Tag: editing

2025: Review of My Year

Blog post image: 2025 review of my year

This year started busy for me with proofreading and has turned into my best year yet for business and repeat clients. I was booked every month for the first time in my freelance business life.

Tall Tartan Talks here … I have worked hard to get to this place of stability.

Consolidating events of 2024

Looking back and reflecting on the events of last year (as mentioned in my review of 2024), the proofreading I have taken on this year has reinforced my position as an experienced and trustworthy freelance proofreader.

Monthly blog posts

In this post I give you an idea of the kind of proofreading projects I have done. It also includes links to posts that I published this year in case you missed them when I posted them on social media or in my newsletter.

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January

My proofreading projects were for three indie children’s book authors. You can see the cover images in the relevant genre page.

January’s blog post: What are the signs of a good listener?

February

I proofread a children’s book for a Christian publisher client #1 called I AM: Stories from the Gospel of John by Laura Cerbus.

I wrote February’s blog post after consultation with a book designer who had collaborated with one of my indie authors: How does a book designer work with an indie author?

March

My proofreading was for another three indie children’s book authors. Two of them had written a series of books on education that they wanted me to proofread. One found me through my website. The other was a referral on LinkedIn from an edibuddy who thought I was a better fit.

With the end of my financial year looming, I wrote March’s blog post called How to do a SWOT Analysis of Your Business.

April

Three proofreading jobs this month began with a repeat non-fiction publisher client. The book was called 365 Days of Self-Care and was published in November.

Also, I started proofreading for Christian publisher client #2. It involved liaising directly with the author, resolving my queries and those of the author and annotating my PDF with all comments before returning the collated PDF to the typesetter via the editorial manager.

April’s blog post was inspired by the two men in my family training for cycling events: Why editing is like long-distance cycling or any endurance sport

May

Two of the indie authors came back to me for proofreading of the second books in their series.

Completing my Self-Assessment (tax return) for HMRC prompted a review of my income and expenses. I had thoughts about how to use money through the genre I have most experience with – education: Teaching Children About Money

June

The commissioning of my new logo this year using my tartan branding prompted me to write My Branding Update.

July

I proofread a substantial non-fiction book for Christian publisher client #2. Again, I liaised with the author and learnt about systemising the queries in batches as the book was over 400 pages. The author appreciated our collaboration. As a result I wrote The Dos and Don’ts of Writing Author Queries.

BitmoAnnie says Yay

August

I proofread a non-fiction historical book for a colleague who is a book designer and subcontracts me for proofreading for her indie authors. (The same talented person who designed my logo!)

September

Once I had attended the annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), I wrote this blog post: CIEP2025 Conference for Editors and Proofreaders

October

I got very busy again with proofreading work from Christian publisher client #2. The Editorial Manager (EM) referred me to another EM, so two books were proofread concurrently. It became vital to schedule query responses efficiently.

Marketing when working – How?

As someone who enjoys creating valuable content and sharing my business and editing tips by blogging and through LinkedIn posts, it was a very real struggle to continue the content process while I was busy with paid work and deadlines. I mean, how?

I couldn’t even get my head around using scheduling tools to publish short posts on LinkedIn which would have been one way to maintain a visible presence. So marketing my business was paused in October and November to keep overwhelm at a manageable level.

November

Self-care continued …

December

Christian publisher client #2 got in touch with a substantial proofread of a collection of reflections. I’ll start that this month; it will take me to the end of January 2026 so starts the new year nicely. It is my fifth book this year for that client. I think they like me!

I did very little editorial training this year because I didn’t have time! The CIEP’s course Copyediting 2: Headway is on my list for next year.

How has 2025 been for you? Have you experienced feast, famine, or a controllable schedule of interesting work?

See you in 2026!

Sprinkling publishing confidence,

Annie

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BitmoAnnie Fairy sprinkling publishing confidence
BitmoAnnie Fairy sprinkling publishing confidence

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CIEP directory entry

https://www.ciep.uk/directory/annie-deakins

The Dos and Don’ts of Writing Author Queries

Blog post called The Dos and Don’ts of Writing Author Queries

When editing or proofreading the writing of a client, there will be times when you want to query their use and consistency of styles in punctuation, spelling, or context. Here are some dos and don’ts for writing author queries.

Querying is a subtle skill and requires training, diplomacy and empathy.

Tall Tartan Talks here … The freelancer must be aware of the client’s style and to be self-aware.

Querying situations

There are several scenarios involving querying which depend on whether you have direct contact with the author or not. If you edit for indie, self-publishing authors, your contact will be solely with the author.

When I proofread for publishers, I usually have no contact with the author – all communication is with the project manager, or equivalent. On completion, I return my marked-up PDF and invoice. And move on.

One of my proofreading jobs for a publisher was unique, for me so far, because it involved liaising with the author via the desk editor. As the non-fiction book was substantial, I was to send queries in batches to the author, collate their responses written on their version of the PDF with my typesetter instructions on my PDF. Then send my final, annotated PDF proof to the desk editor. Intriguing.

Responding with comments

For context, my querying while proofreading happens when I am commenting on PDFs using the tools in Adobe Acrobat Reader. I mark up anything that trips me up. If it trips me up, it will trip up other readers.

The tips which follow also apply when copyediting using Track Changes in Microsoft Word.

The abbreviation AQ means Author Queries. When collating and indicating the author responses as separate to my typesetter instructions, I use AU to introduce each author response. That way the responses are easily seen.

When considering whether to query or not, consider these three main response types:

  1. Mark errors for change as per the agreed publisher’s style guide or freelancer’s style sheet.
  2. Query for the author to stet (keep) or change. Perhaps suggest alternative phrasing.
  3. Flag issues to make them aware.

Querying clearly

❌ Don’t be vague in your queries.

✅ Do be clear and concise.

When writing queries, put one issue and write one clear sentence with one point. Avoid adding too much detail and making the query overwhelming. Asking or suggesting is standard practice and gives the author control over how they respond. It is their book after all.

