Blog

Why I Love What I Do, Part 3,412....

2nd November

One of the most rewarding moments in my work as a ghostwriter and author came today when Rolf Hess presented me with my copy of From Wald: The Story of the Hess Family. The brief was both simple and ambitious: to take centuries ...

Proofreaders. Why You WILL Need One.

26th October

There are some things in the world of writing and publishing that I am very good at. And, after many years in the business, there are other things I know I am not quite so good at. Proofreading is one of them. Now, before anyo ...

Ghostwriting Is Cheating & Other Publishing Myths

19th October

Everyone, apparently, has a book in them. Yes, everyone. That’s a lot of books. It's one of those reassuring little sayings, rather like 'I think this rain will clear away soon'; 'BT is looking into your complaint’ or 'See it, ...

All I Want For Christmas...Is My Book Published

12th October

I write a version of this blog every year. Not because I've run out of things to say (that'll be the day), but because I think it's important. And because, every year, without fail, the same question comes my way. "Do you thin ...

The Books That Nearly Made It—Was One Yours?

5th October

Writing a book is difficult. Except, sometimes, it isn’t the most difficult part. Sometimes the hardest bit comes when the writing is finished. I have a folder on my computer called Pending. It is not a literary graveyard. A ...

The Exclamation Mark! Please Make It Stop!

1st October

I have some exciting news! Apparently. I know it must be exciting because the person telling me has put an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence. Sometimes two!! Occasionally three!!! By the time we get to four, I assum ...

In Defence Of The Em Dash

22nd September

A curious new form of literary detection has emerged. Someone reads an article, blog post or social-media comment, spots an em dash and immediately declares: “Ah, that was written by AI.” Case closed, apparently. Except that ...

Couzens-Lake Publishing Launches It's First Title

14th September

I have worked with books and their authors for many years now—as a writer, ghostwriter, editor and, occasionally, the person offering a reassuring word when the whole process begins to feel overwhelming. Setting up Couzens-Lake ...