A Pride of Barbers

27 May, 2020

This week’s issue of The People’s Friend (30th May 2020) contains my article about a fascinating organisation: The Lions Barber Collective. It was set up by barber, Tom Chapman, after …

A Bigger Platform

19 February, 20219 May, 2020

Should self-published authors go exclusively Amazon, or dip their toes into the wider world of Kobo, Apple and more? Simon Whaley explores the pros and cons.

Ask any self-published author which ebook platform they sell their books on, and most will say Amazon. It’s easy to understand why. In the UK and USA, Amazon is the dominant player in the ebook market.

But when we upload our text onto the Amazon platform, there’s a decision to be made. Should we enrol in their exclusive KDP Select scheme? It’s an important business decision to make, because it can have far-reaching implications.

You’ve Got Mail

5 April, 2020

The Business of Writing – You’ve Got Mail

What makes a good author email newsletter? Two authors tell Simon Whaley how they keep in regular touch with their readers.

You’ve Got Mail – Writing Magazine – May 2020

Mailing lists. Every author should have one. Why? Because once we have our readers’ email addresses, we control how and when we communicate directly with them. We’re not reliant upon a traditional publisher’s marketing strategy, or another company’s platform, like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

You Can Bank On It

19 February, 20215 March, 2020

The Business of Writing – You Can Bank On It

Has your writing business come of age? Simon Whaley looks at when to get a business bank account.

We all remember our first time. It was 1989, I was 18, and I couldn’t believe what I was holding in my hands. (It was a postal order for £3.50, in case you were wondering.)

That was the payment for my first published piece – a word search puzzle. Little did I know then how that would be the first of many, many more payments.

Successful Signings

19 February, 20216 January, 2020

The February 2020 issue of Writing Magazine is out now, and my Business of Writing column looks at how writers can organise their own booksignings in WHSmiths.

Successful Signings – Writing Magazine – February 2020

Sustainable Snowdonia

29 April, 202031 December, 2019

Issue 185 of The People’s Friend Special has just hit the newsstands, and it contains my feature on the Centre for Alternative Technology, near Machynlleth, Wales.

It really is one of those places that you have to visit for yourself, to get a greater understanding of what they do there. I was fortunate to visit back in June, when they were open to prospective post-graduates, who were looking to expanding their knowledge of sustainable building. Many of the potential post-graduates already had a degree in architecture, and were looking to augment their knowledge with gaining a greater understanding of how to make our buildings more sustainable for the future.

Tinsel-tastic!

29 April, 20209 December, 2019

In this week’s bumper, double issue of The People’s Friend, there’s an article about my visit to Europe’s biggest tinsel-making factory: Festive Productions, near Cwmbran, Wales.

They’re a fantastic bunch of people there, and we had a laugh as they showed me round the factory. Cheryl Roach is the Production Manager, and she gave me the guided tour. Here are a few photos that didn’t make it into the published piece.

Dazzling Displays

29 April, 202022 November, 2019

Selfridges are well known for their Christmas window displays (Check out this link for this year’s displays). But how much work goes into creating these displays and when do they …

Wallis’s First Dam

29 April, 202010 October, 2019

October marks the 40th anniversary of the death of one of this country’s most famous engineers: Barnes Wallis.

To commemorate this, I’ve written a piece for the October issue of Best of British magazine looking at one of Wallis’s lesser known escapades in the Welsh Elan Valley.

Pilgrimage to Plymouth

13 July, 202316 March, 2018

Pilgramge to Plymouth – The People’s Friend – 16th March 2018

Simon Whaley enjoys a journey around this delightful Devonshire City.

‘Climb the oak tree,’ says the tourist guide, ‘but think laterally.’ She winks as she hands over a map of Plymouth city to help me explore. I have to admit, it’s been a few years since I last climbed a tree. But this wasn’t quite what I was expecting to do in Plymouth.

This Devonian city is sandwiched between two rivers – the Plym in the east and the Tamar to the west. It overlooks Plymouth Sound, a natural bay with deep water channels, perfect for commercial shipping and the Royal Navy’s warships and submarines.

Older Posts