Is there a business case for using a pen name? Simon Whaley chats to three writers about the pros and cons of a split writing personality. My name is Simon Whaley, and that’s the name I write under. Although there was that time when I entered the National Association of Writers’ Groups’ mini-tale competition and…
Category: Features
Business of Writing – Christmas Gifts
What do professional writers get in their Christmas stockings? Simon Whaley unwraps a few ideas from Christmas past to sneak onto your list this year.
Dating With Non-Fiction
There are, on average, 125,000 new books published in the United Kingdom every year. Approximately 20% (25,000) are novels. The rest are non-fiction. The opportunity for having a non-fiction book published is therefore much greater, so why not make your first book a non-fiction one? This means creating a relationship with a publisher, so let’s…
BoW – Coping With A Crisis In Confidence
Dark nights and negative demons can quash a writer’s confidence. Simon Whaley finds two writers who’ve trained their demons into submission. (Published in Writing Magazine – November 2015 Issue)
Keeping It Local
Simon Whaley explores the benefit of authors getting involved with their local literary festivals … Keeping It Local was published in the Autumn 2015 issue of The Author, the Journal of the Society of Authors Keeping it local Phyllis Blakemore will always remember her appearance at the Wellington Literary Festival’s ‘Meet the Local Author’ event,…
The People’s Friend Special – Issue 110
Check out Issue 110 of The People’s Friend Special, which not only has one of my short stories in it, but it also has an article about my visit to the Pershore Plum Festival!
Another Visit to Age UK
Pick up a copy of the 18th July 2015 issue of The People’s Friend to see the latest monthly instalment of a year in the life of an Age UK charity shop, illustrated with my photos of the team.
Business of Writing – Get Help Through Business Synergies
Businesses make themselves stronger by joining forces. Simon Whaley discovers how this can help your writing. Writing is a lonely occupation, but those writers who succeed tend to be the ones who seek support from elsewhere. In the world of business this is known as a synergy, when two or more businesses co-operate to…
Business of Writing – Don’t Avoid The Diversion!
Keeping our writing business afloat isn’t easy. Simon Whaley chats to two writers who’ve found diversification has led to calmer seas.
Ideas and The Complete Article Writer
No writer worth their weight in text is without ideas. But sometimes conjuring them up feels more challenging than pushing a brussels sprout up to the top of Snowdon using only your nose. (By the way, that has been done, but it was an uphill challenge.) Writers need ideas, and I look at this subject…
Business of Writing – Free Words?
Is it good business to write for free? Simon Whaley explores the value of your words. Picture the scene: an email pops into your inbox. The editor loves your submission and wants to publish it. Sadly, there’s no budget to pay contributors, but it’s a great opportunity to see your name in print, and…
Age UK – The People’s Friend
If you can get hold of a copy of The People’s Friend, dated 21st March 2015, then check out the feature exploring the life of an Age UK charity shop in Newport (for which I took the photos). In this month’s issue, shop manager Sharon reveals details of some of the more unusual requests…
Age UK Magazine Models
My latest batch of Age UK photos has been published in The People’s Friend magazine. They’re such a lovely team at the Newport, Shropshire shop, and they are all fantastically friendly, especially when they hate having their photos taken! Mind you, I can understand their reticence. When you give up your time to volunteer in…
Writer’s Wheel Article – Course You Can
My latest article for Writer’s Wheel, the online magazine for writers, is entitled Course You Can and looks at how to make the most from a residential writing workshop. You can download a free PDF version here. Course You Can – Writers’ Wheel – Winter 2014-5 For more information about Writer’s Wheel click here.
Age UK join forces with The People’s Friend
I’ve just caught up with the issues of The People’s Friend that contain the new monthly series of articles from Age UK. Whilst Age UK could supply the text, The People’s Friend needed someone local to the Newport shop that Age UK have selectued to write about. I was delighted when The People’s Friend invited…
Writing Magazine – The Business of Writing – Software Solutions
The latest article in my Business of Writing column in Writing Magazine has just been published. Software Solutions identifies a few computer programmes of use to writers, with some quotes from David Hewson, Catherine Fitzsimons and Jane Smith.
Smiley faces at Age UK in Newport, Shropshire
What a fun morning I’ve had, taking photos on behalf of The People’s Friend magazine, at the Age UK shop in Newport, Shropshire. My thanks go to store manager Sharon, and the rest of her team for making me feel so welcome (and making me a cup of tea!), as I badgered them for photos.
Writing Magazine – The Business of Writing – Rights
My latest article in the Business of Writing series has just been published in Writing Magazine. Know Your rights looks at the various rights writers need to consider offering/retaining when submitting their work to editors.
Writing Magazine – Business of Writing Series continues
The June issue of Writing Magazine is out now, containing the latest in the series of articles I’ve written for them about the Business of Writing … Read about the laws that writers have to abide by, as well as the ones that are there to protect us. For more information about Writing magazine, check…
Viewpoint – Outdoor Photography – November 2013 Issue
Out now – the November issue of Outdoor Photography magazine, with my Viewpoint of the River Colwyn … Last November, I was staying in Beddgelert with friends, when I spotted this view of the River Colwyn nearby. A truly magical place where I took many, many other photos too!
The Wrong Number
Writers’ News magazine: Most fiction writers like to add realistic elements to the stories, but if you want to give your character a realistic telephone number, who are you going call? Simon Whaley gets hung up on the telephone numbers which are dialled in dramas.
Left Brain, Right Brain
Writing magazine: Are you a left brain writer, or a right brain writer?
A Will To Write
Writers’ News: It’s something many of us put off for another day, but writing a will is essential to safeguard your literay estate, advises Simon Whaley.
Focus On Imaging Show
Amateur Photographer magazine: Thousands of photographers descend upon the largest photographic show in Europe, every year. You’d think they’d know what to do by now, wouldn’t you?
Lovely Day For ‘It’
Cumbria magazine: Who says fellwalking’s not a competitive sport? Not Simon Whaley, that’s for sure …
The Things People Say
Cumbria It can be quite strange the things people say in passing when on a Lake District mountain …
Writers’ Forum – January 2012
Have you just read Paula Williams’ regular The Writers’ Idea Store column in the January 2012 issue of Writers’ Forum magazine? Do you want to know more about my next book, The Positively Productive Writer? If so, click here.
The Wrong Number
When Lisa Edwards’ telephone number appeared on Ricky Butcher’s mobile phone in an episode of the BBC’s popular Eastenders soap opera last year, she soon discovered what happens when a real-life telephone number is used in a piece of drama. Some 2,800 people either called her or sent a text message. And in a scene…
Ganging Up
For those of us who are not offered the support of the publisher’s entire publicity department to promote our latest book, sitting alone in a local bookshop, trying to sell it ourselves can be immensely demoralising. Persistent rain, the final of a great sporting fixture, or the lure of a more exciting event five minutes…
Find The Time To Write
If you were given an extra two hours a week, what would you do with them? Diane Perry decided to use hers for writing and has not looked back. Janet Johnstone gained a couple of days a week and has since been published in a variety of magazines in the UK and America. Julie Phillips…