Giving pointers as to your editing schedule is helpful to the author so they know when you expect their responses to your queries.

Querying with diplomacy

❌ Don’t be pushy.

✅ Do be polite.

I learnt from many established editors and proofreaders about the art of writing author queries, during my proofreading training, when attending conferences run by Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP), and by networking with colleagues.

Diplomatic phrasing includes starting sentences with:

  • Could … ?
  • Perhaps … ?
  • Should …?
  • I suggest …

Rather than writing, ‘This sentence needs to change’, write an alternative solution to the issue: ‘I suggest changing (X) to (Y) because …’

Your effort will be appreciated and it may spark the author into writing their own solution if they don’t take up your suggestion. It is their book, after all.

Using a text expander with access to your bank of standard queries will make it quicker to write and tweak them for individual clients, especially for those comments that require more thought.

I use ‘please’ with most queries because … it’s polite.

Querying efficiently

❌ Don’t send emails in daily, random messages with no system in place.

✅ Do query in batches.

When a desk editor asked me to query the author in batches, I remembered a process that a fellow editor used as a way to send queries. They recorded them in a table. It gives the author the opportunity to write their response next to the query. (See the link at the end.)

Here is my template. Remember, I am proofreading PDFs so my headings may look slightly different to a copyeditor’s queries using Word.

Author Queries Template in Word

Querying selectively

❌ Don’t fight every battle of style.

✅ Do look for the most consistently used style and apply.

The author’s voice will be in the author’s preferred style. Some style issues won’t be worth a battle.

Some queries need to take spacing into account at final proof stage when working with publishers. Major changes this late in the process will have a knock-on effect, so should be considered carefully.

Collaborating and compromising

I have learnt a great deal about being diplomatic when writing queries and asking questions. It is pleasing when the respect is mutual.

Clients appreciate having errors and issues spotted and are grateful. It gives them publishing confidence.

Communication and compromise are key. Their book, their choice. Collaborating with authors gives a sense of pride for a job well done.

Sprinkling publishing confidence,

Annie

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BitmoAnnie Fairy sprinkling publishing confidence
BitmoAnnie Fairy sprinkling publishing confidence

Further reading

Blogging on a similar theme

Here are links to blog posts I have written that started the topic of collaboration.

Emailing

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How Editors Can Help Self-publishing Children’s Book Authors

Blog post: How editors can help self-publishing children’s book authors

It’s easier than ever for first-time authors to self-publish children’s books but the process can still be confusing. I demystify my role as an editor, explain how I can support authors in other ways, and offer some tips to both prospective writers and editors.

The email begins, ‘Hello, I found your website and see that you proofread children’s books. I have written my first children’s book. Can you help me to publish? I need the grammar, etc, to be perfect. How much do you charge?’

I need more information.

Using my education background

I proofread children’s books using my knowledge from 30 years of teaching in the primary classroom. I know what makes a good children’s story, whether it’s a picture book, chapter book or another format.

When I taught children to read, I showed them how to understand and value stories with words chosen for effect. When I taught writing, I guided them to improve their writing using modelling – dissecting how the stories were written.

Supporting indie authors

When I retrained as a freelance proofreader and started my business, I had no idea about the area of self-publishing. But the process has grown in a way that makes getting their books out to readers attainable for new independent (indie) authors. And my knowledge has grown with them.

As it can be easier to self-publish than to go down the traditional route, it seemed logical to offer my services to indies. Half of the weekly enquiries I receive through my website are from new children’s book authors asking for help.

So, back to that email. What is my response?

The author hasn’t indicated the genre or word count, or attached their manuscript, so I request the current file of their book and ask some questions. I can’t provide a quote unless I’ve seen the material.

The author replies with their book file. As they have asked for a proofread, I’d hoped to see the finalised, illustrated manuscript as a PDF. However, when I open the file, it is a Word document with no illustrations.

When I read the manuscript, I am excited by the writing. I feel I would be a good fit for the author, so I explain my packages.

By this point I realise that this author, like many new indies, doesn’t understand the process involved in publishing. They have asked for proofreading, but they realise they need more than that. They need an editor; they need advice. As a first step, I refer them to the resources on the website of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), where there are written guides and author forums. I am a Partner Member of ALLi, offering editorial services.

Finding the right package

I offer three packages:

My basic proofread is checking for typos and errors of grammar and consistency. In traditional publishing, this would take place at the end of the publishing process when the manuscript has been copyedited, illustrated and typeset.

My proof-edit is a proofread plus tweaking the text with edits or suggestions for improvement. I guide the author on the use of appropriate language for the age of the child. For example, is the book aimed at 4–7-year-olds, 8–11-year-olds or another age group? Is the topic suitable? Is the vocabulary appropriate?

My advanced package includes the tasks outlined in point 2 but I add my consultancy service. I give indies advice on how to get their manuscript ready for self-publication. It includes a proof-edit in Microsoft Word, and a second proofread of the final proof of the book as a PDF just before it is published. By this time, a book designer has formatted and designed it to fit in the illustrations. It has a separate book-cover file which includes the front, back and spine.

To help this latest author to find the right package for their needs, I offer to do a sample proof-edit to show how their manuscript can be improved. I take different parts of their manuscript and demonstrate: a) a proofread and b) a proof-edit. As always, the author sees the value I add with my edits and chooses my consultancy rate. Then I invoice them for the deposit (usually 50%) so that their slot can be booked in my schedule.

Helping to find an illustrator

As their picture-book story lacks illustrations, I ask the author if they have an illustrator in mind. They say they want the story checked first to make sure it is ‘okay’ and ask if I can recommend an illustrator.

It’s a good idea for an author to have researched the kind of illustrator they want to use by, for example, looking at book covers of children’s books in the same genre and/or looking at the portfolios of illustrators to find one who uses the style they prefer. I recommend they look in the Directory of Partner Members in ALLi to find an illustrator.

