Considering the passion of a loved one when shopping for a gift is an amazing way to show you care. But, getting the right thing demands you consider several factors: preference, usability, and quite importantly, budget. So, if you have a writer in your life who you want to shop for, let us take the […]
Book writing can be an incredibly long process, and that’s scary. But, what if writing a book didn’t have to take months or years? Let’s look at whether it’s possible to write a book in one month or less in this year’s NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge! Even though the challenge is focused on novels, note that it can […]
diobooks are one of the top publishing trends for 2023, and their demand and popularity continue to soar. Whether you’re an avid audiobook listener or you’ve never tried playing a book through your earbuds, the truth remains: in some ways, audiobooks make reading more accessible than physical books. “How,” I hear you ask? Here are five […]
by Anna Kiousi The topic of gender inclusivity can be intimidating for authors as being respectful to everyone is important but we might not know exactly what to say (or avoid saying) to make that happen. Many writers worry that a wrong pronoun or phrase might get them in trouble or unintentionally offend an entire […]
Do you dream of eliminating typos from your favourite books or magazines? Do you find yourself spotting errors in adverts, menus, and billboards? If so, being a proofreader might just be your ideal job! But what does it take to become a proofreader? Do you need a degree? And how do you start on the […]
As a nonfiction book editor, I’m often asked whether it’s possible to publish a book as a non-native speaker or writer, and my answer is always of course you can! In fact, as a freelance editor I work with non-native authors fairly often, and when I worked in-house for a book publisher, around half of the […]
Having proofread over 400 books, I’ve encountered many a common grammar error. The same mistakes pop up time and time again. In fact, they’re so common that I see them in published books, on billboards, and even in huge national advertising campaigns! So today, we’ll look at the top 5 common grammar errors that writers make. I’ll […]
As a book editor, authors often ask me how to self-publish a book and what the self-publishing process entails. In this article, I’ll run through the self-publishing process, the people you may need to hire, and the options. The rise of self-publishing has provided a great alternative for authors who don’t wish to use traditional […]
When you’re writing a nonfiction book, you might wonder what the difference is between an introduction and a preface. Do you need both? And what about a foreword? As an editor, I’m often asked by authors what the difference is between a preface and an introduction. So here, I’ll answer some common questions, explain the […]
As a book editor, I often get approached by authors who have just finished writing and now need an editor. They’re usually delighted to have finished and think the hard work is over and their book will be published soon. What many authors fail to factor is how long the editorial and publishing process takes. […]
“Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them.” (Neil Gaiman) We all know Valentine’s Day — the season of red roses, heart-shaped chocolates, and endless rom-coms. However, most people will have never heard of ‘International Book Giving Day.’ Both holidays share two things in common; 1.) the same 14th February calendar […]
Well, that’s what Shakespeare might be asking if he was still alive. Indeed, it’s the question on many a budding author’s lips. As manuscript editors, our authors often ask: should I self-publish or look for a traditional publisher? The simple answer is that it depends on who you are as an author and what you want for […]
We’ve all heard the saying “Everyone has one good book in them” or some variation. In fact, the original quote was by journalist Christopher Hitchens, who stated, “Everyone has a book in them and that, in most cases, is where it should stay.” Hitchens was presumably talking about novels. Indeed, many people struggle to envisage […]
Why does it matter? Can’t I write however I want? There are four general stylistic categories that writing falls into. Knowing which type you fall into is essential, as it will support your writing goals. These different types of writing styles are differentiated by their purpose. Writers will use one of these available styles while […]
The Book Shelf Editorial Assistant Shelby writes her book reviews in the best way: out of five cats. It’s that time of month again and like clockwork I’m here to tell review all the books I read in January 2023. You can find streams of fiction reviews, but I’m here to give nonfiction the attention it […]
It’s not the season of love – it’s the season of history books and war memoirs. Take a look at new nonfiction in February 2023.
If you want to start writing online, start first with Quora! Ameesha Green is a titan on Quora. She’s been on there for years… it’s where she started writing about her niche. Here at The Book Shelf, we on other platforms like Twitter, Medium, LinkedIn, and Instagram spreading the good word on publishing. What about Quora? It’s the golden goose in the […]
Make your typesetting look as professional as your writing! We work with self-published authors so we know the importance of great writing, solid editing, and a good cover. Your book looks incredible – or does it? What’s with that typsetting? Now, we have professional book formatters so we’ve got a few tips on typesetting your manuscript […]