How’s your writing going?

Kia ora,

Welcome to September and, if you’re in the southern hemisphere, spring! The daffodils and lambs are making their presence known around my way.

How has your writing been going? I know how easy it can be to get trapped in a procrastination cycle. You need to look up a detail for your story, you land on the Wikipedia page for it, an interesting diversion catches your eye, and before you know it, you’re ten pages deep and still haven’t clarified that detail that you meant to look up in the first place.

If you’re in a procrastination space right now, here’s my advice:

1. Don’t beat yourself up. Accept the lost time and move on.
2. Set a timer and write for ten minutes. Just ten minutes. At the end of that ten minutes, give yourself permission to stop, but if you’re on a roll, keep going.
3. Ditch the keyboard and write on paper. Take your notebook somewhere new – a cafe, the car, the library, the bath. Anywhere that’s not your usual spot. Writing pen to paper, even if it’s messy or just a list of dot points, can be enough to get the ideas out.

At the revision process and need a nudge? I gave my blog a small overhaul. It has a name! Base Camp Writing. My aim is to make it your base for writing advice specific to travel and adventure. 

And if you’re getting to the end of your publishing process, don’t forget that final, crucial step: proofreading. If you need a hand with that, I’ve got you covered: the Proofreading Checklist is finally, officially here!

Over 14 pages you get a glossary of proofreading terms, video walk-throughs, instructions for marking up your changes, and of course the checklist itself – all in a Google Doc with satisfying, clickable check boxes.

Happy spring and happy writing!

Deborah

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📚 What I’m reading

I finished The Outrun by Amy Liptrot over the weekend.

On Sunday night I started Thirty Below by Cassidy Randall. It’s been a few months since my last mountaineering read. I’m looking forward to digging into this while I’m tucked up under a blanket with a hot chocolate by my side and a cat on my lap.

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📅 Availability

Currently booking manuscripts from early November. 

If you’re thinking of getting your manuscript published early next year, reply to this email and we can set up a call.

I can give you a free sample edit, and we can jump on a video call to chat about the editing process too.

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✍️ Ways to work with me

Apply for a free sample edit​

Get your manuscript evaluation

​Get your manuscript edited