When should you use bullet points, and when numbers? Read on to find out.
Read MoreLists: Bullets or numbers?
Hatchards, St Pancras, London, by Terry Freedman
Bookshops I like: Hatchards
How an experience at one of my favourite bookshops warmed me up on a freezing day.
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London Book Fair, by Terry Freedman
Book up for the London Book Fair 2018
It's that time of year again: time to book up a visit to the London Book Fair.
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Picture from Mohamed Hassan, Pixabay. Licence: CCO
No way to treat freelancers
in News & views
If you're feeling frustrated or angry at not being paid for your work, you might take solace from the fact that you're not alone, according to recent research.
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Photo from lucasbieri. Licence: CCO
Foreword, Preface or Introduction?
Do you know the difference between a Foreword, a Preface and an Introduction? I didn't either until I found an excellent article on the web.
Read MoreReview of Baking with Kafka, by Tom Gauld
Baking with Kaka is a great book, especially if you're a writer and an avid reader.
Read MoreHead in the clouds?
Writing in your head can be a good idea -- and you don't need to type it out.
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Photo from Stencil. Licence: CC0
Too tired to write?
If you're too tired to write, AND you wear glasses, maybe this is the solution. One of these days I'll learn, and I'm hoping this post will serve as a reminder -- to myself!
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Photo from Pexels. Licence: CC0
Published at last!
I recently tried my hand at a completely different form of writing. So what did I learn from the experience?
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Photo by Brad Neathery. Licence: CC0
Can creative writing be taught?
Some people say "of course creative writing can be taught", while others say the opposite. I take a slightly more nuanced view.
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Photo from Stocksnap. CC0 licence
More copyright-free photos
More lovely photos -- and free to use too!
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My writing/publishing process
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 MoreHow to organise your books
in Bookshelf, Handy hints, How to
If you have a tonne of books, what's the best way of organising them? Here are a few suggestions.
Read MoreJune 21st: National Writing Day
Today is National Writing Day!
Read MoreGetting The Most Out Of Education Conferences -- Now Available On Kobo!
Information about my ebook, Education Conferences, plus where to buy it on Kobo.
Read MoreBread and books: Karma Bread, Hampstead, London
Where to have coffee and buy books in Hampstead, London.
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Review of Dear Reflection
in Bookshelf
‘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.
Read a lot, read fast
How to read a book a week.
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Freelancing is not a bed of roses
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.
The hard sell
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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