Published in Business of Writing·3 days agoMember-onlyWriting The LandscapeWhat opportunities exist for writers looking to explore the nature-writing genre? — (This article first appeared in the March 2023 issue of Writing Magazine.) Ten years ago, Frances Lincoln, publishers of the Alfred Wainwright pictorial guides to the Lake District, launched a brand new literary prize for published nature writing books. Now managed by an independent marketing agency and The National Trust…Nature Writing8 min readNature Writing8 min read
Published in Writers’ Blokke·Jan 23Member-onlyHow To Get Paid By People Who Don’t Buy Your BooksWhy every published writer should register for PLR (Public Lending Right) — I love this time of year. It’s when I get paid by the people who don’t buy my books. They borrow them instead. Yes, I get paid every time one of my books gets borrowed from a UK library. (Similar systems exist in 33 other countries around the world. Click…Plr9 min readPlr9 min read
Published in Business of Writing·Jan 21Member-onlyNetwork SupportWriting needn’t be a lonely business if you find the right business support network — It’s easy to feel isolated when writing. Unlike working in a large organisation, there is no legal department to which we can refer when we don’t understand a clause in a contract, nor is there a finance department to chase outstanding invoices. Yet in this business of writing we needn’t…Freelance Writing8 min readFreelance Writing8 min read
Published in Business of Writing·Jan 20Member-onlyImproving ProductivityStrategies used by working writers to get the first draft written — A bad workman always blames his tools, but good businesses ensure they have the right tools to do the job at the right time. As far as the business of writing goes, all we need to start off creating our first drafts is a pen and paper. …Writing7 min readWriting7 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Jan 20Member-onlyDam TouristsWhy everyone should visit Wales’s Elan Valley Reservoirs in winter — The ground is trembling. There’s a constant, deafening roar that blocks out most other sounds, apart from the occasional gust of wind, strong enough to nearly knock me to the ground. And I’m soaked. …Elan Valley6 min readElan Valley6 min read
Published in Writers’ Blokke·Jan 13Member-onlyCreating A Business-Like WorkspaceHow every writer should find a room (space) of their own — I’m writing this in my oak-panelled study, while sat at my Georgian-style mahogany, green leather-topped, antique desk. …Writing Life9 min readWriting Life9 min read
Published in The Writing Cooperative·Jan 13Member-onlyThe Right Writers’ GroupHow to find the best writers’ group for you at this moment in time — Last month, in Retreating to Write, I shared the joy and benefits I’ve enjoyed over the years by going away for a few days on a writing retreat with my writing group buddies. It’s something we’ve done for over twenty years now. Many people messaged me, saying how great the…Writers Groups10 min readWriters Groups10 min read
Published in Globetrotters·Jan 13Member-onlyCrickhowell’s CuriositiesExplore some of this picturesque town’s hidden historic landmarks in this wonderful Welsh town. — “All is not as it seems here,” says the custodian at Tretower Court and Castle. Puzzled, I hand over my entry fee. “You could say there’s been a lot of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ over the years.” She winks as she hands me my entry ticket. Well, if you’re…Crickhowell8 min readCrickhowell8 min read
Published in Business of Writing·Jan 9Member-onlyBusiness Record KeepingWhat records should writers consider keeping, and how best should they keep them? — You don’t need a mathematics degree to be a writer, but it does have its uses. Author and journalist Alex Gazzola uses his to make effective use of formulae in the Excel spreadsheet he maintains to keep track of all his work. “I have an enormous, sprawling spreadsheet, which dates…Writing Tips8 min readWriting Tips8 min read
Published in Business of Writing·Jan 5Member-onlyGo WideHow to dip your self-publishing toes into the wider distribution systems: think Apple Books, Kobo, Scribd, Barnes and Noble, Nook, Smashwords, and to library systems. — The business of writing can seem complicated at times, so in last month’s issue we explored how a simple approach to self-publishing can be achieved by launching a book on only one platform to begin with. …Self Publishing8 min readSelf Publishing8 min read
