My preferred method when it comes to writing books won't appeal to everyone, but I thought it might be of interest to some writers. It's based on the principal of specialisation of labour -- the 'labour' in this case being computer applications rather than people.
Read MoreIf you have a tonne of books, what's the best way of organising them? Here are a few suggestions.
Read MoreToday is National Writing Day!
Read MoreInformation about my ebook, Education Conferences, plus where to buy it on Kobo.
Read MoreWhere to have coffee and buy books in Hampstead, London.
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‘Dear Reflection’ is the memoir of Jessica Bell, author, graphic designer and musician. I think many of us are interested in the ‘back story’ of people we admire: how did they come to be the person they are today? How many years did it take for them to become an ‘overnight success’? What hurdles did they have to leap over in order to arrive here?
Well, with this book Jessica has obliged, and shared her story with us. The ‘reflection’ in the title refers to her inner voice. I thought this was a clever device, the idea of one’s reflection having a life of her own, but whose very existence would not be possible without us. In literature the idea of another world that awaits you through the mirror is a well-known one, but in this book the concept is more personal, and more original for that.
Jessica portrays very well the voice of the young child, teenager and young woman as her story progresses. That’s quite a feat, and helps to involve and engage the reader on an emotional level.
On that score, the book is not exactly an easy read. It made me feel, at various times, anguish, sadness, anger and relief. Given that my starting point with any memoir is ‘why should I care?’ and my immediate response to people emoting is ‘pull yourself together’, that is an achievement! At times while reading the book, I wanted to give Jessica a big hug.
But the book is by no means all doom and gloom. In fact, ultimately it’s a testament to the power of the human spirit, and my firm belief that everything happens for a reason. Anyone aspiring to be successful in life should read this book, which is honest, and hopeful.
Dear Reflection is available on Amazon (affiliate link).
Great news! Jessica will be in London in September '17, running a self-publishing master class. Click the link for details.
Read anywhere and everywhere. Photo by Pexels. CC0 licence.
How to read a book a week.
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All freelance writing success is a mixture of luck and hard work -- especially hard work. I came across a good article by travel blogger Rachel Jones about what's involved.
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The default screen on Joe Coleman's site.
It's always difficult to get the balance right between hard sell and soft sell. Joe Coleman's website allows you to choose your own level of (dis)comfort!
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Don't lose your work!
A fifth of Americans never make a backup apparently, according to a recent survey.
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Comprehensive data on your Kindle book sales
Here's a handy tool for analysing your Kindle ebook sales.
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High Street Kensington: more than just a station. Come out of the station, turn left, and it's a nice walk or short bus ride to Olympia, where #LBF17 was held. Photo by Terry Freedman 2017
What I learnt on the last day of the London Book Fair 2017.
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The London Book Fair 2017 Photo by Terry Freedman
Imagine ditching 20,000 words of your novel! Insights from Rosanna Ley, Cally Taylor, Gabriel Mercer, Jessica Bell and others.
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The London Book Fair 2017: vibrant as always. Photo by Terry Freedman 2017.
The London Book Fair is on this week. If you're a self-published author, or hoping to be, here are three seminars you may wish to attend today. They are concerned with self-publishing, research and copyright issues, and the creative writing process.
Read MoreAlongside the London Book Fair is the What Works education conference. As you may have surmised from its proximity to the LBF, it focuses on educational publishing.
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With apologies to Edvard Munch
What could be worse than losing all of your carefully crafted work? Here are 5 ways to protect yourself against that happening.
Read MoreI recently purchased a KIndle Fire so I could write while travelling and in cafes. So what I do I think of it?
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The iCloud.com dashboard
If you use the Notes app on an Apple device like an iPad, and wish to access your notes from an Android device, such as an HTC smartphone, here's a work-around.
Read MoreHow might writers make use of maps to convey information (besides geographical information)?
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Now there's someone who seems pretty laid back. Photo by Terry Freedman 2017.
What's a special writing day? And what's so special about them?
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