which had 30 likes and 190 likes.

Social Media Likes

What Other Social Media Platforms Do You Use?

I use Instagram the most, I do have Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter accounts

Please Share Your Social Media Links Here

Do You Have Any Blogging Goals This Year? If You Do, Please Share Them With Us.

I would like to get to 100-200 visits per month consistently, also I am hoping to monetise it even if it is only a small amount. I also hope to get to the 1,000 Instagram followers then I will be looking at new strategies for each of the other platforms.

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Photo by Lisa on Pexels.com

I hope that you enjoyed this post, Book Bloggers Unveiled: Meet Michael @ A Novel Chapter, as much as I did. Running a successful book blog obviously has its ups and downs, but I love Michael’s passion for reading and his community spirit. He’s a book blogging treasure! 💙

Do you follow Michael on any of his social media accounts? Please take a moment to visit his blog, A Novel Chapter and like, follow and comment on a few posts. And as a bonus, if you browse through his review archive, I’m sure you’ll find your next favourite read!

Next month, I’ll be unveiling another fantastic book blogger.

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