A Writer's Quest

The Times Style Guide

Wayne J. Cosshall — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:06:33 +0000

I just found that The Times newspaper has an online Style and Usage Guide. This is a great tool when you are writing and need a quick check. If you write on a laptop, as I do, then it is often far more convenient to go to a website than go find a book on the shelf.

A great resource.

Finishing a Book

Wayne J. Cosshall — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:09:16 +0000

I’ve just been through the exercise of helping a friend with the last stages of her book. In this case it was:

Planning test readers (it is a non-fiction book)
Updating her CV
Writing a good initial approach to publishers
Getting a good book synopsis together
Determining which publishers to approach and in what order
Making a start on a website to support the book

It was an interesting process and good practice for me, as I am incorporating the last suggested additions from my test readers into my own first book (also non-fiction) before sending the first lot of letters off to publishers.

Writing the book is really only the start of an involved process.

Samsung ML-1630: A Great Little Personal Laser Printer

Wayne J. Cosshall — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:17:46 +0000

This is a personal monochrome laser printer that is definitely worth having.

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On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Wayne J. Cosshall — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:14:11 +0000

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
By Stephen King
Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, 2000
(Hardcover by Scribner, 2000)
ISBN-13 978-0-7434-5596-1
ISBN-10 0-7434-5596-7

Whatever you may think of Stephen King’s writing, there is no denying his huge presence over at least the US and really the English-speaking world’s writing. This book as an interesting as its author. (more…)

Avery Address Labels

Wayne J. Cosshall — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:35:17 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I make use of Microsoft Office to handle my mailing lists. I use Excel to keep the actual lists and then use Word to print address labels and do mail merge. This combination works extremely well. (more…)

Setting Targets

Wayne J. Cosshall — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:52:25 +0000

Writing a book is a very substantial task. If you are going to get it done you will need discipline and defined targets. (more…)

James Herbert: Devil in the Dark

Wayne J. Cosshall — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:12:31 +0000

James Herbert: Devil in the Dark
By Craig Cabell
Metro Publishing, 2004
ISBN 1 84358 091 8

James Herbert is an author who is, roughly, the English equivalent of Steven King. Not because their writing is the same, or even their subject matter, but because Herbert is the best selling UK horror writer, he has had a major impact on the shape of horror writing in the UK and he has written in a variety of approaches. Biographies of writers can be most useful in understanding how successful writers write, understanding the industry and also just what it takes to make it. (more…)

The Elements of Style

Wayne J. Cosshall — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 07:30:58 +0000

The Elements of Style
By William Strunk and E.B. White
Allyn and Bacon, Fourth Edition, 2000
ISBN 0-205-30902-X

Yes, Strunk and White is a must read. It is not the most exciting but the advice is solid, the writing excellent.

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The First Five Pages

Wayne J. Cosshall — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:31:28 +0000

The First Five Pages:
A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile
By Noah Lukeman
A Fireside Book, Published by Simon & Schuster, 2000
ISBN 978-0-684-85743-5
ISBN 0-684-85743-X

Noah Lukeman is a New York literary agent. He has represented many best selling and award winning authors and has been in a position to read a massive number of manuscripts; ones that have eventually been published and many more that have not.

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On writing horror, a book review

Wayne J. Cosshall — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 22:09:21 +0000

On writing horror
Revised edition
A Handbook by The Horror Writers Association
Edited by Mort Castle
Writers Digest Books, Cincinnati, 2007
ISBN 1-58297-420-9
ISBN 978-1-58297-420-0

If you are interested in writing horror, this 260-page book is essential. In fact there is a lot of good stuff in here for people interested in writing any type of fiction.

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