Both forms of the word are acceptable. “Among” is more common, however, perhaps because “amongst” sounds a bit old-fashioned. For that reason, I invariably change “amongst” to “among when editing – unless the book is a historical novel or a sword and sorcery tale. As a side note, most publishers prefer “among” as it’s shorter andContinue reading “Which is Correct? Among vs. Amongst”
Author Archives: Rob Bignell
Getting Started with Formatting Your Ebook
If you have a completed manuscript, you actually should to format two ebooks – one for Kindle Direct Publishing and one for Draft2Digital. This actually is less work than it sounds as you can format an ebook that will work for both Kindle and Draft2Digital. Why create an ebook for these two retailers? You’ll want toContinue reading “Getting Started with Formatting Your Ebook”
7 Minutes a Day to Promoting Your Book
With this book, you’ll develop a strategy that will get articles about your self-published book in newspapers, magazines, on radio and television programs, posted on blogs and linked to on websites, while landing you book signings and readings, all at virtually no cost. Simply set aside seven minutes a day – between classes, in theContinue reading “7 Minutes a Day to Promoting Your Book”
How to Avoid Copyright Infringement
Though you’ve finished writing your book, it still might not be ready for self-publication, if only for legal reasons. Legal reasons? “Don’t we live in nation with freedom of the press?” you ask. We do. Still, there are the legalities and liability of copyright infringement to consider. You don’t want to be sued for inadvertentlyContinue reading “How to Avoid Copyright Infringement”
How to Arrange a Public Book Reading/Signing
Just because you’ve published a book, don’t expect to get invitations to do book readings. You’ll have to arrange them yourself. The good news is you’ll find a lot of venues will be willing to have your speak. The first step in arranging a public appearance is to find those venues. Start close to home,Continue reading “How to Arrange a Public Book Reading/Signing”
When to Use an En Dash vs. an Em Dash
Among the most common problems I see when proofreading for my clients is confusion over the en dash and the em dash. Oftentimes, the confusion is so great that inconsistent styles are used within a manuscript. First, some definitions:• En dash – This dash is longer than a hyphen and often about half the length of anContinue reading “When to Use an En Dash vs. an Em Dash”
Self-Awareness of Writing Process Aids Creativity
Many writers will tell you “there’s no system” to writing a book. They’re right in that the craft of writing can’t be reduced to an assembly line production, at least not unless you wish to churn out cookie-cutter stories and ultimately be incredibly dissatisfied with your passion. Still, given that writers tend to share severalContinue reading “Self-Awareness of Writing Process Aids Creativity”
Five Great Quotations About Editing
“No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else’s draft.” – H. G. Wells “Be generous, be delicate, and always pursue the prize.” – Henry James “Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.” – Anonymous “I always wrote with the idea that what I put out there is going to stayContinue reading “Five Great Quotations About Editing”
Finding Writer’s Holy Grail: ‘A Place to Write’
One of the obstacles facing beginning writers is finding a place where they actually can write. Too often our responsibilities and modern civilization’s many distractions don’t allow for a moment – or place – of peace and quiet in our lives. Yet, just such a place where we can put our fingers to keyboard or penContinue reading “Finding Writer’s Holy Grail: ‘A Place to Write’”
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