Building the book

I’ve often been asked if I put the book together by combining the illustrations with the story. No, I don’t offer design, layout or typesetting as a service, yet. The skills of a book designer are in demand with the increase in self-publishing.

Book production involves a variety of specialists. We all respect each other as trusted colleagues. On LinkedIn, I’ve found several skilled typesetters and designers who work with indie authors who I recommend to my clients. I also direct them to the ALLi Directory of Partner Members.

Offering sympathetic support

I am usually the only editing professional who sees the manuscript. When I am asked a question about self-publishing to which I don’t know the answer, it’s not a problem. I say I’ll find out. Answers can be found in the CIEP guide How to Work with Self-Publishers (once logged in to the Knowledge Hub), or in the CIEP forums, or … on the ALLi website. Can you see a pattern emerging?

Considering the author’s marketing strategy

Lastly, when I return the proof-edited manuscript to the indie author, I ask if they have thought how they are going to advertise and market their children’s book. The answer, as always, is no; they are so pleased they have got this far. This is the end, isn’t it? Can I help?

I explain that if an indie author sells their children’s book on their website and social media channels, they will reach more readers, parents, teachers and other authors. As with any marketing strategy, it is best to start with the product at the end and work backwards.

Resources for editors

Could you offer an editing consultancy to indie authors?

Reflect on your skills and recognise that you have knowledge that is in demand, and that you can offer trust and value. You are a safe pair of hands for a client who does not know the self-publishing area. Your skills are an asset that prospective clients are willing to pay for.

Sprinkling publishing confidence,

Annie

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This blog post was first published in 2023 on the blog of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP, ciep.uk).

See my proofreading training on my Meet Annie page.

Further reading

I have written other posts on my website related to the subject of indie children’s book publishing. Here are the links:

Are you writing a children’s book?

Punctuating Children’s Fiction

How does a book designer work with an indie author?

Emailing

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Subscribing

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How editing is like long-distance cycling or any endurance sport

Blog post: How editing is like long-distance cycling or any endurance sport

By the time you read this, my husband and son will have cycled 400km from Essex to York for a medal. They have a hobby called long-distance cycling. Each event is called an audax.

Tall Tartan Talks here … In this blog post I compare editing and audaxing, though you could substitute any other endurance sport.

Audaxes are arranged by an organisation called Audax UK which is affiliated to the world-wide organisation. Here is their website: audax.uk

2025 will be a big cycling year for Tom and Dan. As they prepare and train, they aim to participate in one of the longest cycling journeys in the UK in August called London-Edinburgh-London (LEL) – 1,500km over 5 days and 5 hours. Tom is a veteran; Dan is his apprentice.

Finding common features

As I have watched them prepare, it dawns on me that both editing and sport have the following in common:

  • Choosing equipment
  • Preparing for the job ahead
  • Training
  • Building friendships and trust
  • Sustaining a physical / mental mindset
  • Experiencing highs
  • Experiencing lows
  • Feeling the joy of a job well done.

Tom and Dan on Easter Arrow
Tom and Dan – Departure from Essex on Good Friday at 8am. (Photo: Owen Wood)

Choosing equipment

The basic need of editors is a laptop or desktop, word-processing software (Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Reader are the publishing industry standards), access to broadband, and furniture that helps avoid RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury).

Cyclists can choose from a range of equipment, including bike designs (not all want or can afford titanium frames), types of tyres, saddles, lights, and GPS software.

Preparing for the job ahead

Editors do sample quotes with a part of the text to get an idea of what the text looks like before accepting a job. Once a job is agreed, an editor carries out ‘preflight’ checks to note style choices before delving deep into the text.

Cyclists need to maintain their bikes and tools. They don’t have to be mechanically minded, but it helps to know how to pump up a tyre or mend a puncture to ensure the bike runs efficiently. My husband’s strength is bike fettling and bodging repairs to bike and kit with gaffer tape and cable-ties.

Training for confidence and endurance

It is advisable that editors do training in proofreading and copyediting. They don’t know what they don’t know. I advise any editor to display their training on their website and / or LinkedIn profile to build trust. Clients will feel safer with a trained editor, even if they are more expensive. Trust and confidence are key.

The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP, ciep.uk) and other editing organisations provide a high standard in editorial training. The biggest thing I learned from my training was to spot inconsistencies in styles of punctuation and spelling, not just typos.

Also, editors may be overwhelmed by the high standards of training. It can seem hard and confusing, but it will make you a better professional.

Cycling over long distances can’t be done without training. The strategy is to build up to them. Don’t cycle 600km without doing smaller distances first, e.g. 50km > 100km > 200km > 300km > 400km. You don’t know how your body is going to react after cycling 100km or cycling overnight … The mind plays different tricks altogether.

Building friendships and trust

The editors I know in my networking groups have been there for support and motivation, and for venting and cheering. It is vital to be able to discuss facets of your business with people who know what you are talking about. Do you need advice? Someone will know the answer or seen it somewhere and can point to it.

The cyclists in my husband’s network (ACME cycling club) have been there for each other to support, motivate, for venting and cheering. It is vital to be able to discuss every facet of audaxing with people who know what you are talking about. Need advice? Someone will know the answer or seen it somewhere and can point to it. My husband ran a pubinar (a webinar in a pub) in February to discuss how to survive LEL … and have fun. Many newbies came to marvel at the experience of the veterans.

Sustaining a physical / mental mindset

To sustain and endure the challenge of a long job and substantial books, an editor needs to build a schedule of how much text they will cover in one hour, one day, one week, etc. Having an overview of what the project looks like will assist in how to tackle each part of the job. It is important to stop regularly for breaks to look away from the screen, to stretch, to breathe fresh air, to eat and drink.

Cyclists, to avoid overwhelm, need to establish a flow or pattern of pedal-pushing which can be maintained. It’s not about speed or being the fastest – an audax is a marathon not a sprint. It is important to get off the bike regularly, to stretch, eat and drink. Sleep before you get the snoozies and fall off.

