The Pen to Published Podcast

SERIES 3 EPISODE 6: GETTING YOUR BOOK COVER RIGHT

This episode is all about covers: what you need and what works well for different genres. The cover is the all-important 'shop window' for your book …

SERIES 3 EPISODE 5: THE INGREDIENTS OF A BOOK

There are key ingredients to books. Alexas 1 and 2 explore the various elements that make up a book, in addition to the main content – for example, forew…

SERIES 3 EPISODE 4: TYPESETTING - PET PEEVES

What are the most common mistakes in typography? The two Alexas give the lowdown and explain how poor typesetting can really affect the ultimate finish of…

SERIES 3 EPISODE 3 - PART 2: TYPEFACES - UNDERSTANDING THE DETAIL

Episode 3 is a second delve into typefaces and this time, the two Alexas explain the two main styles in use and the differences betwe…

SERIES 3 EPISODE 2 - PART 1: TYPEFACES - THE DOS AND DON'TS

The typeface you choose for the pages of your book is a huge part of its personality. Getting it right for the cover is vital too. Continui…

SERIES 3 EPISODE 1: TYPESETTING - THE BASICS

In this brand-new series of The Pen to Published Podcast, the two Alexas are back and the topic of conversation is typesetting. This episode delves into w…

SERIES 2 EPISODE 8: INTERVIEW WITH ACTOR AND WRITER JOSEPH MILLSON

In the series 2 finale, the two Alexas chat to actor and writer, Joseph Millson, whose first book, Work ... and other four-letter wo…

SERIES 2 EPISODE 7: FIVE EDITING MYTHS TO RETHINK

Throughout series 2 of the podcast, the two Alexas have emphasised the importance of having your book professionally edited and proofread, and what t…

SERIES 2 EPISODE 6: WRITING AND EDITING RHYMING BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

Rhyming books aren't an easy option for authors wanting to write for children, but used well, rhymes can create beautiful, memorable…

SERIES 2 EPISODE 5: FINDING THE RIGHT EDITOR FOR YOUR BOOK AND FOR YOU

Editing may seem all much of a muchness, but to get the most out of the editing process, authors do need to find the right edito…

SERIES 2 EPISODE 4: STYLE SHEETS AND WHY WRITERS NEED THEM

So what is a style sheet and what's it got to do with writing a book? This episode explains all, from why style sheets are so important for …

SERIES 2 EPISODE 3: PROOFREADING MATTERS

After the editing of a book comes the all-important proofreading. The two Alexas explain what proofreading involves and why it's a vital stage in the producti…

SERIES 2 EPISODE 2: EDITING: THE VARIOUS LEVELS

Editing is a staged process. Alexa 1 and Alexa 2 introduce the various levels, or types, of editing, explaining why each one is important and how, toge…

SERIES 2 EPISODE 1: PREPPING YOUR MANUSCRIPT FOR AN EDITOR

Welcome to series 2 of the podcast, in which the two Alexas chat about the editing side of the self-publishing process. In this episode, you…

EPISODE 8: INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR KYLIE DIXON

In the last episode of series 1, the two Alexas talk to an author they've both worked with, Kylie Dixon, about her wonderful debut children's book, Inkcap…

EPISODE 7: KICKING WRITER'S BLOCK

Writer's block: what is it? Why does it happen? What can you do to help overcome it? In this episode, Alexas 1 and 2 dig into the causes of creative block and discus…

EPISODE 6: GETTING INTO THE WRITING HABIT

This week, the two Alexas talk about how to get your book written. Managing your time can be a real issue but to achieve your writing goals, writing needs to…

EPISODE 5: THE WRITING PROCESS - PART TWO

To plan or not to plan? This episode is all about planning your fiction or non-fiction book, where to begin, and how to nail your plan so that you have a roc…

EPISODE 4: THE WRITING PROCESS - PART ONE

Have you ever asked the question, 'Just where do writers get their ideas?' In episode 4, the two Alexas give some guidance on where to start in the hunt for …

EPISODE 3: WRITING FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS

It's vital to understand the age category you're aiming to write for. This affects word count, vocabulary, plot, characterisation, sentence structure and boo…