A Beta Reader's job is to provide constructive feedback as an informed casual reader – they’re looking at big picture issues such as story, characters, timing and basic structure: does the story work?
Tag: behind the scenes
Writing Character Arcs (or Falling in Love with your Characters)
‘But does Winnie actually want a husband and children, or is she happily single?’ my mentor Brooke asked as we discussed my book, Letting Go. ‘What does she want from life?’ ‘Ahhhhh,’ was my rather inarticulate response. I didn’t know. It suited my purposes for this particular character to be childless, but I hadn’t considered … Continue reading Writing Character Arcs (or Falling in Love with your Characters)
How Dyslexia Affects My Daughter
Before my daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia I didn't know how dyslexia affects learning and other aspects of her life
Why You Should Keep a Record of Rejection
What embarrassing secrets have I got hidden in my 'rejection file'? Why writers should keep records of their submissions | Shannon Meyerkort
Interviewing Experts for your Novel
‘They wouldn’t be sweating once they were in cardiac arrest, even if it was a cocaine overdose,’ the lady across from me said. She stopped to think. ‘With a heroin overdose they might be sweaty once they've been resuscitated and trying to get back to normal, but it would be unlikely that two people in … Continue reading Interviewing Experts for your Novel
Writing the Time of COVID-19
When I’m immersed in writing a book, I tend to utilise the wee, dark hours when there’s little chance of being disturbed or taken out of the world I am creating. I may change screens to research a quick fact, or display images that evoke a mood or scene I am writing, but I try … Continue reading Writing the Time of COVID-19
When should you say goodbye?
It’s certainly not my favourite thing to do, but every now and then I follow my business mentor’s advice and think about boring things like SEO and search terms. Deep down I’m a writer, and my greatest joy is putting words on a page and sending them out to the world. Worrying about whether those … Continue reading When should you say goodbye?
How to Pitch Your Book (and Yourself)
Lessons in how to pitch your book and get more author speaking engagements.
When Good Comes From Bad
In January 2020 writers got together to raise over half a million dollars to support the bushfire appeals, and I made some new friends.
Hearing the Voice of the Writer
A million years ago (back at the turn of the century) when I was working as a research assistant at the University of New South Wales, one of my jobs was to write up the project findings into reports. I was sent with a tape recorder and notebook up the road to the Sydney Children’s … Continue reading Hearing the Voice of the Writer