Experiencing highs

The kinds of highs that an editor feels:

  • When a quote is accepted by the client that is worth the value of the project.
  • When an editing job is interesting and enjoyable, we learn a lot from what we read!
  • When a testimonial is received from a very happy client.
  • When a client turns into a repeat client.

The kinds of highs that a cyclist feels:

  • A ride is completed in good weather. They especially love a good sunrise anticipated during the dark wee hours.
  • There are no mechanicals.
  • There is good company and good conversation.

Experiencing lows

The kinds of lows that an editor feels when things go wrong:

  • With I.T. when software goes wrong; saved work disappears.
  • A client is not happy.
  • Late payment or non-payment.

The kinds of lows that a cyclist feels when things go wrong:

  • Experiencing punctures and mechanical failures, especially if there has been rain.
  • Strong headwinds or crosswinds.
  • Forgetting vital clothing meaning that, when the cold hits at 2am, borrowing items from fellow audaxers may be inevitable.
  • Grumpiness is often caused by low blood sugar – take a break and eat!

Feeling the joy of a job well done

There is nothing like the highs of an editor’s job just as there is nothing like the fun that a cyclist gets from an audax. I am told that the cyclists’ highs make up for any lows which can become Type II (2) fun.

Even better … getting to a Wetherspoons pub for an 8am opening after a cycling overnighter when a Full English Breakfast and tea, coffee and beer are on tap. Chapeau to all the teams!

Audax team arrive at The Postern Gate, York, at 7.30am on Easter Saturday 2025
Arriveée at The Postern Gate, York, at 7.30am on Easter Saturday after 24 hours on the road.

To see Dan’s photos of each stage of the event, see his Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/dandeakins93/

Disclaimer: These experiences have been told to me by those that cycle. I am not a cyclist, merely a supporter, reader of WhatsApp Group posts, and a good listener.

Sprinkling publishing confidence,

Annie

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Further reading

If you a cycling fan, here is a blog post written by an audaxer about the same event on the Carradice website: Easter Fleché to York

Emailing

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How does a book designer work with an indie author?

Blog post: How does a book designer work with an indie author?

This case study explores how a book designer planned and designed a children’s chapter book for an indie author I worked with.

Tall Tartan Talks here … The designing of a children’s picture book needs specific planning because there are more images to incorporate than in adult fiction.

In the case of Sping by Nicholas Roberts, his children’s picture book had many images which needed to be planned around the text.

How I helped the author

When booking my services, Nick wanted to tap into my teaching experience; he valued my knowledge of children’s books.

I proof-edited the first draft of his manuscript by tweaking the vocabulary and language used for the age of his target audience. He found his book designer, Glen Holman; then came back to me for the final proofread before publishing.

Author finds illustrator

I saw on Instagram that the author had tagged his designer when promoting his book. There’s an opportunity for me to make contact with his designer, I thought …

I have supported many indie children’s book authors when they are self-publishing. One question I am asked often is where they can find an illustrator / book designer. I am fascinated by how a client decides if they are a good fit for the professional.

Having got on well with Nick when working on his book, I felt comfortable approaching the designer through him.

I was keen to find out about the process from planning to self-publishing. When I contacted Glen Holman, he was happy to write about his experience with Nick.

Case Study – Glen Holman

“Nick posted in an agency where somebody who wants illustration can post their job. When I first got in touch with Nick, he was already quite keen and was eager to share his ideas. We arranged a lunch meeting near where I’m based in Loughborough to go through everything. I had just had a child around this time so it was hard to navigate around that, but Nick was very accommodating!

We went back and forth discussing the ideas for Nick’s book, Sping, and his plans to also locate a singer for the songs he was going to pepper through the book, which I thought was a fantastic unique selling point.

Planning the ilustrations

Nick sent me through his manuscript; we planned out how many illustrations we needed and where they would go, and the physical size of the book – and I was ready to begin.

The first stage is the roughs, where I did basic, scratchy, and quick scribbles of each illustration, mostly to block out who will be where and what they’ll be doing. At this stage I also lay out all of the text, with the chapter titles, headings, sub-headings, title page, publishing information and everything else – the very bare bones of the book are complete.

Developing the illustrations

Once Nick signed off on this, then the next step was doing the linework and basic colouring; going over all of the rough sketches with a fine line and blocking out the colours to make sure there were no weird contrasts or clashes. And that it’s visually interesting. Any refinements and corrections to text and page layout are done at this stage. Once that’s approved, it all got the final touches: shading, highlighting, texturing, with all the fine details and the other whistles and bells to bring the book to life.

Finally, we decided on the cover. I drew that up in the same way, and we were done.

There was a little delay whilst Nick finished up the musical side of things and generated the QR codes with the music tracks, which I slotted into the book at the end of the chapters.

Supporting the self-publishing process

With the self-publishing stage, this used to be my full-time job doing assisted self-publishing, so, thankfully, I have had the time and generated the knowledge to penetrate the wall of jargon that often accompanies self-publishing.

It required Nick to create the Amazon KDP account that he wanted to use as his publishing hub. Then I was able to upload the book, fill out the meta-data and, as the book designer and illustrator, I was able to correct any issues that popped up.

I always insist to everyone who self-publishes to get at least one physical copy, as there are sometimes issues that do not show up in the digital proofs or during creation and only once it’s printed.

But Sping went off well and ended up looking great. Nick was a pleasure to work with. I would absolutely work with him again.”

Sping, children's chapter book. Front cover.
Sping, children's chapter book. Back cover.

Buying the book

Here is the Amazon link to buy Sping: https://amzn.eu/d/2yr3ZWq

Contacting Glen

Finding an illustrator

Glen has a particular style of art. There are many styles of art and design to choose from when selecting an illustrator for your book.

