Ameesha

Hiring an editor: The good, the bad, and the necessary

If you’re thinking about hiring a freelance editor for your book, you might be wondering what it’s like to work […]

5+1 Expert tips to pick your nonfiction book topic

According to a recent survey, 80% of adults have thought about writing a book at some point. But if you’re […]

Did E.M. Forster’s “The Machine Stops” predict the future?

While nonfiction is our bag at The Book Shelf, E.M. Forster’s The Machine Stops is stranger than fiction. It has an uncanny resemblance […]

On copyright and ‘fair use’:  do you need permission to quote people in your book?

As a nonfiction author, you may want to quote other people in your book—be it to set a certain tone, amplify your […]

The E-Myth: The book every business owner needs to read

When it comes to business books, there’s no shortage of options available to entrepreneurs, wantrepreneurs, and small business owners hoping […]

What is more lucrative: traditional publishing or self-publishing?

Some people write books for the love. Some to entertain and enthral readers. Some to make the world a better […]

Nihilism: Four useful life lessons from a bleak mentality

A close-up shot of a dark green typewriter with a page coming out of it that reads "Crisis"

In a #fakenews and #posttruth era, the 19th-century philosophical bad boy of nihilism has reared its head. Nihilism stems from […]

Which is the best proofreading software – Grammarly or Word’s Spellchecker?

Whether you’ve written a blog, a book, or some website content, you no doubt know that the text needs proofreading […]

How not to write a book: 5 mistakes to avoid when writing nonfiction

As a nonfiction book editor, I see my fair share of great first drafts, but also some pretty average ones. A mediocre […]

7 Lessons from the Stoics on how to deal with life’s uncertainties

Over recent years, the Ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism has gained a new lease of life. 3rd Century BC ideas […]

The worst 5 pitfalls of self-publishing and how to avoid them

Self-publishing can be a magical thing. It opened up the publishing world to the masses, enabling anybody to publish a […]

Writers, here is how editing and proofreading differ

As a writer or author, you may want a professional to add that extra polish to your work. But do […]

5 Ways book writing can be good for your mental health

We’re living in unprecedented times, when many people are worried about the physical and mental health of their loved ones […]

The importance of fact-checking before publishing: The Gladwell case study

Times of crisis like this demonstrate how important it is to know truth from fiction. Written content has a huge […]

An editor’s review: Brief answers to the big questions, Stephen Hawking

I’ll be the first to admit that I hated science at school. And when I say hated, I mean that I’d […]

RIP books: is the written word dying?

If you read the news, scour forums, or listen to podcasts, you might have encountered sensationalist headlines suggesting that the written word is dead. Or if it’s […]

This is why you don’t spot your own typos

Have you ever written a blog, proofread it, and posted it—only for someone to point out a glaring typo? Or […]

How much does professional book editing cost?

You’ve written a book. You’ve done some self-editing. You’ve made the decision to hire an editor and you’re ready to […]