Polishing a life story Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Forever Young Autobiographies

Edit: The ultimate guide to polishing your writing

What every life-story writer ought to know about revising and editing

I like gardening, specifically pruning.

Hacking into overgrown trees and shrubs with a pair of loppers is just so satisfying!

However, when these ‘flowery’ limbs are paragraphs in your life-story project it gets a bit more difficult.

Indeed, often we are attached to our writing or are confused about what parts need work or culling.

But just like a wildly overgrown garden, a first draft definitely needs taming.

Therefore, in this ultimate guide I show you how to sit down to edit and come up with a final draft of which you will be proud.

This guide is part three in the ‘ultimate series’, which includes the ultimate guide about planning to write life stories, the ultimate guide of life-story tips for new writers and the ultimate guide to publishing a life story.

Okay, roll up your sleeves and let’s get pruning!

Ask Nicola Q&A: Your most burning book questions about types of editors

What you should know about the 4 different types of edits

Hi and welcome to Forever Young Autobiographies – Ask Nicola.

As a print editor, I get many queries about planning, writing, polishing and publishing life stories for family and friends.

And in this series I aim to give you a peek into how I help fellow writers.

Today’s Ask Nicola answers the following question:

I have finished the first draft of my book. What are the different types of editors? And which one is most important?

Dialogue like a pro: See how easily you can use speech marks and quotes in writing

The quick and simple way for writing dialogue and using quotation marks

Writing dialogue can scare some people.

They feel like they are off the beaten track in the punctuation wilderness.

But the truth is great quotes really lift an autobiography, memoir, biography or life-story project.

And learning to use speech marks is nowhere near as strenuous as hiking cross country.

As a newspaper print editor I’ve helped many reporters easily understand how to use quotes in writing.

And I can help you too no matter if you are just starting to write or polishing a manuscript.

So get comfy in your fave writing spot and get set to write dialogue like a pro…

Foreign words: How to clearly write foreign phrases and foreign expressions in 5mins

The fast way to writing foreign words and meaning in your book

A friend recently came to me with a foreign words question, specifically about translating New Zealand Maori.

She asked what was the best way to introduce and use foreign words and foreign phrases in an autobiography, memoir, biography or life story?

Curiosity sent me on a deep dive of style guides to confirm some suggestions.

Even if you don’t write many foreign words you probably use jargon or vernacular that will need explanation before your book gets to the publishing stage.

I know, as an Aussie, we use loads of slang that leaves non-Aussies puzzled!

So read on for some you beaut (excellent) ways to deal with foreign words and expressions in your writing.

Ask Nicola Q&A: How to copy edit + CPR for revising and editing

How to copy edit: CPR for revising and editing your own work. Woman in palm-tree print tank with sunglasses comically looks up at a bright yellow lifeguard tower and its red first aid cross symbol. Photo by Leonardo Rossatti from Pexels.

Surefire proofreading tips to make your writing sing

Hi and welcome to Forever Young Autobiographies – Ask Nicola.

I get lots of questions about writing life stories for family and friends.

And in this series I aim to pull out some of the queries I receive and give you a peek into how I help writers just like you.

Today’s Ask Nicola answers the following question:

I’ve finished a rough draft of my book. What do I need to focus on when I polish and revise my writing?

Proofreading tips for revising and editing your writing

5 simple tricks you need to know about proofreading your own work

First published October 5 2017: This article has been updated and improved.

I’ll be the first to admit I was a woeful speller at school.

In fact I almost repeated because I was so bad!

But over the years as a print editor I’ve read a lot of copy and seen the same mistakes crop up time and again.

The good thing is these common writing pitfalls are not hard to fix when you are polishing your autobiography, memoir, biography or life-story manuscript.

Here are five proofreading tips to clean up your writing today…