If you are an author or an illustrator, a directory I recommend when searching for the perfect-fit client is the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). I am a Partner Member

I offer professional services through the directory with other members of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP; ciep.uk). They are editors, designers, etc.

If you are interested in joining as a freelance professional, here is my Affiliate Link: https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/members/join?affid=11189

Alliance of Independent Authors Partner Member

Are you interested in being featured?

If we have worked together and you would like to be featured as a case study on my blog, please email me to let me know.

Sprinkling publishing confidence,

Annie

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Further reading

Here are blog posts I have written on the theme of self-publishing to support indie authors:

2024: Review of My Year

2024:

As I review 2024 I realise how eventful it was for me because I achieved things I hadn’t done before in my freelance life.

Doing new things

Tall Tartan Talks here … A quick snapshot of my achievements this year: I self-published my non-fiction ebook in April; completed a course called Understanding Mental Health First Aid; did more freelance proofreading work for publishers than in previous years, and took on work from new-to-me publishing clients. I turned 60 halfway through the year; and one more event happened that I shall reveal later …

Reflecting on 2024

Looking back, here’s my review through the blog posts I wrote.

Winter and spring

I spent the first three months, during a very quiet period of work, collecting my blog posts into a non-fiction business book for self-publishing.

I copyedited my manuscript from the single, individual blog posts that I had written in MS Word, starting in 2017 all the way up to 2023. Then I spent time proofreading the manuscript.

However, it is really tricky to proofread your own writing, so a  very kind edibuddy offered to proofread it.

Finally, it was ready to upload to Amazon KDP as an ebook. Here is the link to Tall Tartan Talks – My Collection of Blog Posts: Tips on Running a Business if you haven’t seen it yet: https://amzn.eu/d/csKQohb

I described the process in How I self-published my Business Book.

Summer

In June, my blog post explored the concept of questioning in education and business by asking What is a good question?

My July blog post reflected on how to cope with periods of time without freelance work. By this time, I had marketed myself repeatedly without, seemingly, much success. I know that the results of cold emailing take time. But it is really hard to be patient … Therefore, I wrote tips on how to use time productively in Taking Breaks in Your Business.

Autumn

By September, with the return to work for most people, I felt urged to promote methods of effective communication called How to Communicate Clearly.

In October I shared my tips for preparing for and writing cold emails to potential new clients: 8 Steps for Reaching Out to New Clients

Tutoring

I was able to provide tuition for a primary school child, on Zoom, with reading, handwriting, spelling and writing for six months.

Not having tutored for a couple of years, I missed the contact with young people and the regular income. A fellow edibuddy got in touch to ask if I was available … Could we work with the time difference with her granddaughter being in Australia?

The arrangement worked well! I was pleased to observe how well the child responded to my teaching. See the testimonial from the parent on my Primary Tutoring page.

Upgrading in the CIEP

And so to my best news – I am excited to report that my application to upgrade from Intermediate Member to Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP; ciep.uk) was approved in December.

I proved my professionalism by taking editorial training, showing 500 hours of proofreading experience with clients, and providing a reference from a client that I have done over 50 hours for and who could judge my proofreading skills. Here is my CIEP directory profile page.

What an amazing way to end the year!

CIEP Professional Member logo

Seeing flaws as part of the process to achievement

Let me share a metaphor that spoke to me about growth mindset and running a business called Kintsugi.

I found the term in a book that I proofread this summer. It is now published and available to order (details at the end).

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. The idea is to make something more beautiful by embracing the flaws; and something unique and beautiful in its imperfection. The flaws are emphasised and celebrated.

See the picture of kintsugi-repaired pottery below. The lines of gold are where the repairs have been done and show them off in a positive light.

I love this metaphor because it challenges perfectionism and opens our minds to the ideas that every part of us makes us into something special and magnificent – just as we are, including all the past mistakes we have made.

Kintsugi china

In summary, my tips for owning and running a business are to persevere, persist, and be patient.

How has the year been for you?

See you in 2025!

Annie

Sprinkling publishing confidence

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Source for Kintsugi: Compassion-based Language Education by Sarah Mercer, published by OUP, 2024.

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How I Self-published my Business Book

How I self-published my Business Book

I have self-published a business book!

My eBook is called Tall Tartan Talks: My Collection of blog Posts – Tips on Running a Business. I’ve written it for freelancers by sharing many tips I’ve learnt while running my proofreading business.

I used Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). If you would like to buy my book, the link is at the end of this post.

I will explain the what, how, and why of the process which, hopefully, will answer a lot of your questions.

What did I write?

I already had a collection of over 30 blog posts on my website which I had written to support other freelancers. I asked myself, why not copy the draft versions from Word and paste them into a single document? Rather than write something new I could create one manuscript using writing I already had.

If you have an idea for a fiction or non-fiction book, for adults or children, do write it. And keep writing. If the ideas flow, great! When you’ve finished a draft, ask friends / colleagues to read it. This will gauge if the audience thinks your book works. You will feel the need to redraft your manuscript several times.

How did I format my book?

Each blog post is around 1,000 words; the collection totalled around 30,000 words.

Once I had created my manuscript, I spent time copyediting the text. Ensuring consistency with the styling of subheadings and use of vocabulary, grammar and punctuation, I added to my style sheet.

I spent a further week proofreading the manuscript. By then I realised I was far too close to the text and fed up with it. I knew there would still be errors, but I wasn’t in a position to read it objectively.

Why did I self-publish?

I have been asked why I used the process of self-publishing. Mainly I self-published because my indie children’s book authors asked me about the process. They are looking for support. I wanted to answer their questions.

When I had a lull in proofreading work, I realised I had the time and energy to carry out my project.

Using a trained editor or proofreader

I needed an independent, fresh pair of eyes; I needed a proofreader I could trust and who appreciated the content in my blog posts. A kind edibuddy offered her proofreading as a skill swap – in return I would proofread her blog posts. She provided a comprehensive service in an efficient way.

Asking someone else to check your text is essential before publishing. I recommend you either:

  • Pay a trained copyeditor to style your Word document. Or …
  • Pay a trained proofreader. This could be the same editor you ask to copyedit your manuscript. Many freelancers provide both services – though a gap in time between passes is recommended to provide for fresh eyes.

Ideally your professional would be trained by a trusted organisation like the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (ciep.uk).

Creating a table of contents

Once I had formatted my Word document with styles for levels of headings, I could insert a Contents page.

I needed help to format the page numbers so that page 1 started at the beginning of Chapter 1 after the Contents page rather than on the first page of my manuscript. I found some support in the Amazon KDP Help pages. In the end my edibuddy formatted the page numbers for me.

Creating a book cover

I was certain I would self-publish my book in the form of an eBook as the cover, being a single page, it would be simpler to design.

I designed my eBook cover by finding a template in Canva. Using my tartan branding which is the design on my website, I replicated my website fonts. That way I could keep my design consistent with my branding.

(I updated the book cover for the first anniversary of its publication.)

The cover of a paperback includes the front cover, spine and back cover in one template. I tried using KDP Cover Creator. Its limitations meant that I couldn’t use the fonts on my website as they weren’t available in the software. As I wanted to make my branding consistent, I would have to find another way to use my chosen fonts.

If you have many images to insert in your non-fiction or children’s picture book, I suggest you use a book designer who is skilled in formatting illustrations. I can recommend a couple on LinkedIn.

Creating my KDP account

I completed the account details for my eBook. I could edit the details on my Amazon KDP Bookshelf. It was helpful that I could save, stop, or continue as time allowed.

KDP asks for personal and tax details to be completed. Next, enter the ISBN (International Standard Book Number). I bought mine from Nielson. Upload your content. Finally, choose a pricing option.

Consider when you want to tell your target audience that your book is available. Plan ahead because KDP needs at least 48 hours to process your account, your manuscript and cover.

Also consider, do you want your readers to pre-order? This is an effective strategy for advertising when your book will be published; it creates anticipation.

How I can help you to self-publish

I can help you self-publish depending on the type of book you want to write. My specialisms are non-fiction, education, middle grade chapter books and picture books.

If you want to self-publish an adult fiction book, that’s not my area, so I can’t help you. But I can refer you to edibuddies who can.

Buy my book

Amazon link to my book published in April 2024: Tall Tartan Talks: My Collection of blog Posts – Tips on Running a Business

Reading resources

I discovered many tips about self-publishing by being a Partner Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors: www.allianceindependentauthors.org

Annie

Sprinkling publishing confidence

Strong arm. I did it!
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Punctuating Children’s Fiction (Part 2)

Punctuating Children's Fiction Part 2 blog post

This guide is Part 2 about punctuating children’s fiction. It follows on from Part 1. It is mainly for my clients who are independent (indie), self-publishing authors of children’s books because it answers the questions they ask about punctuation.

The rules, though, apply to any writer of fiction.

When I give feedback to indie authors who ask for help about how to punctuate, especially the dialogue in their book, this is my advice.

 

Covered in Part 1

  • capitalisation
  • dialogue (speech)
  • paragraph break
  • exclamation mark
  • question mark
  • comma
  • ellipsis
  • curly quote marks.

 

Punctuating further

Here in Part 2 are more advanced types of punctuation: colons, semicolons, hyphens and types of dashes (including the en dash and em dash), and brackets (parentheses).

These punctuation features are used in more complex stories and texts for older children and young adults. As children progress through upper primary school (Key stage 2), they learn how to read them, their function and effect, and how to apply them in their own writing.

  • colon (:)
  • semicolon (;)
  • brackets ( ) [ ] { }
  • hyphen/dash (-)
  • en dash (–)
  • em dash (—).

 

Colon (:)

A colon is used to introduce the information that follows it.

– Introducing a list: The colon is used before a list of items, examples, or explanations, eg There are three primary colours: red, blue and yellow.

– Introducing a quote or statement: When introducing a quote, a colon can be used, eg She had one motto: Never give up.

 

Semicolon (;)

A semicolon is used to connect two closely related but independent clauses, creating a stronger link than a full stop or comma. The main uses of semicolons are:

– Joining related independent clauses, eg She went to the party; he stayed at home.

– Separating items in a complex list. When a list already contains items with commas, semicolons can be used to separate the list items. For example, The colours available were red, blue, and green; other colours were unavailable.

 

I’ve seen much confusion in the use of colons and semicolons. Writers don’t remember the differences between them. If it looks wrong, if you’re in doubt, don’t use them. Or ask someone to check you’ve used them correctly.

 

Hyphen/dash (-)

The hyphen or dash is used to join words together to form compound words or to make nouns become compound adjectives when they are used to describe a noun.

Do you prefer ‘well-being’ or ‘wellbeing’? NODWE (New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors) uses a hyphen; Collins Dictionary doesn’t. When you have decided on whether to hyphenate a word or not, keep the style for consistency.

Another common use is that adjectival words are hyphenated before a noun, eg well-known phrase, up-to-date regulations. Adverbs ending with -ly should not be joined with a hyphen to other words. But be alert for sneaky adjectives with -ly, like curly-haired.

 

En dash (–)

When the dash gets longer, it becomes the en dash/en rule (–) and em dash/em rule (—). Until I did my proofreading training with the CIEP I had no idea there were differences. I hadn’t looked that closely …

The en dash is the length of an N and is used in two ways in children’s books:

1. To represent a range of values, such as numbers or dates, eg pages 10–15, 1980–1985.

2. Instead of commas to show a parenthetical phrase, eg Alfie had fair hair that was far too long – making him peer under his fringe – and pale blue eyes. En dashes are used in the same way as brackets. Used mainly in UK fiction and non-fiction.

