self-publishing | Alison Morton Author

What is an editor? Joanna Maitland reveals all

This week’s guest, multi-published Joanna Maitland, knows all about loving her characters, but to ring the changes from the ‘Love me, love my character’ series, I’ve asked her to give as some of her valuable expertise. What am I talking about? Read on…

Joanna Maitland’s first historical romance went through the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New […]

Triskele Lit Fest - friendly and with fizz!

STOP PRESS: video added below!

The historical fiction panel, left to right Jane Davis (chair) Orna Ross, Radhika Swarup, J D Smith and me (see video of session below!)

Scarcely recovered from the Historical Novel Society Conference, I was back on the plane ten days later en route to a rainy London and […]

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; […]

On becoming RNA Independent Author Member No.1

With indie authors Glynis Smy, Jessica Bell and Talli Roland

What does ‘independent’ mean?

“Having independent means” – economically self-sufficient “Independence Day” – departure from the another country’s dominion “Independence in law” – e.g. ancient Roman emancipation from the parent’s legal authority “The Independent” – A newspaper with no financial or political ties

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Giving it back - the Denver HNS conference

HNS 2015 selfpub/indie panel. With me are with Geri Clouston, Anna Belfrage, Helen Hollick, Dan Willis. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Moore Hopkins

In front of an audience, my talented colleagues to my left, I caught my mental breath. Here I was, chairing a panel at the prestigious US 2015 Historical Novel Society conference. […]