About Writing and How to Publish. Cathy Glass

black print type (it will already be set as the default), not any other colour, and not bold, and remember to paginate your work (that is, insert page numbers). Pagination isn’t usually a default setting on word-processing programs, so you will need to select it from the drop-down menu on your toolbar. Generally, the width of the left- and right-hand margins, as well as the depth of the headers and footers (the spaces at the top and bottom of the page), are preset and standard on your word-processing software, so you don’t have to worry about them. The top and bottom spaces on a page are usually 1 inch and the side margins are 1¼ inches, which are acceptable to agents and publishers. Don’t align the right-hand margin (which is also known as justifying the margin) as it will create false spaces between the words. The left-hand margin is justified by default, but leave the right-hand one ‘ragged’; that is, free.

      Sentences, paragraphs and chapters need to be kept to similar lengths for ease of reading. You probably won’t have noticed this uniformity while you have been reading books, and that in itself is a good sign – it makes for a smooth and fluent read. There is obviously flexibility in the length of sentences, paragraphs and chapters, and while some genres (Mills & Boon romances and Quick Reads, for example) have more defined requirements, generally it is not a good idea to leap from a chapter of 5,000 words to a chapter of 15,000 words as the pacing will falter and may even be lost. If, while you are reading, you find yourself looking for the next chapter break then the chapter is very likely too long. You should find yourself suddenly at the end of a chapter, eager to turn the page for the start of the next and wanting to read on.

      Likewise if you have to read a sentence a second or third time to make sense of it then the likelihood is that the sentence is too long – possibly with too many clauses – or it may have failed grammatically. A paragraph should contain only one main idea and the sentences within that paragraph should expand, develop and explain that idea. Take a look at a book you have recently enjoyed and you consider a good read, and then spend some time analysing its sentence, paragraph and chapter structure. I think you will see what I mean.

      The first line of each new paragraph should be indented by one tab space (which will be preset on your word-processing package), and a reminder: a sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. Do not use commas instead of full stops; they are different. Leave one character space between the end of a sentence and the start of the next. Chapter headings should be in bold, with a double-spaced line beneath, and before the start of the first sentence. Include a title page at the start of your work; an example of this is here.

      There are agencies that will edit, revise and proofread your work, either online or by working on a paper copy sent through the post. Their pricing structures vary, but they usually charge per hundred words, so if you have a full-length book of 80,000 words or more it can be very expensive. If you are considering using an editing agency, it may be worth sending a sample chapter to begin with. It will be much cheaper than having the whole book edited, and while the agency won’t be able to comment on your plot development and characterization, they will be able to offer you advice on your style and general language skills. But be wary of any agency that claims or implies in its advertising that they have connections with publishers and that you will therefore stand a much better chance of being published if you use their services. They may have connections, but ultimately whether your work is published or not will depend on the appeal and standard of your work, rather than ‘connections’.

      Many organizations offer creative writing courses, which you can attend in person or through distance learning: local colleges of further education, universities, private colleges and agencies and personal tutors. You will also, of course, find many online. If you attend a course in person, you will have the advantage of meeting your tutor and other budding writers regularly, which can be very morale-boosting. If you opt for an online or distance-learning course, be selective. There are many to choose from, and standards as well as what they offer can vary a great deal. Good online and distance-learning courses will assign you a tutor who will set you assignments and give you constructive feedback, and whom you can email and speak to on the phone, and possibly meet in person. Some well-established distance-learning courses – for example, the Open University – also give you the opportunity to attend a residential summer school, while The Arvon Foundation offers regular residential writing courses at beautiful locations around the country, where you are tutored in small groups by a published writer in your chosen genre.

      Most towns have at least one local writing group. They usually meet weekly in an informal setting, such as a room over a pub, a corner of a café or a member’s home. These groups are not usually tutor-led as writing courses are, but consist mainly of fledgling writers such as yourself, and offer the opportunity for members to read their work and receive feedback from the other members. Those attending are often unpublished authors, or have a little experience of being published or (increasingly) are self-published, which is worth remembering when you are considering their opinions on your work. Writing groups vary in their success. Some are well established and chaired effectively, and their members offer constructive criticism on work presented to the group, while others can be quite destructive, with opinions being egotistical and even vicious. If you feel uncomfortable in a group, or that the criticism offered on your work isn’t helpful, then leave the group and find another one. There are plenty. Writing groups advertise on the internet, on notice boards in local libraries, colleges and community centres, and in local magazines and newspapers.

      Online writing communities

      These are website-based and offer members the chance to post and share their work with other members online. There are many of these groups – thousands – large and small, with some more established and sophisticated than others. A few are hosted by publishing companies who also run writing competitions and will consider the work of some of the members. These chosen few are usually selected by other members through a voting system of positive reviews of the piece of work posted. Some of those selected are also published.

      Writing can be a very lonely experience, especially when you first start, and these online writing communities can be morale-boosting and supportive, as well as offering feedback on your work. As with any writing group, you should give your opinions on other members’ works kindly, politely and considerately, and receive their opinions on your work dispassionately, professionally and objectively. Because of the anonymity the internet allows, reviews online can sometimes become very personal and even vindictive. As with a local writing group, if you feel uncomfortable about the way you are treated in one of these online writing communities, or that the criticism posted about your work isn’t helpful, then leave by closing your account, and go elsewhere. Writing and sharing your work should be fun.

      When I receive an email asking for my advice on writing, the sender usually has a clear idea of what he or she wants to write and is looking for advice on how to begin, or is asking for some feedback on something they’ve already written, or wants advice on how to publish their work. However, some who email say they want to write but don’t know what to write. If you are a budding author with the