Em dash (—)

The em dash is the length of an M. It is more likely to used for parentheses in fiction published in the US. Again, it indicates a break in thought or to separate parenthetical phrases in a sentence. It provides emphasis, eg The weather—hot and humid—was unbearable. It can also be used to show interrupted speech, eg I thought for a while, then—.

Don’t worry too much about en dashes and em dashes in your book. Children don’t learn about them in primary school. There is no need to use them in your books for children up to age 11.

If you are an author and your editor spots that hyphens have been used instead of en dashes or em dashes, they have an efficient way of changing them as part of their editing service. So no worries.

 

Brackets (parentheses)

Parentheses are used to enclose additional information or explanations within a sentence. They provide extra detail or clarification, eg The conference (where there were over two hundred delegates) was very informative.

 

Ensuring readability and clarity

There we are. That concludes your author guide to punctuating children’s fiction, whether you’ve written a picture book, chapter book, or fiction for Middle Grade (MA) or Young Adult (YA) readers.

Remember to use punctuation marks thoughtfully and appropriately to improve the clarity and readability in your writing. Using a variety of punctuation will keep the reader interested.

But if there is a missing full stop, misplaced comma or quote mark, it will trip the reader up.

If you’re still unsure about how to use punctuation, go to a bookshop or library, pick up a book for the age and genre you are writing for, and look at how the punctuation is used.

 

Using my teaching experience

My experience of 30 years teaching in the primary classroom is valuable if you need advice on writing a children’s book.

Think of me as a fairy godmother placing that punctuation perfectly … Your book is in safe hands.

Fairy godmother sprinkling publishing confidence.
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Further reading

Punctuating Children’s Fiction (Part 1)

Some of my relevant blog posts:

Punctuating Children’s Fiction

Punctuating children's fiction blog post

This guide on punctuating children’s fiction is for those of my clients who are independent, self-publishing authors of children’s books. They ask me for guidance about how to use punctuation.

Tall Tartan Talks here … When I give feedback to indie authors about how to punctuate their book, especially the dialogue, this is how I answer their questions.

Punctuating children’s fiction

Children’s fiction usually follows the same rules as punctuation in adult fiction, especially when writing dialogue (speech).

If you are an author of children’s books, here’s how you can make sure the punctuation in your story is used correctly.

  • Use age-appropriate language
  • Capitalisation
  • Punctuating dialogue (speech)
  • Paragraph
  • Exclamation mark
  • Question mark
  • Comma
  • Ellipsis
  • Curly quote marks.

Using age-appropriate language

Children’s fiction often targets specific age groups, so the language and punctuation should be suitable for the intended readers.

Younger children’s books will have simpler sentences and less complex punctuation while books for older children will have a variety of sentence structures (long phrasing contrasted with a short, snappy sentence before or after) to create dramatic effect, tension or humour.

A gripping fiction story will have a selection of action, description and dialogue.

If any of the story is punctuated incorrectly, your reader will spot it and ‘trip up’, which will spoil their enjoyment of the story.

Capitalisation

Capitalise the first letter of a sentence, proper nouns, and the pronoun ‘I’. Avoid excessive capitalisation for emphasis, as it can be distracting and disrupt readability.

Punctuating dialogue (speech)

There are particular rules when punctuating dialogue/speech between characters. In the sentence “I love ice cream,” said Sarah, the dialogue is “I love ice cream”. The dialogue tag is said Sarah.

  • When punctuating dialogue, use quotation marks to enclose the spoken words. That is, all dialogue goes inside the speech/quotation marks.
  • There is always closing punctuation before the closing quote mark, eg a full stop, comma, question mark (?), or exclamation mark (!).
  • Place a comma before the closing quotation mark when a dialogue tag (eg said, asked) follows the dialogue. For example: “I love ice cream,” said Sarah. “Can we go to the park?” asked Tom.
  • There is always a comma before the opening quote mark if the character tag is first. For example: John muttered, “I can’t believe you’re going to do that.”
  • Only the speech goes inside quote marks. The character speaking stays outside the marks.

Paragraph

Use paragraphs to indicate changes in speakers during dialogue or shifts in the action or setting. This helps young readers follow the story more easily and keeps the text visually appealing.

A simple way to remember how to set out dialogue: new speaker = new line.

Exclamation mark

Children’s fiction often includes enthusiastic and expressive language. Exclamation marks can be used to convey excitement, surprise or strong emotions. However, it’s important not to overuse them. Selectively include exclamation marks for impactful moments. And, I suggest, use only one at a time. Four is overkill …

Question mark

Use a question mark at the end of a question. Begin the next sentence with a capital letter, eg ‘How did he get there? He couldn’t have done it alone.’

A question generally starts with one of these five words – What? Where? When? How? Why?

Comma

Use commas to separate two or more items or adjectives in a list of description, eg She packed her favourite toys, books and snacks.

In longer children’s fiction, consider contrasting a long sentence (with commas placed for breathing pauses between clauses) after a short sentence, for dramatic impact.

A serial comma (Oxford comma) is often used before ‘and’ in a list. For example, from the sentence above, ‘She packed her favourite toys, books, and snacks’, I’ve added a serial comma here. Some would argue the serial comma is not needed as the meaning is clear. However, in other contexts, the comma would add clarity. Whichever style you choose, ensure consistency throughout your manuscript.

If a sentence contains two independent clauses, avoid using a comma to separate them.

❌ I loved walking, I tried to walk for an hour each day.

This is called a comma splice. It doesn’t work. Separate the two sentences with a full stop.

✔️ I loved walking. I tried to walk for an hour each day.

Ellipsis

An ellipsis (3 dots: …) can be used in dialogue to indicate a pause or speech stalling. It can help convey hesitation or suspense. For example: “I’m not sure … Maybe we should wait.”

Make sure you use three dots, not two or four dots, that is three individually typed dots (…) or the three dots character (…) using Alt+0133. Decide how you’re going to use space around the ellipsis: no spaces / no space before and one after / one space before and one after. Whatever spacing you use around your ellipses (plural), make it consistent throughout your manuscript.

