Category Archives: manuscript appraisers

Producing a Print Book’s a Hard Journey

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Danielle de Valera

Some time ago, I investigated Indie publishing, particularly the publishing of Print on Demand (POD) books with CreateSpace, a subsidiary of Amazon. This investigation and my own experiences with it were most illuminating, and I thought I might share my … Continue reading →

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Foreword v. Preface v. Introduction

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Danielle de Valera

Last month, a client of mine asked me to edit his non-fiction book, a series of vignettes about his time in rural Australia in the 1950s and Papua New Guinea in the ‘70s. One of the first things I noticed … Continue reading →

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The proper use of italics

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Danielle de Valera

The proper use of italics can be a vexed question for writers, especially when they’re starting out. We’re all familiar with the usage for a word needing emphasis, e.g. “That film was awful.” But there are many other instances where … Continue reading →

Posted in advice about writing, advice for writers, Australian manuscript appraisers, Danielle De Valera, editing, fiction editing, indie publishing, manuscript appraisers | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Thumbs Down Publishers List

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Danielle de Valera

What indie writer trying to juggle the demands (and costs) of cover design, ebook design, print book design, and possibly a full time job as well, hasn’t been tempted to toss the lot to one of those publishers who promise … Continue reading →

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Naming your novel

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Danielle de Valera

When choosing a name for your novel, always check to see how many of the same names already exist on the web. The more unique your title is, the better your chance it will come up in the first page … Continue reading →

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What’s in a name?

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Danielle de Valera

When it’s the title of your novel, a great deal, if you plan to publish on the web. A writer has only four chances to attract readers. These are: ~ the cover ~ the title ~ the story as revealed … Continue reading →

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Spontaneity in fiction

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Danielle de Valera

How important IS spontaneity in fiction? The answer is: It depends. Some works benefit from having a style that appears spontaneous. However, in my experience, when emerging writers talk about spontaneity and the fear of losing it by redrafting, they … Continue reading →

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“Real” Dialogue

Posted on July 19, 2014 by Danielle de Valera

Good dialogue in novels is not real dialogue, which is often very boring, containing as it does a lot of batting about of unimportant information between the two parties. Too often, writers get led astray by their desire for realism … Continue reading →

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Ten Ways to Make Certain Your Novel Won’t be Published Traditionally

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Danielle de Valera

1.   Don’t redraft on the grounds that you don’t want to lose the spontaneity of your work. 2.   If you do decide to do the 8+ drafts necessary to make someone take you seriously, you insist on doing them online, … Continue reading →

Posted in advice for writers, editing, editors, fiction editing, getting published, manuscript appraisals, manuscript appraisers, manuscript assessments, manuscript assessors, traditional publishing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments