Throughout the extensive process of writing, some writers may question the need for an editor. They may wonder if they can edit their manuscript themselves and ask, ‘What can a book editor do for me?’ While it’s certainly prudent to redraft a manuscript several times and self-edit before considering the next step, it’s worthwhile pointing …
Is it a struggle for you knowing how to punctuate dialogue? How to punctuate dialogue correctly eludes a lot of writers. Yet once you know the rules, it is straightforward. Quotation marks, speech marks and quotes Quotation marks are also referred to as ‘speech marks’ or ‘quotes’. I’ll use the term ‘quotation marks’ here so …
Do you know, is your book character-driven or plot-driven? The first question should be, what does character-driven and plot-driven mean?! Plot-driven In a plot-driven story, the action is the focus of the writing, not the character. The character tends to be static; there is little character development. Plot-driven stories are often genres like horror, action, …
A Book Review I had never heard of The Incorrigible Optimists Club or the Algerian-born writer Jean-Michel Guenassia. I came across it in the library when I was selecting books for my Christmas holiday reading. The original is written in French and I read the English translation by Euan Cameron. It is quite untrue that …
Is there a Professional Qualification for Editors? In Australia since 2008, yes, there is a professional qualification for editors. The name of the qualification is ‘Accredited Editor’. What does it mean to be an Accredited Editor? Editors who have passed the accreditation exam and become certified may use the pronominal ‘AE’ – e.g. Gail Tagarro, …