Curly quotation marks

Quotation marks, also called inverted commas, are of two types, single (‘ ’) and double (“ ”), and can be curly, like these examples, or straight.

Straight quote marks are the easiest to type (just use the keyboard). However, curly quote marks are the convention in fiction publishing. A setting in Word will automatically turn them curly as you type.

Ensure consistency of use, ie single or double quotes, not a mixture.

If you’re unsure, your editor/proofreader will change them to curly quotes as part of the editing process.

There are other types of punctuation that I will cover in another post, eg colons, semicolons, hyphens, and brackets (parentheses) which children learn to recognise and use in upper primary school.

Giving a smooth reading journey

It is vital you give your readers a smooth reading journey and that they enjoy your book without the distraction of punctuation errors.

Ensure punctuation is used correctly and consistently. List your style choices on a style sheet to help you remember what decisions you’ve made. Give this list to your editor/proofreader so they know the styles you prefer.

If you don’t have a style sheet, editors will create one for you by listing what we find as we read, advising on the most consistently used styles in your writing.

Always consider the age group of your intended audience to ensure the punctuation enhances the readability and enjoyment of the story.

Using my teaching experience

My experience of 30 years teaching in the primary classroom is valuable if you need advice on writing a children’s book.

Children build on their writing skills through primary school, developing complexities in punctuation as they approach Year 6 (age 10/11).

It is vital that punctuation is correct in children’s books. They learn from reading good examples. Then they can apply a range of punctuation in their own writing.

Learning from published children’s authors

Another tip. I advise new indie authors to go into the children’s books section of a bookshop. Open a book for the age range you are writing for, one that tempts you by the cover, and study how the punctuation is used. In other words, learn from a variety of published children’s book authors.

Me? I research the releases of new books for children, keeping an eye out for authors / illustrators who have published stories that are recommended.

Personally, I adore the skill in well-illustrated picture books, especially for older children, that carry profound messages.

Finally, think of me as a fairy godmother sprinkling publishing confidence. Placing that punctuation perfectly …

Fairy godmother sprinkling publishing confidence.
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Further reading

Punctuating Children’s Fiction (Part 2)

Some of my blog posts which fit in with this one:

4 Tools for Writing and Editing Efficiency

4 Tools for Writing and Editing Efficiency blog post

Whether you are writing or editing, your productivity is aided immensely by using tools which will assist your efficiency.

Tall Tartan Talks here … I describe four software tools I use to make writing and editing quicker.

The tools will also save using the mouse and lower your risk of Repetitive Strain Syndrome (RSI).

Productivity tools

The tools I use are:

  • TextExpander
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • PerfectIt
  • Macros

There are more, of course, but four are described here for brevity.

TextExpander

TextExpander is “Customisable and shareable snippets of text that allow you to fly through repetitive tasks quickly by expanding the things you type regularly” (textexpander.com). I pay for this software, but there are other free phrase expander apps.

The software has access to your keyboard. When a preselected snippet is typed, it writes the message in full, thereby saving much time and effort. You choose your opening code.

I have a range of phrases listed, from those needed in general situations, like typing my email address, to using a phrase repeatedly in the comments of certain proofreading projects, eg ‘Insert comma’ (snippet: zic). Another favourite snippet to insert is my mobile number (snippet: z0). All my snippets begin with ‘z’ as it’s rarely used as an initial letter in my writing.

Another example is when an indie client emails to ask if I am available to proofread their book. I have a snippet that produces an email with FAQs such as deadline, genre, word count, and request for a sample (even though these points are all listed on my Contact me page as requirements when emailing).

Phrase expanders are also useful for when a diplomatic email is needed. Save the preferred wording and reduce the thinking angst, increasing efficiency.

I have saved particular snippets in specific project files in TextExpander; I keep my snippets software open when I am using them for a job, rather than trying to remember them all!

 

4 Tools for Writing and Editing Efficiency blog post

 

Keyboard shortcuts

In Microsoft Word for PC there are many keyboard shortcuts.

Some well-known ones are:

  • Ctrl+S: Save
  • Ctrl+X: Cut
  • Ctrl+C: Copy
  • Ctrl+V: Paste
  • Ctrl+Z: Undo

These shortcuts work across many programmes, not just in Microsoft Word. Ctrl+Z has helped me out of trouble on numerous occasions in numerous places!

 

PerfectIt

PerfectIt is proofreading software for professionals, purchased from Intelligent Editing. An add-on in Microsoft Word, when activated and launched, it finds inconsistencies in style preferences. All style choices can be checked or specific checks selected. It gives a summary of possible errors at the end of the check.

It now includes a link to the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), which, if you edit in US English, many editors working internationally have found invaluable.

PerfectIt is not free, but there is a discount if you are a member of the CIEP (ciep.uk). Find discounts in the Members’ area. It is worth the price for the convenience of speed and efficiency.

 

Macros

Another option for efficiency is to use macros instead of / as well as PerfectIt.

Macros are freely available from Paul Beverley’s website: www.wordmacrotools.com

A macro is some coding that tells Microsoft Word what you want to check. Paul has made 1,000s of macros over the years all for public use. I use a couple; my favourite one is DocAlyse which finds inconsistencies in styles (in the same way as PerfectIt).

 

Being more efficient

Most of my proofreading is done on PDFs as the publishing workflow of the publisher or indie author nears the end. But, for efficiency’s sake, I will convert a PDF to Word and save my copy just to be able to run PerfectIt and my favourite macros to speed up finding inconsistencies.

If you’re writing or editing, what tools do you use to be more efficient and productive? Remember to experiment with different software options for efficiency to find what speeds up tasks for you.

The idea is to be more efficient, letting the software do the ‘grunt’ work – the routine editing tasks – so that we editors, the trained experts, have more time to make specific editorial decisions. That is, prioritising the human side of editing.

4 Tools for Writing and Editing Efficiency blog post
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