Writing skills | Alison Morton Author

Making a readable PDF

“PDF? No thanks.”

How often do you as a writer get that answer back from a possible reviewer, blogger or beta reader? And I can understand it. Truly. My eyes have had enough of squinting at minute text in a silly font when I’ve been asked to read or review a book.

But PDFs (Portable […]

Indie writer? Please don’t do these things

I’ve published 12 books – seven novels, two novellas, a short story collection and two non-fiction (as at 2021) – via the indie route since 2012, but in the preceding three years I learnt how to write for publication. More importantly, I learnt writing techniques: structure, plot, dialogue; how to delete adverbs, adjectives and over-writing; […]

Name that character!

Today, I’m welcoming fellow Romantic Novelists’ Association member Joanna Maitland to talk about naming characters.

After many years publishing Regencies with Harlequin Mills & Boon, Joanna is branching out into new fields as an independent author. With fellow author Sophie Weston, Joanna has just set up Libertà! where readers and writers can meet and share […]

Speaking at ChipLitFest 'Trade Secrets' day

In the pantheon of literary festivals, the Chipping Norton Literary Festival is reckoned to be one of the best: world class speakers, an unrivalled range of events, the ‘localness’ yet global appeal, and not least, enthusiasm and fun. So when I was invited via my writing friend Liz Harris to speak on self-publishing at one […]

Seasonally adjusted writing

Seasons drive our behaviour whether we like it or not. We no longer live in caves, but in heated and insulated houses with curtains, double-glazing and electric light which weather-proof our lives But am I the only person who tends to ‘hibernate’ in winter and virtually live outside in summer?

When we write, we must […]